The Con: How Scams Work, Why You're Vulnerable, and How to Protect Yourself

Career magician and identity theft expert Munton teams with writer McLeod to deliver this fascinating, informative, and highly entertaining primer on the various ways the uninitiated may find themselves ripped off by a con artist. Filled with personal stories (told in hindsight, of course), the cautionary tales have a common thread: it could happen to anyone%E2%80%94be they financially struggling college student, good Samaritan, single mom, or scientist. Munton and McLeod's featured narratives include people who have been conned by a new romantic interest or led astray by greed, curiosity, or basic inattentiveness. Rather than inducing paranoia, Munton and McLeod stress the importance of critical thinking when it comes to our money, identities, and time. For example, Munton schools readers on how to recognize a Ponzi scheme and cautions against giving out a social security number without serious consideration; in most instances, the receiving party doesn't need the social security number at all. This book will help people recognize a credible opportunity when it presents itself, and avoid those "opportunities" that don't pass muster. (Sept.)