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7 Subtle Tactics Manipulators Use To Control, Deceive, and Swindle
If you’ve never fallen for a con, you haven’t lived
In 1995, nothing proved as insidious to desperate, demoralized, and downcast souls as the 3 AM infomercial.
Most of the wares peddled on these shows were of nominal cost, but if you happened to be in the market for financial freedom, watch out. You could find yourself bewitched by a master manipulator offering you a final spot for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that guaranteed easy riches, but only if you acted before a new law closed the loophole that made it possible.
That’s what happened to me after burning through my third job since graduating college two years earlier. One night, an infomercial caught my eye and triggered a glimmer of hope. There was no internet back then, so I called the 1–800 number thinking I’d throw down $30 to distract myself from financial and professional malaise.
The call went as expected until the salesperson on the phone identified me as one of their elite clients, worthy of speaking to a Sales Vice President.
By the time I hung up, I had handed over $6,200. Adjusted for inflation in today’s dollars, that’s over $11,800.
What happened?
