Something tells us we would be naïve to believe this book would appeal solely to mystery writers. Detective Fay Faron, syndicated newspaper columnist ("Ask Rat Dog") and author of Missing Persons, has written a primer sure to turn any novice (writer, of course) into a scam expert. Rip-Off removes the mystery from such cons as the pigeon drop, Latin lotto, Gypsy-sweetheart scams, guaranteed-prize mailers, charity scams, bait-and-switches, biz-op scams, the Texas twist, identity theft, carny cons, chain letters, psychic hotlines, three-card monte, Ponzi schemes, 809 phone numbers, and gambling stings. Faron's writing advice focuses on identifying the basic traits of perps and pigeons (60 percent of pigeons are seniors, but we're all susceptible), defining the lingo (drag broad, shaky mom, mish roll, etc.), and counseling writers to "tell the story from the point of view of the victim." --Jane Steinberg
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 3.5 / 5.0
A decent reference:
I thought this was, overall, a pretty good book. Faron, who ran her own private investigation agency for many years, gives a good overview of rip-offs of all kinds. If I want more detailed information on a specific kind of scam, there are other sources I'd likely use (most probably, talking with one of my police contacts), but I liked the overview this book gave me in that it got me thinking about a few directions I might go in my own writing. The Writer's Digest "Howdunit" series, of which this book... more info
Just Plain Lousy:
When I ordered this book, I was hoping for more than a cursory look at some of the great scams and cons throughout history. It fell woefully short in many respects. It seems to me that Ms. Faron has learned all she knows from watching a Discovery Channel special or movies, such as The Sting, Traveller, or Paper Moon. It provides nothing in the way of original insight or research. The author's writing style is disjointed and confused. It jumps between subjects quickly without segues. I can see how... more info
Another goodie from the Howdunit Series!:
This is a great book! It gives details of all types of deceptive crimes. Many of them really get you thinking, "Now how'd they do that?" Now let me tell you, this book is not ONLY for the writer. If you deal with the public (at all, and that is nearly all of us) this book is for you! It'll get you thinking back to this book each time you bump into someone, make change, or even stand in the elevator with a croud!
Rip-Off covers such crimes as: glamour scams, impostors, counterfeits, buisiness frauds,... more info
There are better sources:
The Howdunit series is a wonderful resource for writers. These books can save hours of legwork and research. Unfortunately Fay Faron's book does not really belong in the series. This is not to say it's a bad book. If you are interested in con games and want to protect yourself, it is as good as most of the other books on the market that cover this topic. As a research tool, however, it falls woefully short. Most of the cons are given only the most rudimentary descriptions, and some (such as the notorious... more info
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