Scams and Swindlers: Understanding the History Behind the Most Famous Frauds of the Past

Although Ponzi went down in history with the pyramid scam that bears his name (nonetheless he was not the creator) the socio-economic history is full of famous scams that have always accompanied it.

The stratagems to get rich illegally may be ingenious, simple or complicated, and risky, but they are all symptoms of flaws and imperfections in the systems that regulate the economic, social, and sometimes constitutional world.

It is not so difficult to exploit them, abusing people's trust and naivety and the impossibility of often controlling every step of any plot used to create a false reality, such as a title, an inheritance, a company and even a nation.

In this book, 25 of the most famous scams perpetrated over the centuries are recounted, in a light-hearted manner, not too in-depth to make the reading pleasant and relaxing. Scams, which have deliberately not been reported in chronological order, will force you to keep jumping through time.

Scams and swindlers underlined the weaknesses and lust for money, and a better social position, that characterised people of all ages and classes. They did not doubt the veracity of what was being offered to them, blinded by the alluring prospect of becoming rich and important.

Many of these scams later became the subject of books and movies, highlighting the interest and motives that arose at the time of their discovery. Often scams and frauds are not acknowledged until the deception is revealed.

Do not think, however, for a moment that these scams are just a thing of the past, because even today, in the age of the Internet, there are people who, just like a hundred years ago, continue to sell the Brooklyn Bridge. And they will never go out of fashion; rest assured you will still read about someone who has swindled an indefinite number of people, using the famous Ponzi scheme.

Never forget that if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is not. Wisely, it is best to steer clear of anything that seems too financially tempting.