Have you ever been Set up ?

[EternalOptimist]

I watched the film 'The Sting' again recently, it's still pretty good, but it's not usually the baddies who get set up.
I was just wondering if anyone here knows of any cons , or even been set up themselves

[sweetandsour]

I was just wondering if anyone here knows of any cons , or even been set up themselves

I did once.

It was when I was at school.

This so called "University" sent me a glossy brochure encouraging me to spend three years doing what they called a "Degree in Information Technology".

It all went well at first of course. I got the degree was soon able to secure well-paid employment.

But it didn't last. Look at me now.

[HairyArsedBloke]

There was this bunch that went around singing 'things can only get better' ......

I didn't fall for it, far too many did.

[dang65]

I still can't really understand how The Real Hustle gets shown on TV and basically shows you exactly how to pull off some fantastic con tricks. I suppose the idea is that it's warning you how you could get conned yourself, but I would think that the vast majority of people simply don't watch that programme, so it must be doing more harm than good mustn't it? It makes for great viewing though, when they actually carry out the cons on real people.

The one where they do a free gift wrapping service at a shopping centre at Xmas was so cruel. They took things like XBoxes and digital cameras etc and said, "Come back in ten minutes and we'll have it all wrapped up for you." Then they went round the back and took the goods out and wrapped up the empty box, maybe with a few carrots in to make it feel the right weight. Wicked. They got stacks of stuff like that.

Someone did try a rubbish one on me once. I was on my own in Paris and was standing on one of the bridges just watching the world go by. I'd been there for at least half an hour when a woman walked by, did a double take at something on the ground, then snatched up a huge solid gold ring from right by my feet!! Wow! What a find!

She asked if it was mine. No, I admitted. I also hadn't noticed it before in all the time I'd been standing there. She then claimed that due to her religion she couldn't keep anything she found (unspecified religion!) and did I want it? I could take it to a pawn shop and immediately get a load of cash for it. To be honest, I really wasn't interested. Jewellery has always been meaningless to me. But she insisted, so I put it in my pocket and carried on watching the world go by. About five minutes later, the woman reappeared and started saying that although her religion forbade her from keeping things she found, it did allow her to accept a small amount of money, perhaps 50 euro for a nice cup of tea, seeing as the ring was obviously worth about a thousand euro at least?

I said, no thanks and offered her the ring back, which she took this time and walked off, perhaps exploiting a loophole in her religion, I don't know.

About ten minutes later a completely different woman walked past and, incredibly, also spotted a massive gold ring on the pavement just where I was standing. She asked if it was mine and I just smiled and said, "NO, it's NOT mine, duh." She just smiled back and walked off.

Seems like a massively lightweight scam, but I suppose some people have orgasms over bits of gold and would happily bung a wad of cash at someone who was offering it for free. And I presume it was just a bit of brass or something, no idea.

[bobhope]

All these kind of scams pale into comparison with what the banks have pulled off. Then again, the banks are small fry compared to the stunts Brown and co have managed to get away with.

Whenever I have to deal with a financial organisation now, the first thing I always ask myself is "how are they going to scam me?"

[conned tractor]

In mexico, I had a group of kids begging for money on a trip to a market. I got my wallet out as I felt sorry for them to give them a small something. The next time I got my wallet out all the notes were missing. Not a clue what happened there. Possibly could have lost them although unlikely - smart them little urchins.

On a similar note my parents went on a trip to an african market and they were told strictly not to give anymoney to the begging kids. Anyway my mom goes to reach for her purse whilst standing by this little african kid. Another, larger kid, comes over a batters ten barrels of tulipe out of him, presumably for touting on his turf.

[The Lone Gunman]

I was set up by a mate once. He wanted to go out with this girl and set me up with her mate to make it easier. Does that count?
He said she was alright, but turned out to be a right munter. Best shag I ever had though.

[Menelaus]

I watched the film 'The Sting' again recently, it's still pretty good, but it's not usually the baddies who get set up.
I was just wondering if anyone here knows of any cons , or even been set up themselves

Yes. I got married and divorced shortly thereafter.

[badgerpig]

"challenging and rewarding job working within a dynamic and proactive team"

[Pondlife]

Yes. I got married and divorced shortly thereafter.

Ah the old "Just sign here Sir and you'll get a lovely holiday and lots of presents. There's even going to be a presentation dinner tonight with cake and champagne. How does that sound?" routine.