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Why Do People Get Scammed? (Replay)

What makes a con succeed? Does snake oil actually work? And just how gullible is Angela?

• SOURCES:• Robert Cialdini, professor emeritus of psychology and marketing at Arizona State University.
• Yaniv Hanoch, professor of decision sciences at Coventry University.
• Hugo Mercier, research scientist at the French National Centre for Scientific Research.
• George Parker, 19-20th century American con artist.
• Clark Stanley, 19th century American herbalist and quack doctor.
• William Thompson), 19th century American criminal and con artist.
• Danny Wallace, British filmmaker, comedian, writer, and actor.
• Stacey Wood, professor of psychology at Scripps College.
• RESOURCES:• "They Thought Loved Ones Were Calling for Help. It Was an A.I. Scam," by Pranshu Verma (The Washington Post, 2023).
• "Who Experiences Scams? A Story for All Ages," by the Federal Trade Commission (2022).
• "The Scams Among Us: Who Falls Prey and Why," by Yaniv Hanoch and Stacey Wood (Current Directions in Psychological Science, 2021).
• "The Nigerian Prince Scam Is Still Fooling People. Here’s Why," by Eleanor Cummins (Popular Science, 2020).
• "How Gullible Are We? A Review of the Evidence From Psychology and Social Science," by Hugo Mercier (Review of General Psychology, 2017).
• "The Man Who Sold the Eiffel Tower. Twice," by Jeff Maysh (Smithsonian Magazine, 2016).
• "Why Your Brain Loves Good Storytelling," by Paul J. Zak (Harvard Business Review, 2014).
• "A History Of 'Snake Oil Salesmen,'" by Lakshmi Gandhi (Code Switch, 2013).
• Yes Man, by Danny Wallace (2005).
• "For You, Half Price," by Gabriel Cohen (The New York Times, 2005).
• Influence, by Robert Cialdini (1984).
• "Arrest of the Confidence Man," (New York Herald, 1849).
• EXTRAS:• "Are N.F.T.s All Scams?" by Freakonomics Radio (2022).
• "Trust Me," by Freakonomics Radio (2016).

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