Legal Definitions - confidence game

A confidence game, often referred to as a "con game" or simply a "con," is a type of fraud where a perpetrator intentionally deceives a victim by first gaining their trust, and then exploiting that trust to obtain money, property, or valuable information. The deception relies on psychological manipulation and trickery, rather than overt force or direct theft, to persuade the victim to willingly part with their assets.

Here are some examples of how a confidence game might unfold:

• The Fake Investment Opportunity: A scammer creates a sophisticated online persona, posing as a highly successful financial advisor with a proven track record. They spend months cultivating a relationship with a potential victim through social media or professional networking sites, sharing seemingly insightful market analysis and offering friendly advice. Once they have established a strong sense of trust and credibility, they convince the victim to invest a substantial sum into an exclusive, "guaranteed high-return" venture that is entirely fictitious. After receiving the funds, the scammer disappears.

  This illustrates a confidence game because the perpetrator meticulously built trust and a credible facade over time, using that established confidence to trick the victim into investing in a non-existent scheme and ultimately defrauding them of their money.

• The Romance Scam: An individual creates a fake profile on a dating app or social media platform, using stolen photos and an elaborate, sympathetic backstory (e.g., a successful professional working abroad, a military service member deployed overseas). They engage in intense communication with a victim, developing a deep emotional connection and showering them with affection and promises of a future together. After months of building this intimate bond and gaining the victim's trust, the scammer fabricates an urgent financial crisis—such as a medical emergency, a business setback, or travel expenses to finally meet in person—and requests money from the victim, promising to repay it. Once the money is sent, the scammer often disappears.

  This is a confidence game because the perpetrator intentionally cultivated a strong emotional and romantic trust under false pretenses. They then exploited this deep personal confidence to manipulate the victim into providing financial assistance for a fabricated emergency.

• The Grandparent Scam: An elderly person receives an urgent phone call from someone claiming to be their grandchild. The caller, often using a disguised voice or claiming poor phone reception, states they are in immediate trouble—perhaps arrested, in a car accident, or facing a medical emergency in a foreign country—and desperately needs money for bail, legal fees, or medical treatment. The caller insists on secrecy and urgency, playing on the grandparent's love and concern. Believing they are helping their grandchild in a dire situation, the grandparent, trusting the caller's identity and story, wires money to an unknown account or purchases gift cards as instructed.

  This exemplifies a confidence game as the scammer impersonates a trusted family member to exploit the grandparent's emotional bond and inherent trust. By creating a false sense of urgency and crisis, they trick the victim into sending money under the belief they are assisting a loved one.