Episode description

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).