The Flim Flam Scam: From Street Corners to Screens

The term flim flam originated in sixteenth century England as a word for nonsense or trickery. By the nineteenth century it had entered American slang to describe the work of the con artist or grifter. Unlike thieves who rely on force, grifters thrive on persuasion, illusion, and confidence. Victims are not robbed outright; they are convinced to hand over money, valuables, or sensitive information through stories that appear genuine. The props may have changed, from card tables and traveling wagons to smartphones and websites, but the essence of the flim flam remains the same.

Love and Trust Cons

Then: The Marriage Swindler

Marriage swindlers in the early twentieth century operated in person. Some courted wealthy widows, while others targeted prosperous bachelors. The deception relied on physical presence, staged affection, and sometimes even legal marriage before the scheme was discovered.

Now: The Romance Scam

In the digital age, romance scams are more fluid and elusive. Scammers construct online identities that may be male, female, or entirely androgynous, designed to appeal to the hopes and vulnerabilities of their targets. Emotional bonds are built over weeks or months, typically without any in-person meetings. Excuses for avoiding face-to-face contact are part of the con. A smaller portion of scams still involve in-person encounters, particularly when deeper trust or larger financial gains are required.

Variants:
💔 Inheritance Romance Scam – false promises of shared wealth to gain money
💌 Hybrid In-Person Scam – digital relationship extended to real-life encounters

Warning Signs:
⚠️ Rapid emotional attachment or declarations of love
🚫 Refusal to meet in person or repeated excuses
💸 Requests for urgent financial help or gifts

Protection Tips:
🕵️ Verify identity through independent channels
📞 Consult friends or family before sending money
✋ Do not provide personal financial information to someone you have only met online

The Found Money Trick

Then: The Pigeon Drop

Street grifters pretended to find wallets or rolls of cash. They offered to share the discovery if the victim provided a sum of money as proof of good faith. Once the cash was handed over, the grifter disappeared.

Now: The Refund Scam

The psychology of the pigeon drop persists in modern refund scams. Victims are told by phone or email that a company has accidentally refunded too much money. They are pressured to return the difference, which never existed.

Variants:
💵 Processing Fee Scam – upfront service fees to release a fake refund
🏛️ Government Rebate Scam – requests for banking info or fees to unlock rebates

Warning Signs:
⚠️ Urgent instructions to return money immediately
🔒 Insistence on secrecy or bypassing official channels
💳 Requests for unusual payment methods such as gift cards or wire transfers

Protection Tips:
🔍 Verify any refund independently
🛑 Avoid sending money for fees to unlock a refund
📞 Confirm with official company or government channels

The Rigged Game

Then: Three-Card Monte and the Shell Game

Street hustlers invited passersby to guess which card or shell concealed a prize. Quick hands and accomplices created the illusion of fairness, but the victim could never win.

Now: Crypto and Fake Investment Platforms

Digital flim flams have adopted the same mechanics. Slick websites promise incredible returns, while fake testimonials act as planted accomplices. Once money is invested, it disappears.

Variants:
📈 Pump and Dump – artificially inflate cryptocurrency or stock value and sell off quickly
💼 Imposter Investment Advisors – pose as licensed professionals offering guaranteed profits

Warning Signs:
⚠️ Promises of guaranteed returns or minimal risk
⏰ Pressure to invest quickly
❌ Lack of verifiable credentials or independent reviews

Protection Tips:
🔍 Research the platform or advisor independently
🛑 Avoid investments that appear too good to be true
📑 Confirm regulatory licensing

The Miracle Fix

Then: The Traveling Medicine Show

Grifters once sold miracle tonics promising to cure every ailment. Urgency, spectacle, and confident delivery convinced people to buy before realizing the remedies were worthless.

Now: The Tech Support Scam

The same pattern persists digitally. Victims receive alarming pop-ups or calls claiming devices are infected. Scammers offer “repairs” for a fee, often installing useless software or stealing information.

Variants:
🖥️ Subscription Scam – ongoing charges for worthless security or software
🔐 Ransomware Support Scam – demands to unlock devices with no real solution

Warning Signs:
⚠️ Unexpected messages or pop-ups claiming infection
📞 Unsolicited calls or emails requesting remote access
💳 Requests for upfront payment for services

Protection Tips:
🛡️ Never give remote access to unknown callers
💳 Avoid paying for unsolicited services
🔍 Confirm claims with official support channels

Sleight of Hand, Pickpockets and Distraction Thefts

Then: The Street Magician and the Pickpocket

Traditional grifters often combined theatrical sleight of hand with opportunistic theft. A performer would distract an audience while a partner removed a wallet or watch. Pickpockets relied on observation, timing, and manual skill.

Now: Distraction Thefts, Skimming and Digital Pickpocketing

The same principles persist today, but techniques have multiplied. Distraction thefts still occur in crowded areas, where one person creates a commotion while another steals. Technology has introduced ATM skimmers, card cloning devices, and contactless relay attacks. Staged interactions such as petitions or spilled drinks are used to divert attention.

Variants:
👜 Classic Pocketing – subtle removal of wallets or phones in crowded spaces
🎭 Staged Distraction Teams – coordinated diversions to steal
💳 ATM and Pump Skimming – devices capturing card data
📡 Contactless Relay or Cloning – intercepting wireless payments
🚍 Passenger Snatch – grab-and-run theft in transit
🤝 Polite Theft – requests for help used to steal

Warning Signs:
⚠️ Crowding or unusual closeness
🎯 Sudden accidents or commotion nearby
🧐 Suspicious devices attached to card readers
👀 Unfamiliar people loitering around ATMs or transit exits

Protection Tips:
🔒 Keep valuables in front pockets or zipped compartments
👝 Use travel pouches or money belts
✋ Shield keypads when entering PINs
🏧 Use secure, well-lit ATMs
🙅 Refuse to hand valuables to strangers
🚶 Move to safer areas when personal space is invaded

Other Heirs to Flim Flam

✉️ Phishing Emails and Prize Scams – descend from fake charity collections and sweepstakes cons
📊 Ponzi and Pyramid Schemes – modern versions of nineteenth century investment clubs, paying early victims with funds from new recruits

The Grifter’s Art

Every flim flam relies on performance. Grifters study people, sense weaknesses, and exploit trust. Historically, they appeared on street corners, traveling medicine shows, or card tables. Today they hide behind email signatures, websites, or video calls. The tools change, but the psychology is constant. As one fraud investigator explained, “The con artist never steals outright. They convince you to give it away.”

How to Stay Ahead of the Flim Flam

⚡ Pressure to act immediately often signals a scam
🕵️ Requests to keep transactions secret are a red flag
💳 Avoid untraceable payment methods such as cryptocurrency, wire transfers, or gift cards
🔗 Verify identities and claims independently
🤔 Trust intuition when a story seems overly complex, emotional, or unrealistic