Hustle

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Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2007 10:22 pm

Being an occasional fan of the Hustle (Jaime Murray�s cleavage notwithstanding) I browsed the BBC Hustle site and found some interesting parallels to what we do and what the lads do.

All the terms used in the con world fit both ours and the lads world exactly:

Quote:

The Mark = the gullible victim
The Roper= format initiator or ASEM initiator
The inside man = the solicitor / freight handler or Rich Aunty Dot / Usman Bello (<- if you have the cohones)
The manager = the Oga or the bait co-ordinator
The extras = any old bunch of smelly reprobates on either side Smile

The �convincer� = an offer of a trunk / wash wash cash or a fake WU MTCN / promise of a personal visit
The �pay off� could be a large wodge of money or a trophy

It isn�t rocket science but if you look at it from the perspective of �The Hustle� and the world of con men, with some research into how real cons work, it may spark some new ideas or fresh variations on existing ones.

Baiting Guru Joined: 03 Mar 2006 Posts: 7103 Location: Yes

I like it! However, I dare say that the cons of "The Hustle" are 1000% more well-developed, organized and executed. Laughing

Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2007 11:15 pm

In an episode in season 1, the team are having a brainstorming session to think of some way to scam their mark and one of them suggests trying a "Spanish Prisoner" since they hadn't done one of those for a while. No one takes up his idea, though.

Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2007 11:20 pm

I think it's a great idead too. OK the organisation may need to be a little more developed then usual but could be fun. I'm just bringing a new character called into a current bait anyway.

Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2007 10:45 am

Hi shuntbuzz^

Those terminologies are similar to the ones that professional pick-pockets use. Ever hear of the School of The 7 Bells?

Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2007 3:06 pm

@JMRazor - Are you talking about the lads or us? Smile

@Otterfan - A brainstorming session for new tricks is a very good idea - it would be a good starting point for a mass bait

@Rodus - I think it will work both as a general practice and in specific baits. I need to flesh out the thoughts a bit more but I am sure I will be kicking something off Smile

@Jervis - Only the belly dancing one - schlpppp Twisted Evil

Seriously, no. I'll have to look that up. If you have any information on it, it may add another dimension to this. [EDIT - blimey, Yahoo only returns 1 entry and that is on Wikipedia as an unreferenced entry. Mystery or what? This cries out for use as lad bait - "work for me and do as I say and I will teach you the secret of the seven bells!"]

Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2007 4:25 am

Shuntbuzz^

The School of the 7 Bells is in western South America, but has no campus of course. It's more a mandatory prerequisite course for pickpockets there to hone their craft and move on to the Western World.

In order to 'graduate' to professional criminal, kinda like catcher to oga, you must successfully remove a wallet from a mannequin without twigging the bells attached to the jacket and pants. Failure means dealing with a now-angry victim within arms-length and potentially the cops too.

Wow, didn't realize this was so arcane/unknown--especially on the net! Thing is, as organized gangs of South American pickpockets will always be among us--as will lads on computers-- this goes on to this very day.

Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2007 5:21 am

In Peru they don't bother pickpocketing or dealing with the 7 Bells.

They simply use a knife and slash your back pocket (your backside/thigh usually cops the brunt of this) and grab your wallet as it calls out. You're far more concerned with your bleeding rear side than your wallet by this stage.

Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2007 5:46 am

Red^

That's very true for there, but they know they can't use those slash-and-run tactics in The USA, Canada, The UK, Europe, Ireland, Oz et al and get away with it. They thrive on gatherings of huddled masses at celebrations and busy major airport escalators-- and crowded pubs, subways & buses [for the bump] to work their crimes.

They're just as organized with a criminal mind-set as the lads are, and likewise always teaching a new protege, except that pickpocketing is more an instant crime of opportunity whilst the lads try and layer their scam over a longer period of time. They're both scum criminals!

Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2007 5:58 am

red wrote:

In Peru they don't bother pickpocketing or dealing with the 7 Bells.

They simply use a knife and slash your back pocket

Never heard of such a tactic here, although it wouldn't surprise me. But they sure don't bother dealing with the 7 bells, they'll just beat the crap out of you and then take your money. Recently a couple who had a hostel was killed by their guests...all they took was a cell phone.

Anyways, good to hear that my country has such a good reputation Very Happy

Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2007 6:02 am

@ mapuche - ola!

Yeah, but you've got such cool former presidents...

how could you ever go wrong?!

Your country does have a reputation of being awesome for trekking/hiking though... so that's something!

Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2007 6:10 am

That guy is the biggest 419 scammer on earth, he was not even Peruvian, but had a 100% risky free birth certificate.
Luckily, this lad has been captured and will be tried soon.

Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2007 6:58 am

mapuche^

Who knows, maybe the barrister for Alberto will claim that Prez Fujimora never understood Spanish to begin with. So is innocent of all charges.

Forget Paris Hilton, Free Lori Berenson from Peru!

Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2007 7:06 am

Then I hope he finds a nice Nigerian barrister! Laughing

Quote:

Forget Paris Hilton, Free Lori Berenson from Peru!

I'd rather free Paris, at least she wasn't involved with...this is way too off-topic, I'll leave it there... Razz

Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2007 11:30 am

Mapuche^

Via the stats, the avg Peruvian income is appx $6700 USD per yr, that's about $130 per week--94th on the world economy. You obviously are above that being able to afford your own computer and net access. In a country of less than modest means you apparently are doing well. And I congratulate you on that. It is my guess that for most Peruvians a home computer is but a dream, and net access quite limited, where available to begin with. I am further impressed that you bait mugus.

So far as the Lori Berenson situation--most folks unaware of it, but can find all about her on a google search..Imprisoned during the presidency of Albie---who seems headed to prison himself. But then again, most folks also unaware that his predecessor Prez Belaunde backed Argentina in the Falklands War.

This is no new thread by me on this,--I didn't cite Peru specifically to begin with-- rather the end of it from me...No more about Lori here from me.. It has not been my intention to antagonize, rather to get the thought-wheels moving. I do indeed send you all my best wishes and success on baiting from So.Amer. It's a venue the lads are totally unfamiliar with. That is, if you tell them you are there. Alaska, Hawaii and Mexico work just fine for me and I'm not there either.

---cheerz jervis

Not quite a Newb Joined: 15 May 2007 Posts: 51

Jervis Tetch wrote:

The School of the 7 Bells is in western South America, but has no campus of course. It's more a mandatory prerequisite course for pickpockets there to hone their craft and move on to the Western World.

I totally thought that was a myth, something invented for Hollywood. Any where I can look up more information?

Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2007 8:07 pm

@Jervis Tetch
It was not my intention to antagonize either! Embarassed

Regarding my country, well, it sucks. Regarding Lori, I think this article would help http://www.opinionjournal.com/columnists/tvaradarajan/?id=65000350
And, for the record, the Falklands are and should stay British, no matter what old rotten politicians say.

@genericname
Not much here, I have a Colombian friend working on a chemical company. I'll ask her if she knows about it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/School_of_the_Seven_Bells

Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2007 8:11 pm

^^^This is why we do baiting and not politics. We leave that for politicians.

*** BANNED *** Joined: 19 Jul 2004 Posts: 140

Rodus Longus wrote:

^^^This is why we do baiting and not politics. We leave that for politicians.

And yet they don't seem to be doing very well at it...

Posted: Sat Jun 16, 2007 6:14 am

genericname^

No it's not a myth..

But think about it--the vast majority of idiots who actually cam-cord their crimes are in the age range of 15-25. This stuff then eventually winds up on the net under the 'moron criminals-category' for the daily dose of fodder for larfs. And those morons get arrested. This was even parodied on a Simpsons ep when Bart befriended Ralph briefly.

REAL true criminals such as the School of The 7 Bells professionals do not resort to this/that/ and the other thing. Hence nothing you are likely to see on YouTube or elsewhere on the net. No instant gratification on that. And let me further state that all of the 419 tv videos of The Lads at work in their W. African netcafes have been done surreptitiously as well. The rascals do not want you to see what they are up to.

My knowledge of it over the years derives from having seen/read interviews with 'now-reformed' ex pickpockets who eventually have a change of heart and reveal all---remorseful 419 Lads do this too occasionally. I also grew up in NYC and drove a yellow taxi there in the 1970s and 1980s from 4pm-4am. I was making over $800 a week back then..[Good but not great wages in NYC at the time.] I am used to having scams offered to me for well over 30+ yrs way before all this. Talk to any big-city cabbie veteran and they too will have scam stories for you.

but I digress--cheerz--jervis tetch/ mad hatter