How not to fall for it. What 200 years of scams teach us.

Scams change their disguise, not their mechanism. These are the rules that repeat in every case of the series.

Eight rules

The golden rules

If it's guaranteed, it isn't an investment.

Every real investment carries risk. A high, fixed, "safe" return every month is the signature of almost every fraud in the series.

The rush belongs to the seller.

"Today only", "last spots". Urgency exists so you don't check. A good opportunity will still be there tomorrow.

Check the regulator's register.

Before paying, look the company up on the official register: the SEC or FINRA BrokerCheck in the US, the FCA register in the UK. If it isn't there, walk away.

Never pay to get paid.

If withdrawing your profits, or "recovering" what you lost, first requires taxes, fees or a deposit, it's the same scam asking for more.

Be wary of what you didn't go looking for.

A message on social media, an unknown number on WhatsApp, a match who ends up talking about investments. They almost always make the first move.

If you can't see how it makes money, don't put yours in.

"It's complicated", "it's new technology", "trust me". If nobody can explain where the profit comes from, it comes from people like you.

Luxury is not an audit.

Cars, offices, celebrities and photos with politicians prove nothing. Audited accounts and public records do.

Secrecy is a red flag.

If you're asked not to tell anyone, tell someone you trust before paying. A second opinion takes apart a lot of traps.

Before you hand over money

Red flags. If you tick one, stop.

Go through this list before you invest, lend or pay anything upfront.

Which ones do you recognise in what you've been offered? You're promised a high, fixed, "guaranteed" return. There's a rush: the offer ends today or there are "only a few spots left". You're asked not to tell anyone. You earn more if you bring in other people. You can't find the company on your country's financial regulator register. You're asked to pay in crypto, gift cards or by transfer to a private individual. They reached out to you on social media, WhatsApp or a dating app, out of the blue. They show you luxury, celebrities or testimonials, but no audited accounts. To withdraw your money, you first have to pay "taxes" or "fees".

0/9

Tick the ones you recognise.

Whatever you tick stays on your screen. Nothing is saved or sent.

The Manual of Deception

The Laws of Deception

Each episode names a Law: the rule the con artist used, and the one they would use on you. Revealed with every premiere.

01Law No. 1 · Victor LustigThe victim's greed does the con man's work.You're offered something far below its value, or returns far above normal, and the rush won't let you ask why you were chosen.Read the case → 02Law No. 2 · Gregor MacGregor (Poyais)If the lie is big and detailed enough, nobody checks it.When the sheer volume of detail replaces a single independent check, the detail no longer proves anything.Read the case → 03Law No. 3 · Charles PonziPay the first ones, and they'll bring you the next.If what convinces you is that others have already been paid, and you can't explain where the money comes from, you are looking at the same trap.Read the case →

04Law No. 4 Revealed with episode 4

05Law No. 5 Revealed with episode 5

06Law No. 6 Revealed with episode 6

07Law No. 7 Revealed with episode 7

08Law No. 8 Revealed with episode 8

09Law No. 9 Revealed with episode 9

10Law No. 10 Revealed with episode 10

11Law No. 11 Revealed with episode 11

12Law No. 12 Revealed with episode 12

13Law No. 13 Revealed with episode 13

14Law No. 14 Revealed with episode 14

15Law No. 15 Revealed with episode 15

16Law No. 16 Revealed with episode 16