Imagine being a banker in a small town in Missouri. You have been trying to sell a broken down farm that the bank repossessed a couple of years ago but you haven't had any luck. One day a man approaches you and offers you $22,000 in Liberty bonds for the almost worthless farm. He claims that he is from Austria and after the First World War he felt the need to leave and start a new life in America. In your eyes it doesn't matter what the reason is your just happy to finally get rid of the farm. You accept the $22,000 and he asks for a $10,000 in cash for $10,000 in bonds. You accept the trade. All the paper work is filled out and you exchange envelopes with the money. You go back to the bank and sit at your desk to only find the envelope that was once full with Liberty bonds is now empty.
English: Picture of the Eiffel Tower taken in 1945...
English: WWII: American soldiers watch as the Tric...
Know Your Money - a summary of anti-counterfeiting...That is what it felt like to be a victim of "Count" Victor Lustig. When it comes to deception and trickery, there was no man better at it than Victor-Lustig. A con artist can be defined as a swindler who exploits the confidence of his victim. Victor Lustig is considered one of the best. Not only did Lustig make off with the money from the banker but when finally was caught he was even able to convince the investigator and the banker that if they decided to press charges against him the depositors would withdrawal all their money in fear. This is because they wouldn't feel their money is safe at the bank anymore, which would cause the bank to close down. He also convinced the banker that the bank should pay him $1000 for the inconvenience. The banker handed...