Scam Artists' Stalk Small Business

--Eight rules of engagement usedby scam artists to enrich themselves--especially harmful to small businesses

Magalia, California--The SEC, FTC, and the FBI, alarmed by the rapid spread of scam artists and their exploits which include but go even beyond identity theft, are cracking down. Their recent press releases give ample evidence.

How to Lie in Good Faith. This is the scam artist's peculiar interpretation of the much-scorned Law of Bureaucracy, as he focuses on small businesses of all types. Observers see these smaller entities as particularly vulnerable.

The life of a scam artist is viewed as not all that easy. There are many hurdles he must overcome, in order to scam private citizens and corporations of every kind. The small business person, without benefit of the training classes and seminars provided their employees by large corporations, are similarly challenged. They must know precisely where the scam artists are coming from, too.

Veteran business writer, Jack Payne, who has followed the antics of scam artists for the past forty five years, has these pertinent observations. From the viewpoint of the scam artists, he outlines eight of their rules of engagement:

"Start out with your most outrageous claims. This, so as to bring to the surface, chalk off, and get rid of, the most skeptical people right at the outset.

"After you have initially impressed your audience with your fountain of obscure knowledge, hint at a mysterious, secret backer you have waiting in the wings. This always stokes up interest.

"Get your audience foot-stomping mad at some evil conspiracy trying to hold you down, steal your ideas, quash you like a bug because they fear the righteousness of your cause.

"Control all facts by writing a book. Many book printers are available to carry your water. Then, when questioned as to the validity of your claims,, refer to your book, where all the "facts" are "down in print." Gullible people will not question "facts"--when they are in a book.

"Wild claims about the "Big Conspiracy" you must fight will not only cover your lack of evidence, but get you great press coverage. In today's journalistic world, the press zeros in on the conflict itself, rather than the evidence that led to the conflict. Just what you want.

"If you can't convince them, confuse them.
Discourage your investors from trading thoughts with each other. You don't want words from earlier drop-out malcontents to get a foothold.

"Urge your followers to start benefiting the world immediately: by selling your worthless junk to their families, friends, churches, and fraternal order brothers and sisters.

"Start the old pyramid rolling. Offer commissions to your investors to find more investors."

Says Payne, author of 55 business books, plus the legal thriller, Six Hours Past Thursday, "The strongest muscle in the human body is the tongue. The skilled scam artist is living proof of this.

"But, your Saving Grace is that It's so simple--really--to pause, ponder, evaluate, do the math. Then, just walk away."