Scam Artists Resorting to Conspiracy Theories to Arouse, Inspire, Sell

--Arrogantly regarding their victims, "smart as fish bait"--a common acronym--scam artists corral them in bunches.

Magalia, California--After getting a group of people together, the best way scam artists have found to get them in line, blend them into a unified force to back them, is through deft composition of a conspiracy theory. Seven of the steps employed are enumerated here, from the viewpoint of the scam artist. Paraphrasing from Legal Thriller author, Jack Payne's, writings over the past forty five years, these are some of those tactics:

You must first get your sucker-audience to focus strongly on some mythical enemy you are forced to fight--on their behalf, of course. It's best to make this enemy a sinister combination of evil, conspiring minds, determined to keep you, a crusader, from piercing their ranks with the truth about their oppressive behavior. Everybody loves a mystery, and, luckily the fighting spirit is an emotion that is easily tapable.

Now, light your fire. Get the smell of burning flesh--as you've had to walk the hot coal pit in your battle with these nefarious forces--firmly embedded in your sucker-audience's nostrils.

Talk with bravado about your heroic battles with these repressive forces. Instill in the minds of your sucker-audience that you will never surrender to these coercive entities, and that you will "burn in hell," taking all of your records with you, before you will yield to their dominating dictates.

Operate from areas soft on scams. Some states are more lenient than others, with Attorneys General who will quickly issue a "Cease and Desist" order, but are so flooded with bad guys to stop and limited budgets to operate under that they are quickly distracted and move on to something else.. Example: New Jersey is believed to be a particularly good playground for home repair scams.

Show no evidence of distress over those who defect, rather, sympathize with them for their inability to understand simple logic. In any group of people there will always be some malcontents. Most will merely slink off into the shadows, shamed into silence by the realization of their gullibility. With the few who will, instead, choose to denounce you in retaliation, you will label them agents of the "Big Conspiracy" dedicated to destroying your noble crusade.

Employ your scam artist's mastery of the art of distraction to the few remaining who would blacken your good name. Unleash a wave of endless, boring, meaningless detail upon them that will frustrate them, tire them to the point of either wanting to throw their arms in the air and run, screaming, away from you, or at the other extreme, lull them to sleep in order to avoid further conflict.

Silence, for all and forever, any remaining doubts about your "integrity" by threatening law suits to uphold your good name and the worthiness of your valiant attempts to forge a better life for your larger group of followers. Most will cower to these threats and climb down off your back.

Over a long career of writing (55 business books), legal thriller author, Jack Payne, can only sigh. "I've seen it all," he simply observes. He then adds this epilogue "Many people feel threatened by anyone with an ounce of ambition or intelligence This is why a conspiracy--an imaginary , cleverly woven amalgam of greed and brains making up this army you must fight--is such a good rallying point for scam artists. And, sadly, so many of these scam artists are so skilled that you would have to stuff wax in your ears and lash yourself to the mast in order to resist their polished efforts to get you to join their counter-insurgency.

"New! Improved! Pain-free! No work! No money down, no interest, ever! Be aware. At some point in your life, this dog and pony show is coming down the road. Right at you.

"Are you prepared?"