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Merged with The Con
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* In ''Film/HouseOfGames'', the female lead gets trapped and loses $80,000 in an elaborate MassiveMultiplayerScam involving a fake mark.
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* In ''Film/HouseOfGames'', the female lead gets trapped and loses $80,000 in an elaborate MassiveMultiplayerScam scam involving a fake mark.
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[[folder:Comic Books]]
* ''ComicBook/WonderWoman1942'': ComicBook/{{Huntress}} uncovers a rather sinister nested con where a group of conmen convince thieves and other criminals they'll help them fake their deaths and get away to start a new life, and while they do help some of them fake their deaths once they have all the information they need to take a larger percentage of their target's loot they kill them and cremate them, which explains why the fake deaths are so successful at keeping their supposed temporary allies hidden from authorities.
[[/folder]]
* ''ComicBook/WonderWoman1942'': ComicBook/{{Huntress}} uncovers a rather sinister nested con where a group of conmen convince thieves and other criminals they'll help them fake their deaths and get away to start a new life, and while they do help some of them fake their deaths once they have all the information they need to take a larger percentage of their target's loot they kill them and cremate them, which explains why the fake deaths are so successful at keeping their supposed temporary allies hidden from authorities.
[[/folder]]
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[[folder:Live Action TV]]
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* In the movie ''Film/TheSting'', Paul Newman's character Gondorff plays a FakeMark, when he is working as the obnoxious bookie "Shaw".
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* In the movie ''Film/TheSting'', Paul Newman's character Gondorff plays a FakeMark, fake mark scam, when he is working as the obnoxious bookie "Shaw".
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Cut trope.
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A con normally involves an element in which the ConMan gets the target to trust them and/or to focus on achieving their greedy ends such that it overrides their normal sense of precaution. This is a form of con where that hook is trying to entice them in on playing a con themselves. The process of the con gives the con artist many opportunities to feign caution or try and entice the mark into feeling they have to prove something to the con man. The Con Within a Con can be controlled by having the fake target be a member of the con artist's own crew (sometimes called a FakeMark). The payoff normally comes when The Con Within a Con requires the target to provide some front money which the con artist then runs off with.
to:
A con normally involves an element in which the ConMan gets the target to trust them and/or to focus on achieving their greedy ends such that it overrides their normal sense of precaution. This is a form of con where that hook is trying to entice them in on playing a con themselves. The process of the con gives the con artist many opportunities to feign caution or try and entice the mark into feeling they have to prove something to the con man. The Con Within a Con can be controlled by having the fake target be a member of the con artist's own crew (sometimes called a FakeMark)."fake mark"). The payoff normally comes when The Con Within a Con requires the target to provide some front money which the con artist then runs off with.
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[[folder: Literature]]
* In ''Literature/GoingPostal'', one of Moist's justifications for his long career as a fraudster is "Half of them thought they were swindling ''me''!"
[[/folder]]
* In ''Literature/GoingPostal'', one of Moist's justifications for his long career as a fraudster is "Half of them thought they were swindling ''me''!"
[[/folder]]
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* In ''Literature/GoingPostal'', one of Moist's justifications for his long career as a fraudster is "Half of them thought they were swindling ''me''!"
[[/folder]]
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[[folder: Literature]]
* In ''Literature/GoingPostal'', one of Moist's justifications for his long career as a fraudster is "Half of them thought they were swindling ''me''!"
[[/folder]]
* In ''Literature/GoingPostal'', one of Moist's justifications for his long career as a fraudster is "Half of them thought they were swindling ''me''!"
[[/folder]]
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A con normally involves an element in which the ConMan gets the target to trust them and/or to focus on achieving their greedy ends such that it overrides their normal sense of precaution. This is a form of con where that hook is trying to entice them in on playing a con themselves. The process of the con gives the con artist many opportunities to feign caution or try and entice the mark into feeling they have to prove something to the con man. The Con Within a Con can be controlled by having the fake target be a member of the con artist's own crew (sometimes called a FakeMark). The pay off normally comes when The Con Within a Con requires the target to provide some front money which the con artist then runs off with.
to:
A con normally involves an element in which the ConMan gets the target to trust them and/or to focus on achieving their greedy ends such that it overrides their normal sense of precaution. This is a form of con where that hook is trying to entice them in on playing a con themselves. The process of the con gives the con artist many opportunities to feign caution or try and entice the mark into feeling they have to prove something to the con man. The Con Within a Con can be controlled by having the fake target be a member of the con artist's own crew (sometimes called a FakeMark). The pay off payoff normally comes when The Con Within a Con requires the target to provide some front money which the con artist then runs off with.
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''Film/{{Circus}}'' contains multiple nested cons, to the point where it becomes hard to work out just who is conning who. As a tip, whoever thinks they are winning at a particular point, probably isn't.
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* ''Film/{{Circus}}'' contains multiple nested cons, to the point where it becomes hard to work out just who is conning who. As a tip, whoever thinks they are winning at a particular point, probably isn't.
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''Film/{{Circus}}'' contains multiple nested cons, to the point where it becomes hard to work out just who is conning who. As a tip, whoever thinks they are winning at a particular point, probably isn't.
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* In ''Series/TheRockfordFiles'' episode "There's One in Every Port", Rockford is in the unenviable position of having to con a fellow conman, who is in turn running a con of his own against a third party. As a result, he has to come up with something the other guy hasn't seen before, which ends up being an odd three-layer con. He fakes like he's trying to steal his rival's mark, while allowing said pre-made fake mark to learn what he thinks is good blackmail material about the oil baron who Rockford is impersonating. Then he has some fake IRS agents rope the rival conman into a fake tax sting against his own mark, and allow him to hear said blackmail material when the mark attempts to use it against Rockford as the oil baron. Now the rival takes this information and attempts to use it against the real oil baron, and ends up buying a huge amount of stock at a steep discount (that way he gets money, but cannot release the blackmail material easily because he has a financial stake himself). However, the stock certificate ends up being a fake. The second oil baron was also a fake, and yet another fake mark.
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A con normally involves an element in which the ConMan gets the target to trust them and/or to focus on achieving their greedy ends such that it overrides their normal sense of precaution. This is a form of con where that hook is trying to entice them in on playing a con themselves. The process of the con gives the con artist many opportunities to feign caution or try and entice the mark into feeling they have to prove something to the con man. The Con Within a Con can be controlled by having the fake target be a member of the con artists own crew (sometimes called a FakeMark). The pay off normally comes when The Con Within a Con requires the target to provide some front money which the con artist then runs off with.
to:
A con normally involves an element in which the ConMan gets the target to trust them and/or to focus on achieving their greedy ends such that it overrides their normal sense of precaution. This is a form of con where that hook is trying to entice them in on playing a con themselves. The process of the con gives the con artist many opportunities to feign caution or try and entice the mark into feeling they have to prove something to the con man. The Con Within a Con can be controlled by having the fake target be a member of the con artists artist's own crew (sometimes called a FakeMark). The pay off normally comes when The Con Within a Con requires the target to provide some front money which the con artist then runs off with.
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* In ViolinScam, Grifter tricks Mark into thinking that Mark has an opportunity to con (or just steal from) Grifter.
* In KansasCityShuffle, Grifter lets Mark figure out that Grifter is trying to con Mark--but misleads Mark about what the actual con ''is''. Mark thinks he can exploit his knowledge to steal Grifter's money, and that makes him vulnerable to the real con.
* In KansasCityShuffle, Grifter lets Mark figure out that Grifter is trying to con Mark--but misleads Mark about what the actual con ''is''. Mark thinks he can exploit his knowledge to steal Grifter's money, and that makes him vulnerable to the real con.
to:
* In ViolinScam, Violin Scam, Grifter tricks Mark into thinking that Mark has an opportunity to con (or just steal from) Grifter.
* InKansasCityShuffle, Kansas City Shuffle, Grifter lets Mark figure out that Grifter is trying to con Mark--but misleads Mark about what the actual con ''is''. Mark thinks he can exploit his knowledge to steal Grifter's money, and that makes him vulnerable to the real con.
* In
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A con normally involves an element in which the ConMan gets the target to trust them and/or to focus on achieving their greedy ends such that it overrides their normal sense of precaution. This is a form of con where that hook is trying to entice them in on playing a con themselves. The process of the con gives the con artist many opportunities to feign caution or try and entice the mark into feeling they have to prove something to the con man. TheConWithinACon can be controlled by having the fake target be a member of the con artists own crew (sometimes called a ConmanInMarksClothing). The pay off normally comes when TheConWithinACon requires the target to provide some front money which the con artist then runs off with.
to:
A con normally involves an element in which the ConMan gets the target to trust them and/or to focus on achieving their greedy ends such that it overrides their normal sense of precaution. This is a form of con where that hook is trying to entice them in on playing a con themselves. The process of the con gives the con artist many opportunities to feign caution or try and entice the mark into feeling they have to prove something to the con man. TheConWithinACon The Con Within a Con can be controlled by having the fake target be a member of the con artists own crew (sometimes called a ConmanInMarksClothing). FakeMark). The pay off normally comes when TheConWithinACon The Con Within a Con requires the target to provide some front money which the con artist then runs off with.
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* You convince them that you are going to con the ConmanInMarksClothing (ConmanInMarksClothing being played by one of your con crew, optional)
* You get them to front up some money for the con and then you (and usually the ConmanInMarksClothing) run off with it.
* You get them to front up some money for the con and then you (and usually the ConmanInMarksClothing) run off with it.
to:
* You convince them that you are going to con the ConmanInMarksClothing (ConmanInMarksClothing being Fake Mark (being played by one of your con crew, optional)
* You get them to front up some money for the con and then you (and usually theConmanInMarksClothing) Fake Mark) run off with it.
* You get them to front up some money for the con and then you (and usually the
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* In TheConWithinACon, Grifter convinces the Mark that Mark has an opportunity to help Grifter con a third party.
to:
* In TheConWithinACon, The Con Within a Con, Grifter convinces the Mark that Mark has an opportunity to help Grifter con a third party.
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* In the movie ''Film/TheSting'', Paul Newman's character Gondorff plays a ConmanInMarksClothing, when he is working as the obnoxious bookie "Shaw".
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* In the movie ''Film/TheSting'', Paul Newman's character Gondorff plays a ConmanInMarksClothing, FakeMark, when he is working as the obnoxious bookie "Shaw".
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* In ''Film/BlondeCrazy'', Bert thinks he's going to get big bucks with his counterfeit bill swindle with Dapper Dan, but what Dan is really doing is stealing the actual cash.
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A con normally involves an element in which the ConMan gets the target to trust them and/or to focus on achieving their greedy ends such that it overrides their normal sense of precaution. This is a form of con where that hook is trying to entice them in on playing a con themselves. The process of the con gives the con artist many opportunities to feign cautious or try and entice the mark in feeling they have to prove something to the con man. TheConWithinACon can be controlled by having the fake target be a member of the con artists own crew (sometimes called a ConmanInMarksClothing). The pay off normally comes when TheConWithinACon requires the target to provide some front money which the con artist then runs off with.
to:
A con normally involves an element in which the ConMan gets the target to trust them and/or to focus on achieving their greedy ends such that it overrides their normal sense of precaution. This is a form of con where that hook is trying to entice them in on playing a con themselves. The process of the con gives the con artist many opportunities to feign cautious caution or try and entice the mark in into feeling they have to prove something to the con man. TheConWithinACon can be controlled by having the fake target be a member of the con artists own crew (sometimes called a ConmanInMarksClothing). The pay off normally comes when TheConWithinACon requires the target to provide some front money which the con artist then runs off with.
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Added namespaces.
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* In the movie ''TheSting'', Paul Newman's character Gondorff plays a ConmanInMarksClothing, when he is working as the obnoxious bookie "Shaw".
* ''{{Inception}}'': while Fischer is dreaming, the team convince him to enter and extract from Browning's dreams, while he's actually going into a further level of his own.
* ''NineQueens'' and its American remake ''Criminal''. In this case what we are actually following is not the overall con but TheConWithinACon itself and then at the end the real con is a TwistEnding.
* ''{{Inception}}'': while Fischer is dreaming, the team convince him to enter and extract from Browning's dreams, while he's actually going into a further level of his own.
* ''NineQueens'' and its American remake ''Criminal''. In this case what we are actually following is not the overall con but TheConWithinACon itself and then at the end the real con is a TwistEnding.
to:
* In the movie ''TheSting'', ''Film/TheSting'', Paul Newman's character Gondorff plays a ConmanInMarksClothing, when he is working as the obnoxious bookie "Shaw".
*''{{Inception}}'': ''Film/{{Inception}}'': while Fischer is dreaming, the team convince him to enter and extract from Browning's dreams, while he's actually going into a further level of his own.
*''NineQueens'' ''Film/NineQueens'' and its American remake ''Criminal''. In this case what we are actually following is not the overall con but TheConWithinACon itself and then at the end the real con is a TwistEnding.
*
*
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Removed as it\'s not an example. Kurosagi\'s technique isn\'t to get close pretending to be a con artist working with them only to betrayal. His signature technique is scam baiting. He poses as a mark then strings them along and turns the tables on them, when he\'s not just doing a straightforward con.
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* Kurosaki's MO in ''Manga/{{Kurosagi}}''
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* On ''{{Hustle}}'', Danny or Albert tend to play the role of the fake mark.
** The ''{{Hustle}}'' episode "The Lesson".
* In ''{{Lost}}'': Sawyer is caught out by this woman when trying to run a scam (something similar to a Thai Gem Scam), eventually he befriends her and takes her on several short cons, using her as a shill. Then he comes up with a longer con which would go for a bigger target but would require a little show money. She then reveals that she has some money that she got from a divorce which they can use. Psych! Turns out that this was just a really long con where Sawyer had been told by her vengeful ex-husband about the money and was there to get it from her.
** The ''{{Hustle}}'' episode "The Lesson".
* In ''{{Lost}}'': Sawyer is caught out by this woman when trying to run a scam (something similar to a Thai Gem Scam), eventually he befriends her and takes her on several short cons, using her as a shill. Then he comes up with a longer con which would go for a bigger target but would require a little show money. She then reveals that she has some money that she got from a divorce which they can use. Psych! Turns out that this was just a really long con where Sawyer had been told by her vengeful ex-husband about the money and was there to get it from her.
to:
* On ''{{Hustle}}'', ''Series/{{Hustle}}'', Danny or Albert tend to play the role of the fake mark.
** The''{{Hustle}}'' ''Series/{{Hustle}}'' episode "The Lesson".
* In''{{Lost}}'': ''Series/{{Lost}}'': Sawyer is caught out by this woman when trying to run a scam (something similar to a Thai Gem Scam), eventually he befriends her and takes her on several short cons, using her as a shill. Then he comes up with a longer con which would go for a bigger target but would require a little show money. She then reveals that she has some money that she got from a divorce which they can use. Psych! Turns out that this was just a really long con where Sawyer had been told by her vengeful ex-husband about the money and was there to get it from her.
** The
* In
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* An episode of ''MissionImpossible'' involves the team trying to get the mark (an unscrupulous African stockbroker) to "take over" an operation producing near-perfect counterfeit money.
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* An episode of ''MissionImpossible'' ''Series/MissionImpossible'' involves the team trying to get the mark (an unscrupulous African stockbroker) to "take over" an operation producing near-perfect counterfeit money.
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* This occurs in ''Film/MatchstickMen'', where [[spoiler:the "big hit" on Chuck, Angela's arrival, and Roy's visits with Dr. Klein are all part of a massive con by Frank against Roy.]]
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* In ''Film/HouseOfGames'', the female lead gets trapped and loses $80,000 in an elaborate MassiveMultiplayerScam involving a fake mark.
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* In ''Film/HouseOfGames'', the female lead gets trapped and loses $80,000 in an elaborate MassiveMultiplayerScam involving a fake mark.
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* In ''Film/HouseOfGames'', the female lead gets trapped and loses $80,000 in an elaborate MassiveMultiplayerScam involving a fake mark.
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* An episode of ''MissionImpossible'' involves the team trying to get the mark (an unscrupulous African stockbroker) to "take over" an operation producing near-perfect counterfeit money.
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Clarified the distinction between this trope and Violin Scam
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This is a subtrope of KansasCityShuffle and is a supertrope of the ViolinScam.
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This is a subtrope of similar to the KansasCityShuffle and is a supertrope of the ViolinScam.
ViolinScam (and related scams), but with some key differences:
* In TheConWithinACon, Grifter convinces the Mark that Mark has an opportunity to help Grifter con a third party.
* In ViolinScam, Grifter tricks Mark into thinking that Mark has an opportunity to con (or just steal from) Grifter.
* In KansasCityShuffle, Grifter lets Mark figure out that Grifter is trying to con Mark--but misleads Mark about what the actual con ''is''. Mark thinks he can exploit his knowledge to steal Grifter's money, and that makes him vulnerable to the real con.
* In TheConWithinACon, Grifter convinces the Mark that Mark has an opportunity to help Grifter con a third party.
* In ViolinScam, Grifter tricks Mark into thinking that Mark has an opportunity to con (or just steal from) Grifter.
* In KansasCityShuffle, Grifter lets Mark figure out that Grifter is trying to con Mark--but misleads Mark about what the actual con ''is''. Mark thinks he can exploit his knowledge to steal Grifter's money, and that makes him vulnerable to the real con.
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* You convince them that you are going to con the ConmanInMarksClothing (ConmanInMArksClothing being played by one of your con crew, optional)
to:
* You convince them that you are going to con the ConmanInMarksClothing (ConmanInMArksClothing (ConmanInMarksClothing being played by one of your con crew, optional)
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* In the movie ''TheSting'', Paul Newman's character Gondorff plays a ConmanInMArksClothing, when he is working as the obnoxious bookie "Shaw".
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* In the movie ''TheSting'', Paul Newman's character Gondorff plays a ConmanInMArksClothing, ConmanInMarksClothing, when he is working as the obnoxious bookie "Shaw".
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Renaming Napier
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A con normally involves an element in which the ConMan gets the target to trust them and/or to focus on achieving their greedy ends such that it overrides their normal sense of precaution. This is a form of con where that hook is trying to entice them in on playing a con themselves. The process of the con gives the con artist many opportunities to feign cautious or try and entice the mark in feeling they have to prove something to the con man. TheConWithinACon can be controlled by having the fake target be a member of the con artists own crew (sometimes called a Napier). The pay off normally comes when TheConWithinACon requires the target to provide some front money which the con artist then runs off with.
to:
A con normally involves an element in which the ConMan gets the target to trust them and/or to focus on achieving their greedy ends such that it overrides their normal sense of precaution. This is a form of con where that hook is trying to entice them in on playing a con themselves. The process of the con gives the con artist many opportunities to feign cautious or try and entice the mark in feeling they have to prove something to the con man. TheConWithinACon can be controlled by having the fake target be a member of the con artists own crew (sometimes called a Napier).ConmanInMarksClothing). The pay off normally comes when TheConWithinACon requires the target to provide some front money which the con artist then runs off with.
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* You convince them that you are going to con the {{Napier}} (Napier being played by one of your con crew, optional)
* You get them to front up some money for the con and then you (and usually the Napier) run off with it.
* You get them to front up some money for the con and then you (and usually the Napier) run off with it.
to:
* You convince them that you are going to con the {{Napier}} (Napier ConmanInMarksClothing (ConmanInMArksClothing being played by one of your con crew, optional)
* You get them to front up some money for the con and then you (and usually theNapier) ConmanInMarksClothing) run off with it.
* You get them to front up some money for the con and then you (and usually the
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* In the movie ''TheSting'', Paul Newman's character Gondorff plays a Napier, when he is working as the obnoxious bookie "Shaw".
to:
* In the movie ''TheSting'', Paul Newman's character Gondorff plays a Napier, ConmanInMArksClothing, when he is working as the obnoxious bookie "Shaw".
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* Kurosaki's MO in ''Manga/{{Kurosagi}}''
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* You convince them that you are going to con the Napier (Napier being played by one of your con crew, optional)
to:
* You convince them that you are going to con the Napier {{Napier}} (Napier being played by one of your con crew, optional)
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[[folderconrol]]
to:
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A con normally involves an element in which the ConMan gets the target to trust them and/or to focus on achieving their greedy ends such that it overrides their normal sense of precaution. This is a form of con where that hook is trying to entice them in on playing a con themselves. The process of the con gives the con artist many opportunities to feign cautious or try and entice the mark in feeling they have to prove something to the con man. TheConWithinACon can be controlled by having the fake target be a member of the con artists own crew (sometimes called a Napier). The pay off normally comes when TheConWithinACon requires the target to provide some front money which the con artist then runs off with.
* You get acquainted with or befriend the mark.
* You convince them that you are going to con the Napier (Napier being played by one of your con crew, optional)
* You get them to front up some money for the con and then you (and usually the Napier) run off with it.
This is a subtrope of KansasCityShuffle and is a supertrope of the ViolinScam.
'''Spoiler warning: This is a trope about twists and turns and surprise endings. Possible unmarked spoilers lie ahead.'''
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!!Examples
[[folderconrol]]
[[folder:Film]]
* In the movie ''TheSting'', Paul Newman's character Gondorff plays a Napier, when he is working as the obnoxious bookie "Shaw".
* ''{{Inception}}'': while Fischer is dreaming, the team convince him to enter and extract from Browning's dreams, while he's actually going into a further level of his own.
* ''NineQueens'' and its American remake ''Criminal''. In this case what we are actually following is not the overall con but TheConWithinACon itself and then at the end the real con is a TwistEnding.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Live Action TV]]
* On ''{{Hustle}}'', Danny or Albert tend to play the role of the fake mark.
** The ''{{Hustle}}'' episode "The Lesson".
* In ''{{Lost}}'': Sawyer is caught out by this woman when trying to run a scam (something similar to a Thai Gem Scam), eventually he befriends her and takes her on several short cons, using her as a shill. Then he comes up with a longer con which would go for a bigger target but would require a little show money. She then reveals that she has some money that she got from a divorce which they can use. Psych! Turns out that this was just a really long con where Sawyer had been told by her vengeful ex-husband about the money and was there to get it from her.
[[/folder]]
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* You get acquainted with or befriend the mark.
* You convince them that you are going to con the Napier (Napier being played by one of your con crew, optional)
* You get them to front up some money for the con and then you (and usually the Napier) run off with it.
This is a subtrope of KansasCityShuffle and is a supertrope of the ViolinScam.
'''Spoiler warning: This is a trope about twists and turns and surprise endings. Possible unmarked spoilers lie ahead.'''
----
!!Examples
[[folderconrol]]
[[folder:Film]]
* In the movie ''TheSting'', Paul Newman's character Gondorff plays a Napier, when he is working as the obnoxious bookie "Shaw".
* ''{{Inception}}'': while Fischer is dreaming, the team convince him to enter and extract from Browning's dreams, while he's actually going into a further level of his own.
* ''NineQueens'' and its American remake ''Criminal''. In this case what we are actually following is not the overall con but TheConWithinACon itself and then at the end the real con is a TwistEnding.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Live Action TV]]
* On ''{{Hustle}}'', Danny or Albert tend to play the role of the fake mark.
** The ''{{Hustle}}'' episode "The Lesson".
* In ''{{Lost}}'': Sawyer is caught out by this woman when trying to run a scam (something similar to a Thai Gem Scam), eventually he befriends her and takes her on several short cons, using her as a shill. Then he comes up with a longer con which would go for a bigger target but would require a little show money. She then reveals that she has some money that she got from a divorce which they can use. Psych! Turns out that this was just a really long con where Sawyer had been told by her vengeful ex-husband about the money and was there to get it from her.
[[/folder]]
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