Hoaxes and Scams: A Compendium of Deceptions, Ruses and Swindles [Paperback]

Carl Sifakis (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

YA-An encyclopedia of the planned and unplanned fraudulent claims that have been accepted throughout history. Presenting famous, infamous, innocent, and little-known incidents, as well as false quotations, Sifakis provides information that is difficult to locate elsewhere. Concise, well-written entries give the history of the deceits, why the public was vulnerable to them, and their effects. Cartoons, diagrams, and black-and-white photographs add interest. It is disappointing that the author didn't cite all of his sources-readers have to take it on trust that they are not victims of yet another hoax-but a bibliography is included. People and subjects are indexed. This volume will appeal to teens intrigued by crime and deception.
Claudia Moore, W.T. Woodson High School, Fairfax, VA
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Sifakis is responsible for numerous books on crime, eccentrics, assassinations, and gambling. Calling this volume "an alphabetical grab bag," he concentrates on hoaxes and scams. There is some overlap with his other works. At least 55 of the more than 700 entries in Hoaxes appeared in his Encyclopedia of American Crime (Facts On File, 1981).

In this latest work, the reader will find entries on medical quackery, art forgeries, and such famous fakes as Big Foot, Piltdown Man, and the Tasaday Tribe. Entries on con men have descriptions of how they scam their "mooches" or "marks." Everyday swindles, such as 50 automobile ploys by repair shops and service stations and such computer viruses as Michelangelo, are found next to Gulf War scams and real estate swindles. Sifakis has excluded subjects that might prove controversial. There is no mention of UFOs or such religious figures as the Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh.

Entries are arranged alphabetically in natural phrases such as Kangaroo Monster Who Terrorized Tennessee. Occasionally there are see references from natural-language subject entries to perpetrators, for instance, "Ancient Coin Forgery--see Becker, Carl Wilhelm." There are two indexes, one for personalities and one for subjects, but most people will use this book for browsing. A selected bibliography contains only those works that contain stories the author claims to have verified independently. Black-and-white illustrations add interest.

Nonreference works in this vein are M. Allen Henderson's Rip-Offs, Cons, and Swindles (Paladin, 1986), which draws from news accounts of contemporary scams, and Jay Robert Nash's Hustlers and Con Men (Evans, 1976). This type of work is full of good-natured flimflam and avuncular advice on how to avoid scams. Hoaxes and Scams will provide many hours of entertainment in public libraries. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 308 pages
• Publisher: Facts on File (September 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 081603026X
• ISBN-13: 978-0816030262
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,893,094 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great browsing in any room of the house., March 26, 2001

By 

A reader (Virginia, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hoaxes and Scams: A Compendium of Deceptions, Ruses and Swindles (Hardcover)

If it's a compliment to call a book great bathroom reading, let me do so here. The short entry format makes this book terrific fun for browsing. Some entries are historical (The Cardiff Giant, P.T. Barnum's Brick Man), some deal with the carnival circuit, and some make you think back wondering if you've ever been the sucker. The answer is probably yes, but this is a most enjoyable way to find out.