Historic Scams - Stuff That I Find Interesting

The video discusses the history of scams, starting with early French police agent For Doc, who reported on scams similar to modern email scams like the Nigerian Prince. These scams involved letters claiming a person was imprisoned and needed bail money, promising repayment. The video compares historical susceptibility to scams with modern times and traces the origins of such scams back to the 16th century, known as the Spanish Prisoner scam. This scam was prevalent in the 19th century, even prompting warnings from the New York Times.

Who was one of the first police agents in France to report on scams?

• Inspector Clouseau

• Sherlock Holmes

• Vidocq

• Javert

What is a common theme in the scam letters described by Vidocq?

• A person selling a rare artifact

• A person needing money for bail

• A person winning a lottery

• A person offering a business partnership

How did the success rate of the old scam compare to modern email scams?

• It was much higher

• It was non-existent

• It was about the same

• It was slightly lower

What is the historical name of the scam that dates back to the 16th century?

• The Italian job scam

• The British impostor scam

• The French con artist scam

• The Spanish prisoner scam

Which publication warned its readers about the scam in the 1890s?

• The Washington Post

• The New York Times

• The Paris Gazette

• The London Times