I'll put as much as I can here. I'll post the link for those who have the desire to read more.
http://www.sullivan-county.com/nf0/nov_2000/rel_games.htm
Ideal confidence game
For a confidence game to be ideal, it is essential that the victim not realize that he has been swindled. This can be accomplished by delaying the expected payoff until the mark can no longer return and complain. The promise of a posthumous payoff is nearly ideal since no deceased person has been known to come back and protest about anything. But suppose the victim wants help with an urgent problem. The con men can keep the details of the payoff vague and tell the mark in advance that he must have patience and hope the payoff will occur.
How can the mark be persuaded to wait for a posthumous reward? A number of convincers can be used. First, the expected payoff, such as everlasting life in Heaven or Paradise, can be huge since there is no risk of later complaints. Second, an inerrant Sacred Book can guarantee the payoff. Third, many people can play the game simultaneously. People tend to join the group; they want to share in the expected great bargain. The more they pay now, the more they anticipate a later wonderful reward.
Obviously, an institution has a big advantage over individual con men when it comes to having a sacred book and a congregation of members who fervently believe in this book.
An ideal con game would have the following attributes:
- The confidence game, in return for payments (contributions) now, promises a huge payoff (reward) later.
Disbelievers who do not support the confidence game will not receive this reward and instead may be punished later. - Details which might expose the confidence game are avoided or not mentioned.
- The victims advertise the con game to attract other marks.
The victims freely provide testimonials to the value of the game. - The mark can rationalize that the activity, although highly tilted in his favor, is basically honest, since other people have an equal opportunity to join the game and win.
- The mark is not bothered by a sense of guilt since, to the best of his knowledge, his own participation does not harm anyone.
- The victims cooperate in their own fleecing and support the game again and again.
- The victims never realize that they have been swindled and therefore lodge no complaints.
If an occasional victim does realize that his money and resources are lost with no likely return, he can rationalize by believing he contributed to a worthy cause. - The underlying confidence game blends in with other activities. It is hidden by various personal and social benefits.
- The remainder of society thinks that the activity is entirely legitimate and respectable.
The victim can acquire self-esteem, a feeling of importance, by believing he has joined an admired group. The community may give him more recognition. - The people who run the confidence games are not only well-paid for their efforts, but are respected in the community. Their control of the group of participants gives them power and influence in the society.
- The confidence games can be valuable to the rich and powerful people in the society by helping maintain the status quo and their privileges. The political and religious leaders do not object to the confidence games and may even promote them.
Some religious institutions have developed confidence games which, while eliminating some disadvantages of the individual confidence games, possess many advantages of an ideal confidence game.
A confidence game with the foregoing attributes could be employed continuously and successfully for centuries. It might remain popular until educated people gradually realized that the promised huge rewards were only part of a confidence game.