Hah. Don't think I haven't idly had the same thought. Except it would be ridiculous and INSANE and asking for trouble. Besides, I like going to the Y.

Sarameg needs her pool boyfriends and girlfriends. She's got it going on, dog.

Kim Clijsters? Still cute.

Would it have stopped being a con and then become a scam just because the mark was honest and offered full market value?

That's a really good question. I don't think I saw that Hustle (there are recent episodes?), so I'm not sure what my answer would be.

The whole thing is pretty fuzzy - I don't think it's wrong, as such, to refer to a swindle as a con, but I do think it's an evolution of the term and that saying "you can't con an honest man" refers to the older and more specific usage.

shrift, sympathies and good guiding wishes.

I'm sorry, shrift, and good luck with the problematic people.

but I do think it's an evolution of the term and that saying "you can't con an honest man" refers to the older and more specific usage.

Exactly.

Much sympathy, shrift, and good luck with the herding.

I'm so sorry shrift. Good luck with the people herding.

I don't think I saw that Hustle (there are recent episodes?), so I'm not sure what my answer would be.

It's in season 7. Here's the scenario (it's just the opening con, nothing to do with the main plot): Chick in the restaurant is on the phone, desperately begging for a job, offering to work below market value. When the bill comes, she's forgotten her wallet and leaves her watch that her grandmother gave her as security. A table of gentlemen calls over the waiter and exclaim that the watch is vintage and valuable and offer the waiter thousands of pounds for it. The waiter refuses, and gives the watch to the bartender. Everyone but the bartender is on the Hustle team, BTW. When the woman comes back, a guy that overheard all this offers her up to 500 pounds for the watch. Because he's a shithead, and wants to make thousands of pounds of profit. But if he'd been a really good guy, he might offer thousands of pounds, to get something he thinks is valuable, and to help out someone he thinks is in dire straits.

At least as far as the show is concerned, the trope is bullshit. It's just there to try and maintain some sort of higher moral ground, which just isn't there. Say you only target dishonest people, if you need the buffer. But there's nothing inherent in what they're doing that means only scoundrels can be affected.

eta: In this episode they're very careful to repeat you can't con an honest man. Such crap.

Maybe there's a conman code of honour where they only target dishonest people, but seriously? What are the odds of that? I bet there are perfectly decent people who are that stupid or clueless that they'll fall for a Ponzi scheme, or whatever. Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick were conned, weren't the?

eta2: So sorry to hear that, shrift. Family harmony to you.

I'm sorry, shrift.