Con Artists

Bad economic times can be boom times for scammers. "What we have historically seen is that the predators go after people when they're desperate," said Frank Dorman, spokesman for the Federal Trade Commission. "It's when people can't pay their bills and they don't know where to turn." The agency and other investigative bureaus have put out warnings about money scams often aimed at folks who suddenly find themselves in economic turmoil.

In retrospect, Drew Gordon says, he should have been more wary of the well-dressed man at the Beverly Hills BMW dealership with a deep voice, suave ways and a business offer that seemed too good to be true. But he appeared to be both well-to-do and well-connected, buying a pair of pricey luxury cars on the spot and introducing himself as Alfredo Trujillo Fox, the brother of former Mexican President Vicente Fox, Gordon recalled. "I have a perfect business for you," Gordon said Trujillo told him.

The pitch: "Grandma, I'm in trouble." The scam: It's a pitch designed to tug at the heartstrings of any grandparent who answers the phone. The grandchild is in distress -- stuck in a foreign country, had the car stolen, has a medical emergency, in jail -- and turns to a trusted elder. But according to the Federal Trade Commission, the caller might be a scammer who is not a relative.

AUWALU Ise is a picture of sartorial elegance. It takes the finest imported shoes, a splash of perfume and an imperious manner to complete what he calls his "silent deceit." His secret weapon is a can of spray-on starch to make his expensive garments shiny and crisp, one more ingredient in an elaborate ritual to win the heart of even the hardest woman and fool the canniest future father-in-law.

Walter Kincherlow Sr., 69, never expected to retire a millionaire. But during his 29 years as a maintenance worker, he managed to sock away more than $80,000. He invested pretty well too, until an "estate planner" took a look at his portfolio while updating his living trust and clucked that Kincherlow's investment returns were paltry.

A man in his 20s who moved in top Republican circles where he flaunted his connections and Harvard Law School pedigree, raking in favors and fees on big real estate deals, is a fraud whose life resembles a movie plot, according to Broward prosecutors and detectives. Robert Charles Jones "Chas" Brady, 26, gained people's trust -- and at least $50,000 of their money -- with his clean-cut demeanor, said Broward Sheriff's Office Detective John Calabro. "Evidently he's a good talker," Calabro said.

It's time for the top 10 scams of 2007. From cruel foreclosure frauds to Nigerian puppies -- in other words, from the tragic to near comical -- this was a banner year for consumer scams. Much like many other years. The Internet continued to provide a worldwide platform for fraudsters. New scams popped up and some old-fashioned schemes came back. So, without further ado, here's a countdown of infamous notables for the year. Hold your applause, and your wallet. 10.

"Hustle," a BBC series about a team of lovable con artists abroad in the flash, buzz, purr and pow of shiny new 21st century London, gets its American premiere Saturday night on AMC. (Broadcasts are in widescreen format, with full-screen repeats on Wednesday and Friday for those who rate size over integrity of image.

The Internal Revenue Service may be holding a tax refund for you, but if you're getting e-mails about it, they're not from the IRS. It's a scam. Tax officials said last week that they had discovered a permutation of an identity theft scheme that the agency originally warned about in November. In this one, individuals get a brief e-mail notifying them that they're due a $63.80 refund. The recipient is urged to click on a link to fill out a claim form.