McAnally's (The Community Pub) > Author Craft
Research: recommend some good non-fiction books on cons and con artists, please
LizW65:
Thread title says it all, really. :)
I'm looking for complex but low-tech stuff, pre-high tech and personal computer age. Mid-twentieth century preferred; up to 1970s or so is OK. Any recommendations most appreciated.
Lanodantheon:
Start with The Art of Intrusion: The Real Stories Behind the Exploits of Hackers, Intruders and Deceivers & The Art of Deception: Controlling The Human Element of Security by Kevin Mitnick, You might also enjoy his autobiography Ghost in the Wires: My Adventures as The World's Most Wanted Hacker.
Note about the above books: Mitnicks book do not focus on Technology, they focus on Social Engineering. Which is the art of the Con.
The main principle of Mitnick's Social Engineering theories is this: "The most vulnerable part of a security/computer system is the human element. " & "The easiest way to get a piece of information you are not supposed to have is to simply ask for it. "
Another Social Engineering book is No Tech Hacking: A Guide to Social Engineering, Dumptser Diving and Shoulder Surfing .
That's off the top of my head.
Lanodantheon:
Also try How to Cheat at Everything: A Con Man Reveals The Secrets of the Esoteric Trade of Cheating, Scams and Hustles by Simon Lovell . Lovell is the "Con Man Consultant" on the show White Collar.
LizW65:
Thanks for the suggestions! The last one sounds most like what I'm looking for.
Aminar:
Watch Catch me if you can, or read the book. True story written by the conman.
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