Editing Scam (section)

=== In a Long Con ===
Alternatively, in ''The Big Con'', David Maurer writes that all cons "progress through certain fundamental stages" and that there are ten stages for a "''big con''."<ref name=":0">{{Harvnb|Maurer|1999|loc=Ch. 1. A Word About Confidence Men}}</ref>

# Locating and investigating a well-to-do victim. (Putting the mark up.)
# Gaining the victim’s confidence. (Playing the con for him.)
# Steering him to meet the insideman. (Roping the mark.)
# Permitting the insideman to show him how he can make a large amount of money dishonestly. (Telling him the tale.)
# Allowing the victim to make a substantial profit. (Giving him the convincer.)
# Determining exactly how much he will invest. (Giving him the breakdown.)
# Sending him home for this amount of money. (Putting him on the send.)
# Playing him against a big store and fleecing him. (Taking off the touch.)
# Getting him out of the way as quietly as possible. (Blowing him off.)
# Forestalling action by the law. (Putting in the fix.)