Watch The Con

2020
2 Seasons
7.8 (59)

The Con is a documentary series that aired on ABC in 2020. The show sheds light on some of the most stunning and outrageous scams committed by con artists in recent years. Scams have become more prevalent in the digital age, and The Con captures that with a series of fascinating stories.

The show is hosted by Whoopi Goldberg, who provides an authoritative and engaging narrative to each episode. She introduces viewers to the types of cons that exist in today's society, and how they continue to evolve over time.

Each episode focuses on a different story, including a wide range of scams, from medical fraud to the manipulation of the art market and high-finance scams. The series delves deep into the most elaborate and diverse frauds that have ever been committed.

The con artists at the center of the show are often charismatic and talented, with the ability to draw in their victims without arousing suspicion. The series explores the psychological tactics these con artists use to target their victims and how people can fall victim to these scams. It gives viewers an insight into why people fall for these scams and how to avoid them.

Throughout the series, The Con features true-crime accounts from actual victims and their loved ones or people who have been involved with the con artists themselves. The interviews are heart-wrenching as they detail the various emotional and financial damages the scams have caused victims.

The show also includes interviews with experts who dissect each case's inner workings, including how the scam was orchestrated and the psychological strategies used to manipulate and deceive the victims.

Overall, the show is an eye-opening journey through the baffling world of scams. The Con portrays how con artists manipulate and exploit psychological weaknesses for their own benefit. It's crucial for people to become aware of these tactics so that they can protect themselves from becoming victims.

The series discusses how societies worldwide have seen an increase in fraud cases in recent times, especially with the overwhelming rise of technology. It highlights the harm perpetrated by scammers and the need to conscious about how to protect oneself.

The show's execution is impressive. It offers a perfect blend of commentary and compelling visuals, along with fascinating accounts of cases, all of which contribute to an intriguing and informative series. Its narration is insightful and humorous, making it easier to understand the topic of fraud.

In conclusion, The Con is an insightful and compelling true-crime series that explores the world of scams in depth. It delivers a critical message, highlighting how to protect yourself from these elaborate con-artists. The show benefits from its well-executed visuals and insightful commentary, which makes it a highly recommended watch for anyone interested in the topic.

The Con is a series that ran for 2 seasons (15 episodes) between October 14, 2020 and on ABC

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Seasons

2 1

7. The Imposter Doctor Con

September 8, 2022

Teenager Malachi Love-Robinson is taken into police custody for posing as a doctor and roaming the halls of a hospital in West Palm Beach, Fla.; a few months later, he opens his own practice and authorities arrest him after an undercover operation.

6. The Comeback

September 1, 2022

Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker were once enormously successful at raising money for their televised religious programs. After its 1974 debut, their cable show became the highest-rated religious show in the country. In the 1980s, the Bakkers continued their success by building Heritage USA, a first-of-its-kind 2,200-acre Christian resort and amusement park, but the government would charge that Bakker had secured funding by defrauding his faithful viewers. In 1989, he was convicted and initially sentenced to 45 years in prison but ultimately only served five. In 2021, prosecutors claimed that Bakker was once again up to his old tricks but this time without Tammy Faye. They said he made promises on "The Jim Bakker Show" that his "Silver Solution" was a cure for the coronavirus; however, instead of a miracle, they said drinking silver could be toxic and even turn consumers permanently blue in the face if consumed in large quantities. The FDA immediately issued a cease-and-desist order while the states of Missouri and Arkansas sued him for his false claims. Bakker entered a settlement agreement promising not to sell the solution anymore but continued to deny wrongdoing.

5. The Coupon Con

August 25, 2022

In 2016, a young mom and entrepreneur in Virginia Beach took to couponing while on bed rest after having her third child. Lori Ann Talens began using coupons to maintain the household budget but soon found the rush of scoring deals to be addictive. Using her graphic design skills, she created new coupons to score free meals, household supplies and money. Talens started a counterfeit ring that grew bigger over time with carefully vetted members, one of which would ultimately be her downfall.

4. The Billion Dollar Con

August 18, 2022

A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business set in motion a fraud of unprecedented gall and magnitude in 2009. Authorities say that for over a decade, Jho Low, with the aid of high-powered investment banking companies, siphoned billions of dollars from an investment fund right under the nose of industry watchdogs. Low's brazen scheme posed the next great threat to the global financial system since the 2007-2009 recession and the Bernie Madoff Ponzi scheme.

3. The Sweetheart Swindler Con

August 11, 2022

A lifelong bachelor falls for a woman more than half his age and falles prey to a con artist who gains access to a majority of his life savings. Read Less

2. The Hollywood Mogul Con

August 4, 2022

In 2018, Zach Horowitz, a 28-year-old actor working under the stage name "Zach Avery," unleashed a Ponzi scheme on the film industry. He raised more than $690 million from "five principal investors" using legally binding debt agreements in the form of promissory notes. Horowitz started soliciting money from investors on behalf of 1inMM Productions, his film production company, which was backed by fake distribution deals and the fake rights agreements. He borrowed money for six months to a year promising a return of up to 40 percent on the investment, telling investors the production intended to use their money to secure the distribution rights to various films in regional geographies and then sell those rights to streamers such as Netflix and HBO. The con was up when F.B.I. agents arrested Horowitz at his $5.7 million home in Beverlywood. The Securities and Exchange Commission charged him with securities fraud, seeking an immediate freeze of his assets and the return of "ill-gotten gains."

1. The Faithful Investor

July 28, 2022

In the series premiere, "The Faithful Investor," Goldberg introduces viewers to Aubrey Lee Price, a once beloved Georgia pastor turned financial advisor. Price, who came to boast over 100 clients in his portfolio and millions of dollars in assets, turned his attention to a floundering small-town bank in need of funding. An opportunity that he thought would be his cash cow ended up being "the nail in his coffin." He had no way to pay back his investors, most of whom were the faithful parishioners who trusted Price with their life savings when things did not go as planned. The father of four boarded a ferry from Key West to Fort Myers, Florida, after sending what amounted to suicide notes to friends and family. He disappeared in June 2012 while his victims were left to pick up the pieces of their lives and ruined retirements, but a routine traffic stop solved the mystery of what happened to Aubrey Lee Price. "The Faithful Investor" includes interviews with Price's victims, attorneys and even the preacher himself, who takes a turn at confession.

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Where to Watch The Con

The Con is available for streaming on the ABC website, both individual episodes and full seasons. You can also watch The Con on demand at Hulu.