How Online Success Ads Exploit Our Trust

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Have you ever seen those ads online? There’s always a guy talking to the camera about how successful he is. The production value is low, but there’s always something impressive in the background, like a Lamborghini chilling in the garage or an eight-bedroom mansion with an infinity pool.

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If you stick with the video, you’ll probably hear an inspiring rags-to-riches story, hinting at some surefire secret to his success. Now, I’m a licensed financial professional who knows there’s no magic pill to becoming wealthy—but even I find myself wondering: Are these guys for real? Is this just slick marketing for boilerplate financial advice? Or is it the familiar act of a con-man?

The Conman

The “con” in con-man is short for confidence. In 1849, The New York Herald ran a story about a well-dressed gentleman by the name of William Thompson. He would approach a perfect stranger and ask if they had “confidence in him” to trust their watch to him for the day. The novelty of the request, combined with Thompson’s outward appearance of trustworthiness, convinced dozens to play along. That was the last most of them ever saw of their watch—or of Mr. Thompson.

We may think of a con-man as being the same thing as a thief or a liar. But in her book The Confidence Game, Maria Konnikova explains, “The true con doesn’t force us to do anything. He doesn’t steal. We give.” In short, they’re master manipulators. And our culture is obsessed with them. We make movies, podcasts, and documentaries about their schemes, like Billy McFarland’s Fyre Festival, Elizabeth Holmes of Theranos, and, of course, Bernie Madoff.

Transition Breeds Uncertainty

Konnikova explains that “transition is the con’s greatest ally because transition breeds uncertainty.” I guess Littlefinger was right—chaos really is a ladder! And in our era of rapid technological innovation and shifting online social norms, the conman’s hunting ground is more fertile than ever. We are ripe for the taking.

Thanks to intensely detailed consumer monitoring (check out our video about companies stalking you online), it’s become easier than ever to pinpoint an audience interested in a certain topic. For instance, someone who might be curious about investing because they watch a YouTube show about financial literacy. Topics like money and real estate are especially promising because they’re not widely understood, and that lack of knowledge—believe it or not—actually makes people less cautious.

The Dunning-Kruger Effect

This is due to something called the Dunning-Kruger effect. Social psychologists David Dunning and Justin Kruger conducted multiple studies where people were tested on subjects like logic and grammar, then asked to rank themselves on how well they thought they did. The participants who scored the lowest tended to rank themselves the highest, and the students with high competence tended to underestimate their performance.

Basically, the less knowledge you have, the more you’ll overestimate your abilities. So, if you don’t know anything about investing, you’re much more likely to believe someone who tells you that you can beat the markets. That’s not to say there aren’t any genuine golden opportunities out there, but sadly, they are vastly outnumbered by con-men.

How the Con Works

So, how can you tell the difference? Well, most cons tend to follow a familiar script.

First, the con identifies their potential victim, known as the mark. Your browser history and tracking cookies on your computer and phone make this very, very easy.

The next step is to befriend them and earn their trust. That’s where the wealthy selfie comes in—conveying success but also approachability. He’s not a slick marketer, just an average bro, like you!

Next, they drop a hint about the reason behind their success, usually some secret, easy-to-learn process that doesn’t require any intense training or hard work. And, of course, they’re willing to share it with you.

Then they provide social proof of their authenticity, like hyperbolic testimonials or a large number of followers on Twitter and Instagram.

Finally, money changes hands. This might take the form of a special introductory offer or a minimum commitment, which the mark is usually eager to participate in, thinking that big profits are just on the horizon.

The sad conclusion: the money’s gone, and the hoped-for profits never materialize. If executed by a master, the mark won’t even complain, blaming his own bad luck or lack of faith rather than the person who took him for a ride.

The Sad Conclusion

In this day and age, it’s not likely that you’ll hand over your money and get absolutely nothing—unless you’re trying to help out a Nigerian prince. But often, the actual product or program you receive is sub-par, hard to execute, or just boilerplate self-help advice designed to boost your confidence. All the while, it maintains the impression that the pot of gold is just around the corner, keeping you moving through their highly curated sales funnel into more and more expensive offerings.

Is That a Con?

Now, is that a con? It depends on who you ask! But consider this: how much time, money, and energy are going into the sales pitch compared to the product or service itself? Just because the video looks cheap doesn’t mean they didn’t spend gobs of money plastering it everywhere.

And does buying the initial product open you up to increasingly expensive programs? Those are major red flags that you’re being sold an empty promise.

Conclusion

If you’re realizing that you’ve fallen for something like this in the past, don’t feel bad. The fact that we’re all a little gullible is actually a positive thing. As Konnikova explains, “The simple truth is that most people aren’t out to get you...Trust...not adeptness at spotting deception, is the more evolutionary beneficial path.”

While modern technology might be making new opportunities for con artists, it’s also never been easier for you to uncover them. So, do your research and ask yourself: if they have all this money, why do they need yours?