“Los Angeles-based Trilogy Media took ‘scambaiting’ to a new level, but some claim they’re gaining viral fame at others’ expense.”
scams
The Top 5 Longreads of the Week
This week, our editors recommend stories by Seth Harp, Alanna Mitchell, Cezary Podkul, Alex Vuocolo, and Loren Grush.
A New Leaf: A Post-Legalization Cannabis Reading List
Five stories demonstrating how the green rush nurtured the best and worst that U.S. capitalism had to offer
Behind One of the Sketchiest Men, a Sketchy Woman
Moe Tkacik reveals the web of shadiness lurking behind WeWork’s facade.
Take Two Stem Cell Injections and Don’t Call Me Until After I Cash Your $10,000 Cheque
What don’t these stem cell snake-oil salespeople have? Any science to prove their claims or any scruples about preying on the vulnerable.
A Suspense Novelist’s Trail of Deceptions
A profile of a scam artist: Before Dan Mallory wrote a New York Times best-selling novel, he rose through the ranks of the publishing industry by creating a series of fabrications about his life and deceiving colleagues.
The Promise of Passive Income from Amazon: Too Good To Be True?
Two self-proclaimed “Amazon coaches” say they can train you in their business models so you can make thousands of dollars reselling cheap Chinese products on the world’s largest ecommerce store.
The Wolf In a Puffy Marmot Jacket
Even when his tall tales became erratic, women still didn’t want to believe Jeff Caldwell was ripping them off.
A Scam Artist’s Sham Charity Stole Millions from Unsuspecting Victims
The mystery of how a con man created a nonprofit to steal millions of dollars.