title: Rip-Off: A Writer's Guide to Crimes of Deception (Howdunit)
author:  Fay Faron 
description: Something tells us we would be nave to believe this book would appeal solely to mystery writers. Detective Fay Faron, syndicated newspaper columnist ("Ask Rat Dog") and author of <I><a href="/exec/obidos/ASIN/089879790X/${0}">Missing Persons</a></I>, has written a primer sure to turn any novice (writer, of course) into a scam expert. <I>Rip-Off</I> removes the mystery from such cons as the pigeon drop, Latin lotto, Gypsy-sweetheart scams, guaranteed-prize mailers, charity scams, bait-and-switches, biz-op scams, the Texas twist, identity theft, carny cons, chain letters, psychic hotlines, three-card monte, Ponzi schemes, 809 phone numbers, and gambling stings. Faron's writing advice focuses on identifying the basic traits of perps and pigeons (60 percent of pigeons are seniors, but we're all susceptible), defining the lingo (drag broad, shaky mom, mish roll, etc.), and counseling writers to "tell the story from the point of view of the victim." <I>--Jane Steinberg</I>
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  Masked Promises
  
  
  By
  
  
  Diana Bold
  
  
  
  
  
  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are
  products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to
  be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales,
  organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
  
  
  Masked Promises
  
  
  By Diana Bold
  
  
  Copyright March 2018
  
  
  Cover Artist: Kim Killion
  
  
  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced
  electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of
  brief quotations embodied in reviews.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Table of Contents
  
  
  [Title Page](part0000.xhtml)
  
  
  [Copyright Page](part0001.xhtml)
  
  
  [Dedication](part0003.xhtml)
  
  
  [Prologue](part0004.xhtml)
  
  
  [Chapter One](part0005.xhtml)
  
  
  [Chapter Two](part0006.xhtml)
  
  
  [Chapter Three](part0007.xhtml)
  
  
  [Chapter Four](part0008.xhtml)
  
  
  [Chapter Five](part0009.xhtml)
  
  
  [Chapter Six](part0010.xhtml)
  
  
  [Chapter Seven](part0011.xhtml)
  
  
  [Cha