Fakers, Forgers & Phoneys: Famous Scams and Scamps - ReadMatter body { font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.6; background-color: #f4f4f9; color: #333; margin: 20px; } h1 { color: #2c3e50; font-size: 2.5em; text-align: center; margin-bottom: 20px; } h2, h3, h4, h5 { color: #16a085; margin-top: 20px; } h2::before, h3::before, h4::before, h5::before { content: "📘 "; } p { margin-bottom: 15px; } strong { color: #e67e22; } .condition { background-color: #eafaf1; border-left: 5px solid #16a085; padding: 10px; margin: 15px 0; } .summary { background-color: #fdf2f0; border-left: 5px solid #e74c3c; padding: 10px; margin: 15px 0; } .about-readmatter { background-color: #eaf1fc; border-left: 5px solid #2980b9; padding: 10px; margin: 15px 0; } .icon { color: #3498db; margin-right: 5px; } footer { margin-top: 30px; text-align: center; color: #7f8c8d; font-size: 0.9em; }
Fakers, Forgers & Phoneys: Famous Scams and Scamps
About This Book
Condition & Size
📖 Condition: Score 6.5/10 Good-Very Good
Observations: None
📏 Size: Format B (Medium Format 129x178mm/135x216mm) Paperback
Summary
Masterfully exploring the shadowy world of deception and counterfeiting, this intriguing collection gathers 16 case studies. True tales include a mystery man known by the unlikely name of George Psalmanazar who fooled the London literary world in 1704 with lurid accounts of cannibalism and polygamy in his native island of Formosa, Taiwan; the fabricated "missing link" human skull which was discovered in a gravel pit in 1912; and how an obese cockney adventurer in Australia succeeded in passing himself off as a slim young English aristocrat who had disappeared more than 10 years earlier in 1854. More recent scams unveiled are a house-painter-cum-art-restorer who fooled the art world and became a national TV celebrity in 1979, and a suave London conman who inveigled a struggling artist to become involved in the greatest British art scam of the 20th century.
About ReadMatter: Your Online Bookshop for Secondhand Books
At ReadMatter, we're all about bringing books to life and connecting stories with readers across South Africa. We stock over 10,000 books and 4,000 authors at any time, with a massive reservoir of 100,000 additional titles available on request. Whether you're searching for a beloved classic or a hidden gem, we're here to help you find your next great read.
Since we started in 2019, we've delivered over 15,000 books to readers all across the country. Every week, we add more than 250 new books to our website, ensuring there's always something new to discover. With a monthly sell-through rate of 30%, 1 in 3 books you see today will find a new home within a monthso don't wait too long to grab your favourites!
The stat we're most proud of? Our perfect 5-star Google rating and 100% positive customer satisfaction on Bobshop. These reflect our commitment to delivering not just books, but also happiness and joy to every reader.
We're big enough to deliver anywhere in South Africa with a street address but small enough to care deeply about every book we send out. At ReadMatter, every order makes a difference. Join us in celebrating the magic of stories and the joy of reading.
© 2025 ReadMatter | Bringing Stories to Life
