Social Engineering: The Art of Human Hacking

FOREWORD

Security is a puzzle with two sides. From the inside, we look for a sense of comfort and assurance. From the outside, thieves, hackers, and vandals are looking for gaps. Most of us believe our homes are safe until one day, we find ourselves locked out. Suddenly, our perspective shifts and weaknesses are easily found.

To completely understand any kind of security it is essential to step outside of the fence, in essence locking ourselves out, and start looking for other ways in. The problem is that most of us are blinded to potential problems by our own confidence or our belief that strong locks, thick doors, a high-end security system, and a guard dog are more than enough to keep most people at bay.

I'm not most people. In the last ten years I have pulled more cons and scams than anyone in history. I've beaten casinos, faked sports events, fixed auctions, talked people out of their dearest possessions, and walked right past seemingly unbeatable levels of security.

I have made a living exposing the methods of thieves, liars, crooks, and con men on a hit TV show called The Real Hustle. If I'd been a real criminal I would probably be rich, famous, or dead—probably all three. I have used a lifetime of research into all forms of deception to teach the public just how vulnerable they really are.

Each week, along with Alexis Conran, I pull real scams on real people who have no idea they are being ripped off. Using hidden cameras, we show the audience at home what is possible ...