Looking Back at 14 of History’s Most Insane Scams
Let's be honest, everything as an adult feels like a scam. Phone calls? Scam. Stopped on the street? Scam. Free stuff? Massive scam.
Thanks to the good folks over at AskReddit, we've compiled 15 of history's greatest scams. From the con artist who convinced an entire population to move to a fake country, to a ticketing service that continues making up ridiculous add-on fees such as "facility charge fees" we've got you covered.
Keep your head on a swivel out there. Scammers have been and always will be lurking around every corner. That's just the world we live in. Welcome to adulthood.
1.
Bottled Water.
Research suggests that for most Americans, the stuff in a bottle is not better for you than the stuff in your tap. In fact, a recent report found that almost half of all bottled water is actually derived from the tap, but may be further processed or tested for safety
300 percent profit for a natural resource in plastic bottle. -Leothegolden
2.
College textbooks (buying “new” editions every semester when they just rearranged a couple chapters around.) -bel_esprit_
3.
American Hospital billing. The minute you ask for an itemized receipt and breakdown, they start removing charges left and right and the bill gets reduced by ~30%. -4ftTwelveInches
6.
Diamonds are lovely stones, but I cannot justify the premium price. Moissanite fan for life right here! -Kono_Gabby
7.
Gregor MacGregor tricked a whole bunch of people into moving to a fake country in Central America. -SnooChipmunks126
12.
When it comes to bullshit, big-time, major league bullshit, you have to stand in awe of the all-time champion of false promises and exaggerated claims, religion. No contest. No contest. Religion. Religion easily has the greatest bullshit story ever told. Think about it. Religion has actually convinced people that there’s an invisible man living in the sky who watches everything you do, every minute of every day.
And the invisible man has a special list of ten things he does not want you to do. And if you do any of these ten things, he has a special place, full of fire and smoke and burning and torture and anguish, where he will send you to live and suffer and burn and choke and scream and cry forever and ever ’til the end of time!
But He loves you. He loves you, and He needs money! He always needs money! He’s all-powerful, all-perfect, all-knowing, and all-wise, somehow just can’t handle money! Religion takes in billions of dollars, they pay no taxes, and they always need a little more. Now, you talk about a good bullshit story. Holy Shit! -Pipboypipboycheerio
13.
Tulips in the Netherlands in the 16th century. There was a point at which one tulip bud cost as much as a good house. -Aerobiesizer
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