Con-Artist: Abbreviation of "Confidence Artist" (or "Confidence Person"). A practitioner of Confidence Tricks, or someone who gains your confidence, to rip you off. Also Known as: Con-Man Con: Short for "Confidence Game" OR: Abbreviation for "Convict", which is an abbreviation for "Convicted Felon" Although many Con's are Con-Artists - not all Con-Artists are Cons. Q: How do you tell that a "Confidence Artist" is lying? A: Their lips are moving. Q: How does a "Confidence Artist" make money? A: By taking your money and going bankrupt. Q: What happens if you invest in a "Confidence Artist"? A: You go broke. Q: What happens if you elect a "Confidence Artist" to Government Office? A: The Government goes broke - and turns against you. Q: What happens if you trust a "Confidence Artist"? A: You get burned. Q: What does "Truth" mean to a "Confidence Artist"? A: Whatever they can get you to believe, "Truth" is just another Scam. Q: Why did the "Confidence Artist" learn Ventriloquism? A: So you can't tell when they are lying. Identifing a "Confidence Artist": They seem Confident (even when you know they are wrong). They get angry when someone disagrees with them. They talk in ambiguities. Multiple Bankruptcies in their past is a clear indicator. NOTE: Ready "Fahrenheit 451" (about a society built on Confidence about falsehoods)