How Scammers, Grifters, and Con Artists Are Taking Over the Internet—and Why We're Following
March 15, 2021
It's a post-truth world; we're just living in it. Journalist and producer Bluestone makes a convincing argument that scamming has reached a high point in the last five years, with a surge in narcissism and valuing emotions over facts compounded by the rise of social media influencers. Bluestone's coverage of the Fyre Festival debacle of 2016 gave her a backstage pass to the mayhem, and here she uses the story of serial scammer Billy McFarland (of Fyre and Magnises credit card infamy) to frame the recent past. From would-be influencers renting private jets on the ground and buying second-hand luxury-brand shopping bags to emulate fabulous hauls, to the crash-and-burn story of faux entrepreneur Elizabeth Holmes of Theranos--is everyone just faking it? While grifters have always existed, Bluestone points out that today's influencers are the new way to "launder" schemes into something more palatable to the masses. If you've ever been tempted to buy a Juicero or enroll in one of Caroline Calloway's "workshops," Bluestone's premise will resonate. Pairs nicely with Tori Telfer's Confident Women (2021) or Rachel DeLoache Williams' My Friend Anna (2019). HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Scams are hot right now, and Bluestone covers the hottest here; expect media coverage and patron interest.
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