This book is not a history of fraud. And this is not an attempt to thoroughly list every scam that has ever existed. Rather, it is an exploration of the psychological principles underlying every trust game, from the most basic to the most intricate, step by step, from the origin of the idea to the consequences of its execution. What makes us believe - and how do scammers take advantage of it? Sooner or later, each of us will be deceived. Everyone will be the target of a scammer of one kind or another, despite our deep belief in our own invulnerability - or rather because of it. A particle physicist or the CEO of a major Hollywood studio is no more protected from scammers than an octogenarian retiree who naively transfers all his savings into “profitable investments” that will never pay interest. A sophisticated Wall Street investor can fall for scams just as easily as a newbie to the market. The main question is why? And can you learn to understand your own mind and get off the hook before it's too late?..Maria Konnikova