The U.S.A. system of taxing us into oblivion comes to mind. I would call this "A Hand In Every Pocket" ...

http://scams.wikispaces.com/ has all the above scams and many more.

I remember reading somewhere( I can't remember where at the moment) that the Stack of Coins we are familiar with as a magic trick, as in "Liepzig's Pride" and the "Ramsay Stack" was originally used in a swindle played at racecourses and in bars.
I have to agree with the comment above, that the three games with the most entertainment potential, at least for general audiences, are the Monte, Shell Game and Endless Chain.
Don

The obituary hustle, rocks in a box and, the badge play comeback. Not that old, but still around and done to many unsuspecting victims.

Glenn

It is my understanding that the Faro game was a swindle as well. Anyone with any information on that one?

Faro wasn't inherently a swindle, it was just a card game.

It did see its share of cheating, but ultimately died due to poor odds and a shift to other forms of gambling which had caught the public's eye.

Don't forget Cover the Spot, which may be considered a scam of sorts.

Take care, Ian

Ian,

Is there a video of "Cover the Spot" in action?