A/V Geeks Get Ripped Off (2-23-2020)

Sorry to trouble you, but I need some identification, please. Yes. All right. There you are. I knew you were a doctor. The stethoscope and all. Yes. Over in Lakewood. Look, uh, I'm doing surgery in 10 minutes. Doctor, I'm supposed to see your driver's license. I I've got procedures. Well, listen. So have we. And if I'm not performing them in a few minutes, well, it'll just take a second. I I really should verify the check. Listen, you go ahead. If there are any problems, you call me. A doctor? Yes. What is it now? Well, whenever I raise my arm just like this, I get a pain right across here. Well, let me give you some professional advice. Don't raise your arm. Oh boy. Sometimes this racket is more trouble than it's worth. I don't mean being a doctor. Hell, I'm no doctor. My name isn't even Markani, although that's the name I'm using this week. No, sir. Actually, I'm a con man. Although, I prefer paper hanger or passer. Has a little more class. You know what I mean? Now, some crooks use guns. Me, I stick them up with paper. bogus checks and false ID to back it up. Actually, I make a pretty good living convincing all those marks uh clerks that all this paper is good. Being a doctor is just one way. Security guard or policeman works pretty good, too. But when you're a professional like I am, you don't need all these uniforms. No, sir. Stick around. You might learn something. Well, it's that time. Why am I so nervous? They sure gave me enough training. I guess the first day on any job's [music] a little scary. Ma'am, could you please tell me where the coffee is? Yes, right over there in aisle 18. Fine. Thank you. You're welcome. I want to do everything perfect today. Really impress Mr. Norton. Well, here goes. Hi, how are you? Fine. Fine, thanks. Okay, lesson number one. Excuse me. The secret to any check scheme is quality identification. Sam here prints some of the ID I use. You know, uh, business cards, ID badges, stuff like that. Sam for crying out loud. It's almost 3:00 in the morning. And like I keep telling you, Tony, you can have it done fast or you can have it done right. Now, take your pick. Okay, Sam. In this room, you're the boss. Now, some of the ID I use come straight from the government, like these. Now, look at this. Looks like a legitimate license, huh? At least it started out that way when I bought it from a fence. But if you don't look very carefully, you might accept this. But I'm 5' 10. Look at this. It's glued on. Of course, uh when I do one of my expert routines, who's going to notice? Now, a very slick check passer could get by with some pretty poor pieces of paper. But why take chances? No. Very nice. Very nice. Sam, you're an artist. Now I ask you, could anybody turn down an honest face like this? Her first day yesterday wasn't so bad. I guess I think I'll like this job. This guy really needs a new wallet. Would you mind taking the license out, please? I need money. Mr. Northing is right. Comparing the signatures upside down really does force you to look at them closely. And I need one more piece of identification, please. Let's see. We can't accept social security cards, business cards, library cards. Hope he's got something else. Yes, fine. Thank you. Yes, sir. Young man, I don't have to wait while you flirt with your girlfriend. It was my mother. Yes. Well, anyway, I want you to cash my payroll check, please. Is it necessary to have this here? Please remove this from the counter. I need to see some ID. Oh, you would, would you? I'd like you to know that I've been in this store before. As a matter of fact, I cashed a check yesterday with your boss. Oh, Mr. Temp. Oh, hello there. How's the record business? Oh, so so you must cash a check. I know. Nice weather. Beautiful. [music] Oh, that was an easy 300 bucks. Actually, I did lay a small personal check there yesterday after I butter buted up the boss a little. In a few days, that check and the payroll check I just endorsed will bounce higher than a kite. Incidentally, uh would you like to know where I got that payroll check? From my own company. Oh, yes. I really am an executive. Welcome to corporate headquarters. Really? Using one of my many names, I set up a company. And guess who printed my payroll checks? The bank. I just make them out to one of my aliases and I cash them quickly. I also work with stolen checks from more legitimate businesses. Those are nice pieces of paper to get a hold of. If the company's a big one, nobody's going to think twice about accepting them. If the checks are taken clean and quiet, it could be weeks before the company finds out someone else is signing its checks. And I've got some inside connections, too. They get me company checks already filled out and signed. I just stand in for the people who supposed to get them. Here, it's for $25 more. Do you have one of our cards? No, but here's a driver's license and a credit card. Well, um, ma'am, I can take your check for the amount of the purchase, but if you want us to give you cash, you'll have to fill out one of these applications. We'll send you a card in about a week, and then you can cash checks. It's from a local bank. Well, ma'am, it's store policy. All right, I'll write another check just for the groceries. I wish that didn't have to be part of the job. She's broadly telling the truth, but I've got to follow policy. Well, I've got little time. Why don't you go ahead and give it a full tuneup? Uh, by the way, uh, will you take a check? Sure. Good. A lot of stores ask you to fill out application forms to cash checks. Now, if they really looked at those application forms, it might do them some good. But they don't, and that just helps me. like this store over here. Last week I went in and filled out one of their precious application forms. [music] Most of the time they don't even look at the things, but for some reason the guy over there checked out mine. Now, did he look up my company in the phone book to see if it's legit? [music] No. That takes time. He just called the phone number I gave him and my friend was ready. You do. That's what makes it all so hard. Good afternoon, Analog Development Associates. May I help you, Mr. Trimony? Yes, he's been with us quite some time. Sure. Mhm. Have a nice day now. Do you think I'd change things if I could? Oh, Lisa. Lisa. So, now I've got one of their cards and they'll never ask for any other ID. So, I've got it made and I didn't have to forge any signature because I signed the card myself. Uh, actually, I'm not very good at faking signatures. That's why I don't work travelers checks. But I've got a friend, Jason. This guy is poetry in motion when it comes to the loops and the dots. But even he takes some precautions. For instance, he traces over the top signature [music] with his big felt tip pen in his handwriting. Now, the clerks ever hold the check up to the light and see the first signature? No way. I'd like to cash this check, young lady. And here's my courtesy card. And I'll need a driver's license, please. I am old enough to drink, you know. [laughter] All the signatures look the same. The ID is all right. And now I've got to write the number of our card and the license number on the back of a check. If there's a problem, it's supposed to help the police. Well, let's see. I told you about payroll and ID scams and a couple of con routines. I guess the only thing that's left is a little game the cops call NSF, non-sufficient funds. I use NSF when I want to buy something instead of getting cash. All it is is passing a check without any money behind it. Like uh this account here, I opened it with $50 cash. I've already bought over $2,000 worth of stuff this week alone. I'm in the clear as long as I don't call the bank. And they won't call the bank now. It's 5:30. [music] This time I'm using the nice guy routine. He looks like the manager. I'll have them help me out and make sure that cute little thing up front notices what good friends we are. Looking for um something just like this nice sporty jacket. What's the size, sir? 41. 41. Yes, we do have one right in here, sir. Terrific. Hello there. How are you? Hi. Hi, thank you. Okay. Whoops. Not my day. Ah, there we go. It is a lovely day, isn't it? It is. Okay. I suppose that uh you want to see some ID, right? Uh yes. Driver's license. Okay, sure. We can handle that. There we are. Oh, would you take it out, please? Okay, sure. Bill told me he was hiring some sharp people. Huh? There you are. And here you are. Uh if you have a minute, I'll have a check verified. Listen, I don't know about yours, but uh my bank is closed. Oh, I know. But uh we have this little computer here and it'll just take a second. Yeah. Well, listen. Maybe I can help you out. Let's take a look here and see what we got. Yes. Yes. Here we are. Look, I've got $75321 in the account. No problem. [music] In my younger days, that would have really scared me finding out the store is white. But no matter what that computer says, I've still got some ammunition. Watch. I'm sorry, sir. There seems to be a problem. Well, there must be something wrong with the machine. I don't think so. Uh, we just had it checked [music] out yesterday and uh it was working fine. I just tell her I must have made a mistake. Anyway, I'm going to deposit my paycheck tomorrow and that'll cover it. Well, I uh I have a payroll check here. I was going to deposit it tomorrow. Will that do? Uh, well, let me make a phone call and I think we can get this thing straightened out. No, she's too smart to buy that. Might be getting wise. I better cut out right now. Listen, I'm running a little late this afternoon. Maybe we just ought to pass on this one. All right. Some other time. Thank you very much. Bye-bye. Have a nice day. You too. Well, better luck next time. Every now and then things get hot and you just have to take a powder. No problem. I've still got my checkbook and my ID and uh there's a couple of more stores down the block and I'm sure one of them has a fine line of coats for me to choose from. Well, it's time for your break, Michelle. I'll take over for a while. Thanks, Mr. Norton. Have you enjoyed your first few days here? It's been fine. Great. Everything has gone all right. I got used to the job pretty fast, but I don't want to get too used to it like old Marvin did last week. [music] I will fill out one of your ID forms, but I need some cash now. It's my first paycheck. I just got into town and I need to buy some things for my baby. I'm sorry, ma'am. Jenny. Jenny, it's just against policy. Couldn't you take this to the bank tomorrow? Please. Well, do you have some type of ID? Yes, I have a driver's license from where I used to live somewhere. And I have a hospital ID card. Well, why don't you fill out one of these applications for next time? You know, I've been doing this for about 15 years, and I think I know an honest face when I see one. Store lost $350 just like that. I guess nobody can tell who's a con artist and he's honest just by looking. To sum it all up, I'd say the secret to success in this game is to keep the pigeons. Uh, that's the name we call all clerks. Keep the pigeons from following all those procedures they're supposed to. I mean, look, if they ever took time to look at the ID or check the application or call the banks, guys like me'd be out of business. Incidentally, you caught me at a real good time. Folks like me like to move around a lot. And well, I was thinking of skipping town for a while, but there's time for one more hit just for a little travel money. I'll bet she's new. This will be too easy. Here, 20s, please. Do you have one of our cards? I've been coming in here for 3 years. You must be new. You want to see some ID? All right. Here you are, sweetheart. This guy's just a little too pushy. You see, everything's fine. Look, you got some people waiting here. Mark Trim Pani. I think I've seen that name. Would you mind taking the license out, please? She must have read a book. This has been all You want to see something else? A social security card? No, this is fine. Of course they're the same, honey. I signed both of them. Okay. Everything seems fine. Uh, look, uh, I had to be worried 10 minutes ago. Do you mind? Right away, Mr. Trampani. Look, if you have any experience at all, I'm sorry, sir. I I need more cash to cover your check. I'll just be a second. Tony, you can con anyone. Mr. Norton, act like nothing is wrong. A man whose name is on the list is at my stand. I told him I needed more cash. What's the name? Mark Tanny. Tanny. Tanny. A couple of the stores called me about him. I just don't know how it happened. We cashed two checks for him. I already called the police, but I wanted to tell some of the stores in the area right away. He's using the name Mark Trenani. About 510. Salt and pepper hair. When we told him his check was bad, he grabbed it and walked out. Pass it on to a couple of other people, will you? Yeah. He was using license number 905403876. You stole him as long as I can and I'll get the cash. Sorry for the delay. It'll be just a second now. Look, next time I'm taking my business elsewhere. I'm sorry, sir. He's here now. Miss, I've been waiting here for 10 minutes. Thanks, honey. I'm sorry, ma'am. Sorry. 10's here. 20's here. Wait a minute. I don't like this. She can't be that stupid. 3052 from Roxbury and Mountain. What can I do now? I'm sorry, Mr. Tempani. I I need to see some other ID. It's a setup. This is ridiculous. Give me my check back. Come on. Come on. Give me back my check. Come on. [music] All right, we are back. I'm going to rewind this and then I'm going to magically appear right here. Hi, I'm Skip Alzheimer. Um, I collect old educational films and I love I delight in showing them to folks like you uh using space age German equipment. This is uh Telesini. Um, we're actually transferring these live and then broadcasting them over the internet. Um, embracing almost uh a hundred years of technology all together. So you can watch a film about uh check forgering uh and check fraud. Uh this is a show that I did um uh called 80 geeks get ripped off. I did it last week and um it was very wellreceived but only 10 people showed up. Um so I was like, you know what, I think people online would dig this. And uh I've been meaning to get online and stream. Uh but I've been sick. I got sick uh excuse me, I still have bronchitis, but um I got sick in New York uh in January and then pretty much was knocked out in February. Um and so I'm back. Thanks. Thanks for tuning in tonight. Um there's some great films. We're going to see a variety of different things. Um [cough] this was not a film that I showed uh at the actual screening I did in Raleigh. This was one. It was an extra one. I really wanted to show this. So, because it has some great 70s background pop cop music to it. All right, here we go. So, we're actually, as I said, watching actual 16 mm film, which I collect. And here's the reel that it comes in. Blah blah. So, that's awesome. Let me get the uh the next reel right here. But you guys miss me. Did you miss goofy educational films or did you just find them online and watch somebody else's? That's fine. I understand. I'm feeling much better, so that's good. Anywh who, I think there was one Sunday I was thinking about doing it, but it was actually the Super Bowl and I was just not excited about it. So, anyhow, here I am back. Uh, if you're joining us for the first time, uh, I have a collection of over 27,000 old 16 millimeter films that I have in a old boarding house in uh, Raleigh, North Carolina. and I uh digitize them and share them with folks uh on YouTube, internet archive, but I also tour around and show do shows live different places across the US. All right, one second. crazy. All right. Sorry, getting caught up in the technology here. Make everything not so green. So green uh colors fade a bunch and so you have to kind of do a little bit tweak and this weird strange Oh sorry Perfect. All right, here we go. All right. Uh, so the title Age Geeks Get Ripped Off um is loosely based on this uh next film which is called Caught in a Ripoff, which is a great film about shoplifting. It's narrated by Jim Stringer. Jim Stringer is the red-headed guy that you see get busted for shoplifting. And um Jim Stringer is also singer songwriter who wrote uh the music for Shake Hands with Danger and also wrote the music for this uh this film we're going to watch. Uh we did a retrospect with him in Austin, Texas where he's based at the Alamo Draft House and uh he kind of told us about the different films that he um wrote and ste and starred in and he has a funny story about this. So I'll let you watch it and then we can talk about that. So, this is Caught in a Ripoff. Enjoy. You're already late. Okay. You know, Sen, I think I am going to get some. Okay. No, I don't even think there's any here. Well, just a minute. Someone will come. I can't see anybody. I'm not going to give you a lot of crap. I mean, if you want a sermon, catch Billy Graham on the tube. Clipping goes on. So what? Sometimes it's not even planned. It just happens. And it's as much the store's fault as it is ours. I mean, if they want you to wait on them, it ought to be worth something. [music] Or like there are some things that have a certain amount of class and you think you might like to have one [music] and you look and it's like nine prices. So either way it's a rip. Either they get you or you get them. [music] [music] I don't think this I couldn't care less what it'll do to your folks when they find No, I don't think so. She's looking the other way. Chances are they're up to the same thing either on their income or expense accounts. That's what Oh, wow. I'm not going to give you any of that righteous crap. What a ripoff. Wow. Because it's not that big a deal. Try them on. What a rip. Oh, look at those. Try them on. Oh, that's great. Let me see your powder. Actually, there's only one real advantage to a ripoff, and that's [music] getting stuff for free. A can of spray paint. [music] A measly can of spray paint. That's what I got for free. Well, just about. That's what I'm getting to. Those snooper mirrors are really [music] a laugh. They're mainly there to psych you out. If they can see you, then you can see them and act accordingly. [music] I'm not so stupid that I don't know when I'm being watched. [music] Like the funkies on the store payroll, you'd really have to be out of it not to consider every customer in the store [music] as a plant. or the clerks spying on you is what they get [music] paid for. You're certainly not going to find one that will help you find what you want. Obviously, they don't get paid well enough. Otherwise, there wouldn't be so many ripoffs [music] that turn out so well from our standpoint. Yes, sir. [music] Free enterprise. You've got to give the merchants some credit. They get together in associations and have lists of the people they think are getting to them or they've developed profiles for how a shoplifter acts. [music] You might be surprised at how well they've got his peg. I'm not going to tell you exactly what it is that alerts them because well, I said no crap, so no crap. I don't know. But they do have codes. George Bam, open register one, please. [music] George B, open register one, please. George B. You never can tell what the code will be. It might not always be a call for a checker at a certain checkout stand. It might just be a break in the music or a a light blinking. [music] You never can't tell. And uh something else I didn't know, you can literally see right through the wall. Or if they don't spot you that way, they've got some other scheme going, man. There is nothing fair about it. Yeah, we've got chocolate. Oh, no. [music] I'm telling you this so that if you're just into it for the game, you'll realize how many players there are and you won't sell your opponent short. 29. Will there be anything else? Oh, no. That's all. Now they've got you. I mean, legally, [music] who'd be expected to know that if you go through the checkout stand and they ask you if there's anything else and you say no, then that's concealing with intent to divert to your own use. And that's stealing according to them. Even if it's just a little harmless penny and stuff. Thank you. Mhm. You bet. The hair stands up on the back of your neck. You get an empty feeling in the pit of your stomach. You know, they know they're going to let you get out of the store and then they're going to nab you if you let them if you don't play it. Very cool. Oh, wait. I think there was something else I wanted. [music] Excuse me. I'll be with you in just a moment. Oh, did they get this prize? I think I [music] Are they waiting to have me or aren't they? Okay. [music] Boy, you can feel the sweat start popping out. Sure. How can I forget? [music] Okay. Jeez, they are on to something. [music] I've got to get myself together. Easy. Slow and easy. Just walk back there to the paint section. [music] Put it back on the shelf. It's not a ripoff if you haven't got anything on you. That's what you think. Oh, damn. How did I get into this? Hey, wait a minute. [music] Maybe there's a way out. Can I pay you for this? Forgot I had it. Would you like to come to the office and talk about this uh unpaid merchandise? There's nothing to talk about. [music] Uh, I meant to pay for it. No, no, wait a minute. The thing is, they won't let you pay. It's weird. I mean, everybody thinks that also observe you. All you have to do is pop up with the money if you get caught. I mean, who hasn't figured that? And that shows what you're up against. [music] Once you pass the checkout counter, they don't have to wait until you're out of the store. You forgot [music] you had it for me when you came in here for it. Well, here, take it. You think I was trying to Hey, where do you think you're going? Come back here. I got [music] it here. Charlie, get him over there at the door. What's going on? I think [music] they caught a shop. those car keys. You won't get far. [screaming] Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid. If you run, then there's no question a dead giveaway. [music] Heat. Heat. [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] You're going to see it all happen like a nightmare. Like a nightmare that's happening to somebody else. Only you know it's you. That's you running. Oh my keys. What do I do with my damn keys? Look, I'm sorry, man. I I don't know what got into me. I just never done anything like that before. I know. Come on. Let's You can be telling the truth and it's like he didn't hear you. I mean it though. I'm really sorry. Look, you can't believe how many times I've heard that story. You're not another human being with feelings or somebody's son or daughter that they're proud of or somebody with a great future. Whatever it is, you know that you are. You're just the same old story he's heard a million times. You You can't phase them. You can't make them understand that this is important to you. This is your future. Look, uh, can't we just forget about this? I mean, I know I made a mistake and I deserve to squirm a little bit, but do you have to crucify me? Please, why don't you have a seat? I'm sorry. I have no choice. My boss says I have got to put a stop to shoplifting or I'm out of a job. Unless the percentage of shrinkage goes down and and most shrinkage is shoplifting, I'm not going to be working here any longer. No matter how sorry I might feel for the ones who were involved. Give me the police, would you please? I'm sure you know the number. If I can hang on to my job, I'd like to get paid in line with my efforts. Now, my pay is based on whether this place makes any money or not. So, anybody that takes a a dime's worth of stuff off those counters down there is really taking money out of my pocket. I know shoplifter never stops to think uh everybody has to pay higher prices to cover the cost of what he gets away with, but I've had pretty little teenage girls sitting right there and pillars of the community, uh, grandmotherly types, and they all say that isn't hurting anybody. Well, it hurts me. Ready on your call, Mr. Powers. Sergeant Duncan's on the line. No, you can't help yourself. It's just torn out of you. It's the deepest hurtness feeling you've ever felt. The same kind of trouble. Part fear? No, it's a boy. Part disgust with yourself. in part maybe what you'd call grief. Grief for who you thought you were. [music] You probably won't get a chance to be now. Like [music] some of you have died and this is the funeral. And that's all I'm trying to get across to you. What [music] it feels like to be ashamed. There are other humiliations. Being [music] looked at like you were something rotten. Having to sweat out a long, long wait. I think that's all. [music] Oh, come in. Would you like a cup of coffee? No. Why don't you take my chair? Parish the statement. Thank you. Mark, I'm Lieutenant Sutton, Lawrence Police Department. I'd like to ask you some questions, but first I'm required to. It hits you that you're going to have a record to follow you around. Have the right, but I'm not going to harp on all that crap. Do you understand each of these rights? All I'm trying to get across is what it does to you. The way you get hurt when you're caught in a ripoff. [music] Do you wish to talk to us now, Mark? You are hereby summoned to [music] appear before the municipal court of Lawrence on the 8th day of April [music] at 8:00 a.m. to answer a complaint charging you with shoplifting. [music] If you fail to appear, a warrant will be issued for your arrest. Lawrence, Kansas. Um, so [clears throat] Jim Stringer, um, first found out about him in a film, a VD film that I have called The Lunatic that was also filmed in Lawrence, Kansas, uh, by Centron Films. Uh, most Centron films filmed in Lawrence or around those areas. Um, and of course they made that uh, wonderful, uh, horror movie, um, Carnival of Souls. Anyways, so uh Jim Stringer did the music in the Lunatic and he was in a band called Tide and um so I at some point I think I posted Shake Hands with Danger online in the internet archive and he found it and it was like hey uh I you know I did this and I also did other films for um uh Centron and I was like oh my gosh u tell me more. And so we actually met in Austin, Texas. And [clears throat] so not only did we get to do a sing along with Shake Hands with Danger, which had actually extra lyrics, which is pretty cool. Uh but also um he told us the story about when they premiered this film and premiering it was basically, you know, showing it at the local university and the people that worked on it were there. um [clears throat] it wasn't a big deal, but uh supposedly his young daughter was in the audience and she saw her dad being apprehended and chased after and crying and just she just was freaked out and so they had to take her out of the theater. Um but uh I the melodrama is so thick in this. It's so great. the slow motion running and knocking over the lady in the the parking lot or almost knocking over the lady. Um it's [clears throat] just great. It's I I really I have a soft spot in my heart for Centron. uh they're they don't they didn't tend to crank out uh like assemblyline stuff like uh Cornet or Encyclopedia Britannica like they actually had people that really cared about the subjects and try to create these works that were thoughtprovoking and interesting and such things like that. So, uh, anyways, so that was, uh, oh, I didn't even change the thing. I'm sorry. Uh, so anyways, the next film is, uh, called Fraud by Mail, and this was by Universal Pictures, uh, and was shown as a short subject, uh, before a newsre, a, cartoon, and then a feature film. And so this shows off some uh popular frauds by mail uh back in the day. So enjoy [music] [bell] [music] Mail frauds cost the American [music] public millions a year despite efforts of US post office inspectors To protect the sucker from himself, Joe Gullibible here needs new glasses, but no optometrist for him. He'll order by mail with this handy, convenient, and worthless home tester. Impossible, sure. But the firm took in a million dollars a year before the government cracked down. Get it in focus now, Joe. We know for sure that you're not farsighted. You're nearsighted to fall for a fraud like this. You'll save a buck and maybe ruin your eyesight. Do just give them the exact measurements [music] and be sure the frames fit right. Your eyes are precious, but oh sure, you know how to take care of them. Just put yourself in the hands of a mail order quack. [music] Just a three cent stamp now, Joe, and the first act in your little comedy is over. This is Joe's big day with one of Uncle Sam's couriers, an unwitting helper of heartless confidence men. It would be a good break for Joe if he wasn't at home. But no such luck. Gullible people with defective vision like Joe are a favorite target of mail order charlatans. One sold a magical cure for cross eyes at $25 for a 2 oz bottle. It was sugar, salt, and tap water. But I'm forgetting [music] Joe. He still looks happy. But let's take a look. Isn't it a bit fuzzy, Joe? [music] You can try them again and again, Joe, but you've been rookked. Yes, you've been rookked. [music] Vanity is the silent partner of most of these postal quacks. So, you want a beautiful nose? Here you are. Use it faithfully for only 30 days was the claim. Torture yourself with this [music] chromium plated modernized version of a medieval torture device. It's guaranteed. All you have to do is return the shaper and your old nose to [music] get your money back. Well, now that Narcissus has caught up with her reading, let's see how she made out. [music] Magic mirror upon the wall. Who is the fairest of them all? It ain't you, Tuts. You're out six bucks. You've paid through the well-known nose. [music] And hereby hangs a tail. So, you want to be taller than she is. We won't keep you in suspense, as the manufacturer did his sucker customers with this halter device. Want to hang around for a while and take a look? Costing 75 cents to make [music] and selling for $8.75, this height increaser must have been bought on the theory that the backbone is elastic and can be stretched. We'll tell you just how good it is. When post office inspectors traced and arrested the promoter, he was found to be exactly 5'1 in. He said he hadn't time to use his own device. He was too busy selling them. [music] Easy money fakers found a fertile field in Baron Pates. We quote, "Are you bald? Do you want a new head of hair?" [music] Well, this cap device drained millions from thousands of pockets. This thermal cap is one of many. The bulb in the top supposedly emitted [music] infrared rays that stimulated the scalp, nourishing the root cells, the manufacturers claimed, and starting hair growth once more. No, Baron Munchowin was not one of the promoters. [music] [music] Well, Oswald, it seems you won't have to invest any money in a com brush. You still have a lot of face to wash. There are recognized treatments for baldness at certain stages, but this cap is certainly not one of them. You may as well stick your head under a bridge lamp and be happy with your high forehead. [music] Again, the mail order sharpers play on the eternal quest for classic beauty. If it's not your nose they promise to remake, it's your ears. And if it's not your ears, it's your lips. This gadget was the claim would reshape ugly, coarse, protruding, bulgy, thick lips. Oh, sure. It's supposed to work while you sleep. This young lady is retiring with full confidence that she'll awake in the morning with the glamorous cup lips of a movie star. Well, she can dream, can't she? [music] Comes the dawn and we're afraid a sad awakening for our lippy miss. She still feels she's gone one up on mother nature. But we know better, don't we? Eh, [music] before her severest critic, fond dreams are shattered. Her $3 has gone down the rat hole and into the pockets of remorseless swinders. [music] Bringing a small fortune to the promoter before his arrest and untold misery to thousands was this fraud. With two hard rubber balls, you were to tap your eyes 200 times a day and presto, you could throw away your glasses. How many persons irreferably [music] injured their eyes before the males were barred to the swindler will never be known. The heartless promoter never cared. He was only interested in your two bucks. The so-called exercise is over. The young lady follows instructions and puts on an eye mask to rest her eyes. Let's say we let our victim rest for an hour and we'll come back for a look. We're back right in time for the grand unveiling. Come on. Time to unmask. She ran into two doors. A swindle that fleeced thousands before the post office department was able to gather enough evidence to issue a fraud order was the pandiculator. [music] A machine that not only was claimed to add stature, but to cure everything from goiter to varicose veins. But let's dispense with the more fantastic claims and concentrate on shorty pants here who's all of 5'3 in tall. At least the machine provided you with plenty of exercise before you got yourself strapped on the torture rack. Shorty paid $45 cash for this device, [music] and he has full confidence in it. Didn't the circular advertise that this machine had been sold through the United States Males? If we represented or used the confidence of the public, our career would be shortlived. Well, they're not anymore. Well, here goes. Jordy knows he can stretch his backbone. For the promoter said, and we quote, "The spinal column with its 23 movable joints and articulations with the vertebral bodies and intervertebral cartilagages sustaining the vertebral bodies in the proper relation between the vertebrae and the foromina and meridotes. Take it easy. You've only had a 15-minute stretch, and it takes all of a half an hour, it says here in the directions. [music] Well, I guess you've had enough, shorty. No use breaking your back completely. See if you can get yourself unwound, and we'll see how much you added to your 5'3. There you are, Shorty. You're shorter than ever for your short $45. And that's our final lesson on frauds by mail. So great. Um, [laughter] uh, Lippy miss. Um, yeah, so many great like uh slang things from the ' 40s that show up in these films. Um, and that was so great. Uh, all the devices, especially the lady with the mallets on her on her eyeballs. Um, excellent film. Uh, so this next film is uh called Four Famous Frauds. Um, again, tonight's show is all about getting ripped off or being ripped off. Um, and we will probably end it with a film that shows you how to shoplift. Um, yeah, there you go. Uh, but, uh, so this, uh, this next one is made in the 70s, uh, and kind of talks about, uh, things to look out for, uh, and to be aware of, uh, and wary of um, in life and how people could take advantage of you and specifically conmen, confidence men. So this is uh four famous frauds. Enjoy. [music] [music] Hi. I guess I've got you wondering about me. Well, this film is called Our Street, and in it I play the role of fraud. PT fraud. I advise people like you, the consumer, on ways to spend, I mean, invest their hard-earned cash. Interested? Follow me. Of course, most people think they're too smart for me, too well protected by their consumer protection agencies. Here, take a look. All they give is advice. And who takes advice, right? Or their consumer laws. People really feel protected by those laws. They can't believe a guy would stand there with his bare face hanging out and break a law. Well, let me give it to you straight. I didn't go to any law school, so I don't know what is or isn't a law. And you know something? I don't care. None of that stops me. Not door locks, window bars, alarm systems. These things can't keep me out. I get in all the time. I pop in everywhere. It's really easy. No rough stuff, no violence, nothing heavy like that. There are lots of ways. As a matter of fact, all it takes is a few feelers to get in. That's all it takes. You can do that anywhere in a million different ways. They read me. I'm excitement. I'm dreams. I'm everything they want me to be. I'm beating the system. Getting something for nothing. Feeling smart or in or special or lucky. I'm now or never a glorious tomorrow. I boost morale. I build confidence in the future. I even get rid of their fears. It's a talent I have. Look, we've decided to look at that [music] film after all. But we'll only be looking because I know we're nowhere near ready for anything like that yet. We're We're just looking and we can't afford to put anything down on See what I mean? I'm action. I get to people. My name is fraud. You look me up in the dictionary and it says I get my money under false pretenses. Well, maybe so, but most people help me out a lot. We're in this together, you know. Just watch. [bell] Yes. Afternoon, ma'am. Hope I'm not disturbing you, but uh me and my men were in the neighborhood working on a heater job, and we finished up just early enough to uh work one more in. I don't know if you've had yours checked recently, but we could give you a special price right now. Matter of fact, I have been thinking about that heater, gas leaks and all. It's a dangerous thing to neglect. Of course, this time of year, we're booked solid. We couldn't schedule you in for another month or so if you were to go into the office. Won't take but a minute or so to check right now. Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt for you to look at it. Mrs. Hurry. I'm finished. Here I am. Everything all right? Boy, it's lucky we were in the neighborhood. I'd hate to sleep in this house with that furnace the way it is. But don't worry, uh, we turned it off. Turned it off? Well, what's the matter? Can it be fixed? Oh, sure. We can fix it. But, uh, it's a pretty long job, and I thought you might want to call on your regular heating people. I mean, like I say, uh, we're booked solid, so we couldn't come back tomorrow, but it's not safe to leave it on. If you want us to fix it, it'd have to be now working overtime. Oh dear. I don't know what to do. Uh, we can't do without our heater, and our regular people won't be in for a month. Uh, how much will it cost? Of course, in my business, you want to cash that check and get out fast. No point in letting yourself in for a lot of grief from the local yals. Did you see how she never compared my prices? Never checked me out either. But she did sleep better. And I left the furnace just the way I found it. Working just fine. Pardon me, sir. Yes. Would you happen to know when the Edwards will be home? I've been here twice today trying to make this delivery, and I'm really getting desperate. Uh the Edwards, right? Uh, well, I'm uh I'm not sure when they'll be back, but uh I could take that uh package and see that they get it if that's what you want. Would you? I've got a baby coming any minute now, and I've got to get to the hospital. Oh, there's $10 due on the package. Right. Okay. Here we go. Let's see. Uh, okay. Here, take that. Thank you. Thank you. I feel like you saved my life. I was beginning to think I'd never get to the hospital. Yeah, think nothing of it. Hope it's a girl. Land hustling. That's a business to get into. Even [music] me, cynical as I am, I marvel at the way the boondocks are subdivided and sold. At the smooth pitch that easily hoodwinks intelligent people, people like you and me, and at the corporations chopping [music] up the countryside into quarter acre lots. It seems that every year more people get land fever. On almost every weekday evening, [music] thousands of couples across the country attend free dinners given by somebody who is hawking land. [music] Why threearters of a million people are lured to Florida alone every year by free vacation gimmicks tied in with these land promotions. But land isn't the only way I can get at your ego. But what about a job? I thought I was guaranteed a job on graduation. Yes, of course. Hey, sit down here, Barbie. Come here. Isn't that beautiful? Hey, you weren't worried we were going to go back on our word, were you? In fact, we may use that same shot for our newspaper advertising. And if we do, you'll get the same fee just as for this fee. Yeah, we've credited your final bill with a $20 model fee. That's a going rate for a oneshot freelance job. Oh, I thought you meant a career, you know, with a salary. Like a regular job. Hey, come on. You don't want to work 9 to5 at a desk and all. See what I mean? I never promised her Vogue or Harpers or Hollywood. People are always lying to themselves, dreaming it up big, big, big. They're naturals for me. That kid over there, he probably saw himself taking on every kid on the block. Going to turn himself into the local King Kong. Well, caveat emptor, let the buyer beware. That's to warn people against me. That's okay. But don't forget about my collaborator. He's in this with me all the way. And you can catch a good view of him anytime you care to look into that mirror, baby. Just you take a nice long look into that mirror. Oh, pardon me, ma'am. Uh, this package came. Uh, I was here and this guy was Do I haven't ordered anything? Well, maybe if you look inside. It was $18. Um, it was the poor guy's third attempted delivery, so I thought I'd help him out. had a nice day in it. B, I've been taken. [music] So funny. It's great. Um, all right. I'm gonna do a quick long rewind. Uh, rewind this film. Anyhow, um so this is the time in the streaming event that I talk about uh Patreon. That's one way that you can support uh AV Geeks. Uh another [clears throat] way is just to share what we're doing and uh share these streaming events and let your friends know and family know, people you think might be interested in this. Um cuz that's really the point is not to make money is really just to get these things out in the world. Um kind of [clears throat] remind us of our cultural past etc. Um and you know these films are getting getting up there. They're getting older. I don't know if you noticed there were some uh rolling frames uh during some of the films. That's basically where the sprockets have been torn. Um, and so it's getting harder to find better uh copies of these films as they get um older and more damaged and succumb to vinegar syndrome. So, um, yeah, spread the word, share, and if you'd like to send some cash our way, you can buy DVDs at abgeeks.com or you can, um, just, you know, donate at Patreon, and that money will go towards, uh, buying more stuff on eBay and, uh, actually probably pay for some shelving for the, uh, 1,600 plus films that we got from, uh, University of South Carolina and, uh, etc., et, etc. Uh, the next show that I'll probably be doing will be [cough] a live show at the Alamo Draft House in Raleigh, uh, in kind of honor of February. We always try to do films about for Valentine's Day, we do films about love or we do films about venerial disease. Um, and this one is a film about awkward love. um where uh it's unrequited love or crushes or uh lots of of different things like that. It's actually a really great show uh including some of my favorite films but also some new ones. Uh so that one is uh 8:00 at the Alamo Draft House in the Video Vortex Lounge. So if you're in Raleigh, come on down. Would love to say hi to you, especially if we've never met. Um, and we'll watch some awkward love films that were shown in schools. Um, we're still rewinding back here. Um, and we have Real Two. Real Two. Uh, I know what you guys have been uh wanting. You're thinking like, I would love I love the theme, but you know what I really need is an animated film featuring animals. Uh, and so this next film called The Owl Gives a Hoot. uh has animals in it. Has pigeons, has uh pigs, uh can't remember what that other animals are in here, but um it's kind of like a con man animal farm in a way it feels like, but of course it has owls in it, too. So, it's really an empowering film because it's was made to help uh consumers who are being taken advantage of, specifically people in urban areas who are poor and not educated and would often times be taken advantage of uh and are still being taken advantage of today. Um, oh crap, I just realized something. One sec. This bronchitis is a [ __ ] All right. Uh, I didn't rewind this last film. So, let me see what I can get away with here. See if I can just rewind this back on real. I can have to get a little creative here. Normally, I have individual films and I show them, but this one was already built up on a reel, so I was like, well, let's go ahead and show it as is. Um, one creative here. [snorts] Let's see how this going to work. All right. So, um, threading this thing. I'll let you see what I'm doing. So, this is a labyrinth of wheels and rollers etc. So [cough and clears throat] threading it backwards is a big pain. So I have to go forward thread it this way. Took me a long time to figure this out. do it. So now I still have to rewind it. Sorry about this, guys. A little bit out of practice. All right, I think that's right. All right. So, you see we're rewinding the film very quickly. Uh, as I said before, I mean some most of you know this, but this is a telesc. So um telesc are designed to transfer from film to a video signal which is a little bit different than how a scanner works. So what you have in here is a camera um right here just below where I'm pointing. All right. So right here is a camera. Let's focus on a mirror. Very dirty mirror. Um, and then what you have is a way to measure the sprocket holes. And every time a sprocket hole is passed, um, it pulses the LED and it also triggers the camera to take a picture. So that's how you get away with not having, uh, a flicker because, uh, normal sound film goes at 24 frames a second, video is at 30 frames a second. So, um, if you if you like filmed or used your camera in a movie theater back when they showed film, you would see a flicker. And so, uh, this is a way to kind of deal with that that flicker. U, but what it also does is it adds a couple of frames. So, it pads out the 30 frames, um, by duplicating some of the 24 frames. Nope, one more. Um so that's how a telesc works. Now a scanner works uh almost the same except what it does is it's capturing an individual frame and uh that frame it might be capturing at faster than real time or slower than real time depending on how high the resolution is and what the bandwidth of it is. And uh so uh we also have scanners here at AVDs uh where we can do uh up to 4K scans of 16, 35, 8 millimeter, etc. Um, so this cartoon that we're going to be watching, um, was distributed by the military, uh, because, uh, people in the military were often targeted, uh, by conmen and, uh, people that were doing very shady, shifty stuff. Uh, and so this was a way to kind of educate folks. We hear the word pigeon again. In the Czech fraud film, they talked about pigeons. And this is a family pigeon. Almost there. I apologize for not preparing. I was busy uh doing I don't know what I was doing. Anyways, [cough] so this is owl. Owl who gives a hoot if I haven't lost all of you already. So here it is. Enjoy. And in the cold. How did it happen, boys? Seems only we were riding high. remember? Ah, yes. Like that lovely spring day when the pigeons were moving into my best apartment 74C. Welcome to Happy Haven Arms Apartment 74C. But this isn't the apartment we picked. But this place is a mess. Ah, yes. The last tenants were a little untidy, but don't you worry. Everything will be fixed. Look at this. Loads of closet space, a view, and central heating. There's no glass in the window. Don't worry your little head about that. Like I told the little lady, everything will be put in apple pie order. And for all of this, the rent is only $25 a week, four weeks payable in advance. That's $100. I've only got 50. That will do for a start. When I get the other 50, I'll turn the water on. And that's a promise. Happy, happy, happy. Everybody is happy in Happy Haven. [music] Good morning, Mrs. Goose. Oh, that isn't for us. You aren't Mr. and Mrs. Goose. [music] No, we're the pigeons. The goosees are gone. No, you don't have a TV set. No, [music] we're going to wait till you have now. I could tell the moment I set eyes on you intelligent folks that this set was made for you. An advanced two years ahead model. Now look at that color before it's even turned on. And all for only 560 per week. Oh, but we can't afford. Did I say and60ents? Forget it. For new neighbors, your old pal Freddy always gives a discount. Uh you're employed, Mr. Pigeon. Yes, I work at Excellent. Excellent. Just sign here an approval receipt. It just means you've got it here. Subject to approval. I'll fill in the blanks later. Folks, it's great to know you. We're all one happy family here in Happy Haven. Anything you need, you just call on me. Well, we will need some furniture. Furniture? But that you'll want to see. It just happens my cousin runs the store just down the street. If you buy from him, it's a steal. [music] Enroll yours, pal. 20% as usual. 20% commission. Ah, I see you've made your selection. A perfect choice. This is $149 for the chair, but the sign in the window says complete living room set $149. You want to see that? There it is, madam. But I can see by looking at you people that you couldn't live with this furniture. All of this can still be yours for a song. The whole shebang for only $39.50 down and a measly $5 a week right here, pigeons. And we'll sign the contract. We had [music] it so good. We had it so good. Everyone [music] had to eat. And Porker, you took them. Oh, how you could hook up [music] in selling groceries and meat. Here's some vegetables and meat from the Uptown Market. They've been on the shelves for 2 weeks. Think you can get rid of them? Just take them inside. They'll sell in this neighborhood. That'll be 87 cents. Mrs. Pigeon for two. Oh, that's pretty cheap. Oh, you said 2, please. Two, 165. There you are, Mrs. Pigeon. A nice fresh cut of meat and a nice fresh head of lettuce. Coming up. Lettuce. One head. Super green. Super fresh. 27 cents. Now, let's see. I'll just keep a record of your purchases. Oh, I forgot to charge you for the dozen eggs you bought last week. But I don't remember. Well, you can trust me, Mrs. Pigeon. And you only have to pay $3 on your bill now. Always happy to extend credit to honest people like you. [music] [music] Oh, those were the days that were golden for us when we could just take them and no one would fuss. Like when they were shopping for automobiles [music] then they were the fall guys for Harry's appeals. No money down and 48 months to pay on easy easy terms. That's what I offer on this beautiful super duper sport good as new extra deluxe only driven by an old lady to church and back once a year. Well, h how much is it? Well, I can put you on wheels for only $10 a week. There's no sense in you walking. People in your position should have a car. What about the special you advertised at $300? Oh, that one. Well, frankly, you wouldn't want to see your family dead in that. Besides, it's sold to my late brother. No, this is for you, Mr. Pigeon. Well, maybe. Fine, fine. Now for your financing. But the bank told me I couldn't get a loan. Look, if you fool around with them, you'll be walking for another two years. Now I have just the man. It breaks my heart, folks. It breaks my ever loving lion heart. We need more security. There must be a way, Lou. These fine folks need that car. I've got it. You've got a washing machine and a refrigerator practically new. You say that's right. Your problems are solved. We'll just put them in for additional security. Now, all set. Just sign here. Oh, no, no, no. Don't try to read in here. The light is bad. Just sign. I'll send you a copy later. Oh, and there'll be no payments till Friday. But this is Thursday. It's like we said, no money to own. Go get your car, you lucky people. And don't forget, folks, if anything goes wrong, bring it back to your old friend, Harry. You'll make it right. [music] Don't blame me. Blame the marshall. Everything's [music] legal. You were 4 days late on your first payment. The payments were twice what you said they'd be. Besides, the car [music] fell apart, and Harry wouldn't fix it like he promised. And now my boss tells me they're going to garnish my wages. This is robbery. You should have appeared in court and told it to the judge. But I didn't even get a summon. Like I said, everything's legal. Oh, here's a copy of the contract [music] you signed. It's all there in the fine print. In the [singing] good old sucker time [music] when we took them for every dime, we had [music] it made in the shade in the good old soccer time. And then that fatal day when the man who spell trouble [music] decided to move into the neighborhood. Now you listen to me. You got to fix these walls and windows if you want me for a tenant. Oh, don't worry folks. We'll fix this place up just like new. You'd better cuz you don't get any advanced rent until this dump's fit to live in. Understand? Yeah. I remember the first time I tried to coner. She even refused to keep it on approval. If you think I'm dumb enough to let you leave this on approval, you sure got us figured wrong. When we buy a TV set, it'll be from some dealer who gives us an ironclad written guarantee. Now you get that set out of here right now. Out, Mr. Peddler. I knew that old character was a troublemaker the first time I set eyes on him. Trot out that complete set you advertised for $149. And don't try to switch me to any high price junk. Lifetime guarantee. Ray air foam. I'm getting out of this clip joint. If you thought he was trouble, you should have met his misses. 80 cents for a quarter pound of baloney. That comes to $3.20 a pound. Why? A whole pound of choice sirloin steak sells for $1.39 downtown. But I'm here and I give credit. You just keep your credit and your baloney. We've all been watching you and your wife, Mr. Owl. You two really get your money's worth. Well, we have to. Man, it's sure hard for any one of us to beat the system around here. What can we do? Maybe if we all got together, we could figure out how to keep from being taken by sharpshooters all the time. How about all of us getting together at your place to see what we can do? Yes, that's a good idea. What are we waiting for? Let's go. It's about time we did something about it. Okay, folks. Let's go over what we've all decided on. We won't let a peddler leave anything on approval. Uh, we'll never sign a contract without reading it carefully. Yeah. And we'll be sure to keep a copy of any sales contract [music] we sign. When we buy anything on credit, we'll know the exact total price. Yes. And we'll know the exact amount in dollars we're paying for credit, too. Before buying anything, we'll read the newspaper ads and compare prices. Yeah, but we'll never get anywhere until we get organized. And that takes money and knowhow. Hey, I know. Let's organize a consumer program of our own and see about getting some help from the community action program. But what do we do about the merchants that have been chipping us? That's easy. We forget them. A trade with businessmen who give us a fair break. Oh, that was a day that we all despise. When all of our customers really got wise, nothing down [music] $10 a week for 4 years. We'd be paying $800 in all. 400 of it in interest for a piece of junk. This place guarantees their cars. Their prices are fair and you know what you pay. Mark down to $300. [music] Why? Who's he kidding? It's the same model for $198.50. That's [music] what I told you. It's right here in the newspaper. And I figure I already saved [music] over $4 on my week's groceries by walking four blocks to shop. I buy now where I get my money's worth. From then on, the merchants that treated them fair got all of their business and we got the air. They go to the places where prices are right and charges for credit are not out of sight. Their own credit union with a low interest rate [music] and free legal service have settled our fate. Community action has all of them sold. And we are all left out in the cold. So that was uh Owl that gives a hoot or gave a hoot. Um made by John Sutherland uh which was a production company that did a lot of uh uh sponsored films, educational films. And what's surprising is in the 50s, so this one came out in I think 60. I don't have a year for this one. I feel like it was like 1967, but uh John Sutherland did uh a lot of films about free uh free enterprise uh the importance of free enterprise and uh to be cautionary, this is postwar World War II, uh be cautionary of uh outside influences that could compromise free enterprise. Um there's a several of them on internet archive uh make mind freedom and there's some others but uh it's it's kind of running you know free market you know in a fair market economy yes great but you know here's an example of uh money grubbing and people uh taking advantage of of others and so now there's this kind of blurry line so um anyways it's an amazing film kind of talks about the time and I kind of wonder you know is There a uh is this comparable? Is there comparable information being distributed uh to schools and to the military uh about literacy uh in in marketing like how to read advertising, how to be aware of contracts that could take advantage of you, uh credit, uh things like that. It's certainly [cough and clears throat] things that uh should be taught in school. I think everybody needs to learn that. And I feel like it's actually taught in home economics. And I've always felt like after the fact I left high school, I was always like I I wish I had taken home. I was on a college track so I had to take like French. Um but man, to know how to cook your own food, you know, how to prepare a balanced meal, how to balance your checkbook, all that stuff, those are skills I did not have and did not get until well after college. Um I mean, I kind of knew how to cook in college, but not really. Um but yeah, I think home economics should be required. Uh everybody take it and also how to fix a tire and how to fix a toilet. All right, soap box is over. Um this last film, I promised it. Uh this film is made by the highway safety films or highway safety foundation. Uh they are known for the super gory films from the 60s. uh, Wheels of Tragedy, um, Signal 30, um, Highways of Agony, Mechanized Death, uh, there's a bunch of them. And so this one, uh, they had some success in in making these films, and they started getting other requests, uh, to make films. And this one is made for police officers and people that work in stores and security guards, but it just shows how to shoplift. Uh, it's really quite uh, something. It was made in the 60s. um filmed in Mansville, Ohio where they were based. Uh I actually had a friend, a neighbor who was related, I think her great uncle uh made or was one of the producers in this company uh highway safety films and she actually we watched the film and she's like, "Oh my god, one of those teen girls is my aunt." So uh kept it in the family. Uh so anyways, this is a phenomenal film. Uh, I do not uh endorse or condone any of the behavior shown in this film. Uh, but if you're going to shoplift, be a woman and wear a big dress and have a big handbag. That's that's the moral of this story. So, enjoy. Uh, shoplifter. the thief. They belong to the business executive, [music] the grandmother, the college student, the teenager, the factory worker. But many merchants don't guard against these hands. Even though they annually steal $2 billion, more than all the nation's burglars and stickup men [music] combined, they are the hands of the shoplifter. [music] [music] [music] Excuse me. [music] Your business is selling merchandise, right? Yes, it is. That's right. Yes. And merchandising is the way to do it. Appealing displays, easy to serve oneself, and make them want it. Unfortunately, many customers take this serve yourself [music] too literally. And about one of every 60 customers entering your store will want it so [music] badly they will attempt to steal it. The shoplifter knows the hand is quicker than the eye, the eye of an unobservant salesperson. [music] It's the hands that do the stealing. The amateur shoplifter may [music] steal because she can't resist an opportunity to get something for nothing, because of need, for the [music] thrill of it, for luxuries, for psychological reasons. Shoplifterss come from all economic levels. The most active days are Friday and Saturday. Opening and closing hours and lunch [music] hour are choice times because that's when alertness by salespersonnel is usually the lowest. But who steals, why, and when they steal makes little difference to the salesperson who [music] does the most efficient job possible. Alertness and courtesy by you are the greatest deterrence [music] to shoplifterss. And it goes without saying that protecting your store's profits enhances your opportunity for salary [music] increases and it directly affects you as a customer in other stores since shoplifting losses are added to the price of merchandise. Here you see actual footage of a professional shoplifter at work. She is about to commit a theft. No one in the supermarket knows what is taking place. She stacks these stakes neatly, too neatly. To an unobservant salesperson, she may appear to be an average housewife, but an alert salesperson will notice the large coat, full skirt, and big purse. These make for quick and easy concealment of merchandise. Notice how easily [music] she slips the stakes under her dress, holding them between her legs. This is one of the many methods of boosting, the professional term for shoplifting, and it's the most common technique employed by the female pro. Given enough [music] privacy, she can make off with portable television sets, typewriters, radios, tape recorders, and small appliances just as easily. She can steal items weighing as much as 25 lb. She buys one or two inexpensive items to cover her presence in the store. It is folly for retail merchants to attempt to cut selling and operating costs by [music] reducing the number of sales personnel. An adequate salesforce ensures good customer service and is far less expensive than losses to shoplifterss. What this shoplifter can steal in seconds will more than pay [music] the daily wage of a good salesperson. By stealing cartons of cigarettes, this professional can easily earn $100 a day. She earns as much or more when working drugstores, [music] clothing stores, hardware or discount stores. This woman represents a growing number of shoplifterss who are taking advantage of the [music] selfservice store, the removal of barriers between goods and customers, and the improved display techniques which are psychologically designed to increase buying. Although the professional makes up only about 10% [music] of those stealing from you, the dollar value of what they steal far exceeds that of the amateur shoplifter. Pros usually steal expensive [music] items, later selling them for about half the retail price. The security chief [music] of one large department store believes one professional shoplifter is more costly than 100 amateurs. While some store managers claim the small but frequent theft of the amateur is [music] their greatest loss, smaller stores can't afford security personnel, and boosters know it. They are also quick to [music] recognize sales personnel working on commission because a stall will usually send them scurrying to a hotter sales prospect. [music] And that's what the shoplifter wants, privacy. But regardless of who is the greatest [music] threat to store profits, the amateur or the professional, most shoplifterss can be deterred [music] by observant salespersonnel who acknowledge all customers, letting no one go unrecognized. [music] Personnel who treat everyone as a customer. This professional will be the first to admit that the presence of an observant, alert salesperson [music] would have sent her away empty-handed. This is the merchandise she carried out of the store. However, she neglected to pay for these items. The average housewife does about 90% of her family shopping [music] and more than 85% of the nation's shoplifting. She is a typical [music] amateur shoplifter. She may feel your store owes her something that such a small item won't be missed. Her purchase came [music] to $13.50. Most supermarkets operate on a very low profit margin. The theft of a 99 cent item represents a substantial loss based on what [music] this housewife purchased. And she'll probably be back tomorrow or the next day. Don't allow empty cartons to accumulate in the front of your store. Many a request for what you think is an empty box has been prompted by [music] the knowledge that it has been filled with your merchandise by an accomplice. Men also pull this trick, stuffing meat, cigarettes, or other items down their trousers and covering [music] it with their shirt. Placing tags inside the wrapping can [music] eliminate much of this. [music] Switching containers. Putting expensive items into cartons formally containing inexpensive items [music] is a popular trick. An alert cashier will notice all tears and broken seals. It's easy to slip items under her knitting. Beware of customers bringing [music] bags, boxes, or any large container into your store. No, these slacks weren't exactly what she wanted. The green ones are. [music] Use the check system. Make sure everything is returned. This woman gambles that a bag from another store will not be searched. It's better for the purse to be too large than [music] too small. Wearing a rain cape on a sunny day should arouse your interest. [music] Some shoplifterss don't always hide their thefts. They merely exchange their old for [music] your new. Here's a happy customer. Happy that the clerk wasn't alert. Didn't check inside the cooler. Unpackaged clothing should always [music] be checked. One clerk didn't take the time. Switching pinned on tags and tied tags gets this shopper a $25 coat for $13. Knowing your merchandise will curb this theft technique. With the aid of this clever booster box, only 2 seconds are needed to steal an expensive camera. Here is another type of [music] booster box. It's carried by the shoplifter for the convenience of his companion. [music] Not all packages are what they seem to be. The cleverly arranged ribbons conceal the opening in this box. Many service areas provide supervised checking facilities for their customers convenience [music] and for their own protection. Professionals often work in pairs. No one could be more casual than this customer. Despite all the activity going on behind her, [music] she is the shield. Often a hidden zipper allows a lifter to do her own stuffing while the partner acts as a lookout. Here is a shoplifter making her [music] selection while her companion serves as lookout. The chosen dress is placed under [music] her arm temporarily. She doesn't plan to carry [music] it out. She'll wear it. Sorry, [music] these won't do. That's right. She's wearing the stolen dress under her own. Clothing left in fitting rooms is [music] easy pickings for shoplifterss who just wear them over or under their own clothes. Check fitting rooms frequently [music] for merchandise left inside. This man [music] appears interested in a suit. His companion is even more interested. Female boosters can take three or four suits, including hangers, in one motion, holding them between their legs, with comparative ease. Sometimes a partner will enter the store first, select the suits to be stolen, and put them on the end of the rack for easy identification by the Confederate who will do the stealing. If a professional shoplifter [music] can get an item between her legs without you seeing that item, she can steal it. This method can be used in [music] any store to steal almost any item. Articles displayed on [music] the counter's edge are easily stolen. An observant sales clerk would notice the clothing difference between mother and child, raincoat and sunsuit. [music] This man had a profitable day. It's good merchandising to display as few articles on the counter as possible. A booster would hesitate to take a loan item since it would immediately [music] be missed and draw attention to his presence. On a rainy day, this shoplifter simply palms the tag and walks out of the store. [music] Stealing larger items requires more self-possession. It [music] is estimated that one of every 60 customers to enter your store tomorrow will try to steal something. [music] The key to defeating this rising tide of shoplifting lies with you, the observant store employee. Even the cleverest shoplifter cannot steal [music] from you if you realize that quick, courteous service to customers is your primary function. Police and retail security reports reveal that the most effective solution to shoplifting is the prevention of the theft. To steal from you and your store, the shoplifter must have two favorable [music] conditions. merchandise to steal and privacy to steal it. Since you are in the business to sell merchandise, you must display [music] your wares. The stress, therefore, must be on the reduction of the shoplifter's sense of privacy. You can do this by doing the best job of selling you can. Quickly acknowledge and serve all customers, even if you feel they are not ready to buy. Convex mirrors, peep holes, and observation points also eliminate the shoplifter sense of privacy. But 100 observation points, closed circuit television cameras, and other [music] electronic devices cannot compensate for good salespeople who are aware of everything going on around them. These devices [music] contribute to the shoplifters's feeling that they are being watched. But when a shoplifter spots an alert salesperson, they [music] know they're being watched. Service to customers is everything in your job. It not only [music] increases sales but decreases shoplifting. If you treat everyone as a customer, [music] you will have performed your duty as an efficient, courteous salesperson. And if they are a shoplifter, you have [music] prevented a theft. An adequate number of salespeople during busy hours ensures prompt service and prevents mass [music] shoplifting. A uniform guard patrolling your aisles is also a strong deterrent to stealing. Other shoplifting preventatives include elevated sales stations for complete [music] surveillance and therefore maximum control over your merchandise. [music] Adequate lighting and low displays permit greater visibility. Shoplifterss develop patterns for [music] stealing. For example, a shoplifter never keeps his eyes on the merchandise. He watches you [music] and the customers around him, waiting for that moment of privacy when he can steal. Beware of loose coats. They can conceal [music] countless types of items. Alertness on your part is the strongest preventative to shoplifting. Awareness of all customers. Knowledge of your merchandise. Serve all of your customers as quickly [music] as possible. Even if you are busy with one customer, immediately acknowledge new customers. I'll be with you in a moment, sir. To a customer, those words mean [music] courtesy. To a shoplifter, it means I'm watching you. Never [music] leave your section unattended. And for customers who are just looking, keep them [music] and the merchandise in sight. May I help you with that tow rope? [music] Asking this question is courteous. It also deters a shoplifter. Valuable items should be displayed [music] out of reach. Stacks of merchandise left in stairwells, freight elevators, halls, and in the shopping area are easy [music] prey for shoplifterss. After restocking departments, all merchandise should be returned immediately to the stock room. This is a popular trick for stealing popular records. You can lose hundreds of records and other items to the [music] magazine fan. Or you can save hundreds of records by putting them out of reach behind glass as [music] this security conscious department store did. Not all book carrying customers are avid [music] readers. [music] A shoplifter has struck. Don't allow empty hangers on racks. You're here to sell things, not to get personal. Someone ought to teach you your manners. I'm going to report you to the manager. It used any distraction that draws off the sales clerk may offer an opportunity for a new shoplifter to be created. If you see someone take something, the best policy is usually to make no attempt to apprehend the suspect or accuse [music] them of shoplifting. Get a physical description, their outstanding characteristics, their dress. If possible, keep the suspect in view while notifying your superior. Your obligation may end with getting an accurate physical description and alerting your designated authority. Depending upon your store's policy, you the salesperson by being alert, observant, curious, and [music] devoting yourself to doing the best sales job you can. [music] Hello. Uh, so what' you think, man? That was awesome. Uh, Shoplifter was really, really great. Uh, um, so yeah, AV geeks get ripped off. Thanks everybody for tuning in. Um, sorry I didn't really give notification. Normally I uh set up the notification via YouTube, even though it's kind of a pain to figure out how to do it. Um, and I've had limited success with it, but I'll I will strive to do it next time. Uh I'm not sure exactly in March uh when we're going to do it, but we're gonna do another screening. Uh and I, man, I have so many great films that showed up in this last collection. So, um I'm happy to maybe pull from that uh we'll see. Or maybe I'll show Awkward Love, which is the screening I'm doing uh at King at um sorry, Alamo Draft House uh in Raleigh uh next Thursday, this upcoming Thursday. Um, if you like what you saw, Patreon is a great place to donate. It's kind of like a subscription tip jar. Um, and that money is going to go towards buying some shelving for the new films. Uh, because they're right now sitting in a storage space without any shelves and, um, it's time to put them on shelves and give them the respect they deserve. Um, [clears throat] again, if you like what you saw, abeks.com, great place to watch the thousands of films that we have online. Uh we've also been digitizing uh a bunch of other uh collectors stuff and putting that online as well. So um trying to get more eyeballs on this stuff. And I appreciate all your comments and your support. Uh it's been a while, but I'm back. And maybe this time next month, I won't have any cough at all. I'll just have um and maybe my hair will be a little bit shorter. I don't know. My hair is kind of crazy right now. But uh thanks again everybody. Uh we will talk soon. Have a great rest of the month. Enjoy February 29th, the rarity that it is. Um and I'll see you again in March.