Cinematic Scams #5 - The Golden Girls (1990)

A depiction of the classic scam The Pigeon Drop of the TV series, the Golden Girls. Commentary By Nicholas J. Johnson.
Pigeon drop is a confidence trick in which a mark or "pigeon" is convinced to give up a sum of money in order to secure the rights to a larger sum of money, or more valuable object. In reality, the scammers make off with the money and the mark is left with nothing.
In the process, the stranger (actually a confidence trickster) puts his money with the mark's money (in an envelope, briefcase, or sack) which the mark is then entrusted with. The money is actually not put into the sack or envelope, but is switched for a bag full of newspaper or other worthless material. Through various theatrics, the mark is given the opportunity to make off with money without the stranger realizing. In actuality, the mark would be fleeing from his own money, which the con man still has (or has handed off to an accomplice).

[@TomMSTie1138]

It's funny that not only wasn't Rose--the resident dummy of the cast--the one who got scammed, she actually who broke the news to Blanche and Sophia later in this episode.

[@TrickyNick79]

I like that they went against the perception of victims of frauds as idiots.

[@sophiapetrillo5236]

Dude also plays a gambler anonymous on MOM sitcom

[@partyguy101ify]

The fast life caught up to the con artist. 😂

[@Sulla2300]

I’m surprised Sophia would fall for that

[@PumaM90]

A woman from Brookfield Wisconsin got scammed recently using this tactic.

[@sophiapetrillo5236]

My mom fell for the Brazilian version of this.. "o golpe da loteria" Some white haired dude says he won the lottery but...I forget the rest of the story got so livid my mom lost 5g to the old man handing her a bag of shredded newspaper. And at the base of this scam is GREED front BOTH victim and perpetrator!

[@jessiejane1972]

This is actually going on here in Nashville.

[@francoad]

Idiotens to believe such a thing