The Superpower of the Conman | Alexis Conran | TEDxBerlin

Visit our website www.tedxhamburg.de for more information on Alexis Conran. Alexis Conran, TV Presenter and Actor (LAMDA trained) is best known known as the man who identifies, uncovers and helps us to protect our businesses and ourselves against scams. As writer and presenter of the highly acclaimed BBC TV show, The Real Hustle he is in the rare position of being able to advise and educate even the most-foolhardy on issues surrounding security and risk (in the real and virtual world), and identify the human behaviour, communication skills and confidence tricks that the world’s top scammers rely on to achieve their unscrupulous aims.
As a charismatic and engaging keynote and after-dinner speaker, Alexis employs his knowledge of the dark and deceptive world of hustling, pickpockets and con-artists to speak candidly on the risks and security threats constantly faced by businesses, and to deliver important messages on the shrewdest ways to protect against the ever-increasing number of scams. His recent clients include IBM, the RSA Security Conference, Experian, RBS, Halifax, Aviva, Facebook, Porsche, VISA, The Metropolitan Police and the City of London Police Fraud in Action Unit.
Alexis currently hosts his own weekly show, The Radio Hustle on Talk Radio and co-stars in the new Dave show THE JOY OF TECHS, alongside his best friend, comedian, actor and satirist, Marcus Brigstocke. He also contributes to ITV’s This Morning and BBC Radio 4 and 5Live, and was crowned champion of Celebrity MasterChef 2016.
Website: www.alexisconran.com This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

[@mogbaba]

The best TED Talk ever, for me. He is a real CON man, look at his name!

[@beforeyou1762]

After he con people. He ran.

[@jhowardsupporter]

He was not even the guy meant to be giving the speech. He just walked onto the stage.

[@VestigialHead]

@@jhowardsupporter There was no Tedx Event. He just put up a sign and got people to pay $100 to tell them he is a scammer.

[@alexgoslar4057]

Thank you Alexis for holding up a mirror that reflects our ignorance. A good lesson.

[@sunnysmiles8211]

1. Misdirection (esp pickpockets) 2. Time pressure (urgency) 3. Opportunity (good deal syndrome-something for nothing ) 4. Social compliance (fooled by authority badges/symbols) 5. Social proof (looking to others to cue behavior) In todays tech/social media world, consider that anything we read could be considered propaganda until fact checked.

[@susettehorspool2646]

I wonder if "misdirection" is the right word to use (although I realize he did use it). What I've noticed, and what it looked like his pickpocket example did, was to get the target to give you information you wouldn't have otherwise. Like someone who calls on the phone to ask if you have a daughter, then later tells you he has the daughter in his custody and wants money to return her.

[@sunnysmiles8211]

@@susettehorspool2646 maybe something like fishing for information, then using that information against you

[@yourfavoriteportuguese7701]

A conman is good in telling stories Starts telling a story

[@JohnSmith-ox3gy]

Takes one to know one.

[@shouvikkundu8289]

🤣

[@RoderBrent]

The Buybull is full of them.

[@jarrettefan]

At 0:58 he switched his hands. He let go, pointed to a lady, put his hands together again but changed the position of his hands.

[@Nobody-hc1rw]

Pen&teller viewer detected.

[@tysongalloway5700]

That would’ve been very impressive, had he not explained that later on in the video.

[@looseunit9180]

Yup

[@laaaliiiluuu]

@@tysongalloway5700 I saw it right away.

[@amandawittenstein1873]

There’s a simple fix for the keypad issue. Always drag your fingers over any keypad you use after you’ve used it. This negates UV activated lights, heat sensing, fingerprints, any sort of keypad that can be used to pick up your information, just drag your fingers over after you’ve finished using it. Particularly useful for stuck ATM card scams.

[@tarponjohn]

to be honest with you ...excellent sense of humour ...great

[@anythinginteresting101]

Man spent 19mins just to say KNOWLEDGE is a SUPERPOWER and we all felt for it 😭... Pro con this one..

[@DJBLAZEKE]

Manze😂😂

[@RoderBrent]

Looks like knowledge is not one of your strong points.

[@timothypeterson9045]

OK, if knowledge is not a superpower, what is it? What's the con?

[@brettkeane2662]

His last name is "Con Ran" he was born for this

[@r.m2192]

Conned at 0:55

[@johanneskaiser9997]

Con artist made me watch this video

[@HK-sw3vi]

lmfao, what's you story?

[@sg3428]

Is that con artist youtube’s recommendation algorithm?

[@Rose-oq2hn]

Who

[@JP-qb8qx]

Brilliant. This is the 11th best Ted Talk we have been waiting for years.

[@Ankitgoyel17]

Which are the other ten

[@levintilak738]

What are top 10

[@JP-qb8qx]

Google or look on KZbin Top ten Ted talks.

[@Ankitgoyel17]

@@JP-qb8qx I have listened to lots of great ted talks. But the top 10 varies from person to person. If a man is business man for him ted talks on finance will be priority and some one with philosophical mind will rank philosophical ted talks but if we go through all, our perseverance changes

[@JP-qb8qx]

@@Ankitgoyel17 there is a list, sorted by view, on Ted official website

[@beboplaplace3762]

I've always liked Alex and Paul and Jess from the real hustle and always loved how they showed the gears of the cons and scams. Huge fan and hope we can see more from all 3 of them.

[@mohamednoor867]

that was the shortest 18 minutes of all my life

[@jaishetty8586]

One of the best Ted Talks I watched.

[@Danformulas]

Ja Loka, thanks for sharing

[@mmmmlllljohn]

Knowledge is power - I knew a some of these but not all. TFS!

[@fabriziofederico9487]

5 persuasion tactics: Misdirection Time pressure Opportunity Social compliance Social proof Bernie Madoff

[@victoriaollier2345]

I love Alex. Used to watch The Real Hustle religiously 😂

[@flippatheshippa]

Seriously I watched so much of that show when I was younger and wanted to be like them so bad 🤣

[@sahalathp2970]

Thanks for u r valuable information 👍

[@randomcommenter6825]

He did a magic trick then told us people can be manipulated. Didn’t learn much, but the lecture was engaging and he had me conned until I realized this. TED itself is often a glorified con but fortunately I don’t have anything to lose by watching their videos since I’m trying to distract myself on KZbin anyways

[@invisible2925]

Smart

[@macallanvintage]

Con artists exist only because of human’s GREED.

[@thecrazymuzician1]

My heart goes out to all of his survivors. I’m glad that his face is public now.

[@jankastbjerg4017]

survivors?

[@juliewake4585]

Proof if proof were needed that knowledge is always a good idea.

[@anitamhlongo4443]

Enjoyed this very much...💐🌸🌺

[@davidjohn2795]

Alex and seen your hand move positions😂😂

[@Santu7220]

incomplete Donna Eden´s energy technique that we all did as children intuitively. 1min13. Then he untwists his arms and leaves audience hanging. to complete the little energy technique bring your arms in to your chest from underneath with hands this clasped , breathe several times and enjoy the tangible effect of having untangled a few energies.

[@brasileirokubrusly2]

only 4k likes, but one of my favourite TEDxs

[@mohdasifbiotech]

First moment is tremendous

[@mmmk1616]

What an excellent talk! Thank you!

[@gaboronem8615]

Notice him swap his hands around after pointing out a lady in the crowd don't know if I would catch it if the camera wasn't fixed on him

[@Emily-sz7nd]

GABORONE M u can assume what he did

[@MexieMex]

Classic misdirection, blindingly obvious if you know what to look for, but most people don't. I used to open my mentalism show with it.

[@gaboronem8615]

I made this comment before watching the video to the end and thought everyone would roast me because he explains it later on in the talk however you guys have been so wonderful Thank you If you're ever in South Africa I'm inviting you all to my house for a braai

[@MexieMex]

@@gaboronem8615 I. I'm going to hold you to that LOL

[@benjaminvraphael]

@@gaboronem8615 I'm in South Africa too. Make sure you invite me lol

[@rickharold69]

Interesting! Thx!

[@devantesnell]

Am I the only person that was able to notice that he switched his hands the first time watching this?

[@unrival1225]

We are many😉

[@zaydenn9648]

one of the best, got me laughing a few times.

[@antonyelten7394]

So you're telling me my mechanic has superpowers?

[@user-jo6xm2dz3j]

yes, actually! quite so

[@georgeobare6289]

Insightful

[@mathematicsguru97]

19 minutes passed like 4, this is true con

[@ricotechnology]

This is so inspiring

[@davidngaru]

Shirleen and Ca Bugah🤣

[@florenceadhiambo1843]

😂😂😂😂

[@queenofthebutterflies5212]

I just got smart today!

[@pensivethought138]

This needs more views.

[@janedoe5048]

Seriously.

[@georgehowelliii5666]

Very good class: I really learned something!

[@frenzyfitness313]

Perfect

[@conmayn]

You spelled my name wrong

[@CrimsonHelldrake]

you've been conned into THINKING that. Are you the man OF cons or the man who gets conned?

[@andrewohagan8725]

I was genuinely able to do that wrist twist.

[@davidjohn2795]

I seen your hand move then😂😂

[@neocount6397]

If people are surprised by any of this, I'm in the wrong business.

[@9jmorrison]

Thank you for your information, the headline manipulation is a prime example of seduction.

[@Robert-dl6fq]

Get psychology in to school

[@andrewohagan8725]

Yes

[@amyfullerton5701]

i knew he looked familiar

[@asimsun61]

awesome..

[@mrwoody1413]

What he did with the flipping your thumbs towards the sky was really obvious to me.. anyone else?

[@deezlilnuts]

he just re clasped his hands? was the point you dont notice it havent watched yet but got subtitles on no audio

[@IamShashi98]

How come this ted talk have less views… ?

[@supers1057]

Forgot to say: ..same as religion!

[@nsimba_777]

Watch out! He's trying to trick us!

[@sandeepthoudam38]

I caught him 🧐🧐😬 when he was saying “Just like that lady over there" he turned his hand 😏😏😏😜

[@PJTWaters]

power of con men or weakness of character of the easily led?

[@2506JJhudson1990]

His pseudonym in The Real Hustle was Ian (I) Steele. His real name is one letter of conman.

[@workin4alivin585]

Grade A skeptic here. What's in it for you, sir?

[@oobrocks]

My gf is a con artist….I kept hoping she would change but she doesn’t. Don’t follow my mistake 😢

[@nadanada-bi2rs]

Nice

[@TheVera9966]

After the Internet breakthrough, we don't know anymore to who and what we trust in.

[@mindthegap1669]

So true

[@esty8192]

0:55

[@dianaw9098]

I notice immediately that he charge his hands position.

[@ayushmansharma49]

I'm victim of con artist

[@90soriginalsbaby59]

Me too and instagram scammer named kontefxtrading told me I could earn thousands sent him £500 in Bitcoin now he wants a £650 fee to upgrade my account funny thing is I don’t think my money went anywhere😔😔

[@nedargiordano7018]

Or the bad women

[@brynwhitehead1731]

What do your examples all have in common?

[@Mbuani]

Ja Loka 💀

[@abdelazizmahamatadam3206]

And the same time

[@lolagumolova8828]

Firms like Brody and Kling in Washington DC often use kidnapping-like techniques to force untenable negotiations by noncustodial parents. Some end in tragedy. These techniques should be applied in child custody negotiations.

[@BilderbergCEO]

#1 con: Vote for me

[@v4kira]

Wow

[@sushilthakur4325]

Just like ladies doing here Excellent work that also conman style to brainwashed 😂😂 0:55

[@frustratedchild]

Can someone tell me why this video got only 88k views?

[@janedoe5048]

It may have something to do with the low quality of other magicians TEDx Talks. I seen a few and they come on ad do tricks, never any insights into how they pull off their tricks. They don't disclose their sleight of hand or the mind set of their victims. This man does both, but how are people who have watched the others, or at least some portion of each of the others before clicking the next video, suppose to realize this is the real deal? I almost didn't watch it, except its the day after Christmas, and a Saturday, so news is sparse, so I decided to give it a shot. Glad I did.

[@vdmur7952]

Interesting talk, but did anyone else instantly see the trick he did with his hands?

[@venuslight6814]

POV: your here from The Real Hustlers

[@marcielleb]

He means UNscrupulous.

[@HotGadgetMan]

I tought this was going to be an hour long lol Interesting Mr Conran used assumptions to sound more appealing. Saying Evryone, and none of us. Well that did not include me. Up to his old manipulative tricks again hehe

[@warriordx5520]

xD thats a very good superpower

[@mruthyunjaysiddal3613]

Looks like young rowan Atkinson

[@mikakorhonen5715]

His diet sucks.

[@supernova2875]

Yes. If John Cleese and Rowan Atkinson had a love child.

[@firestone7666]

Conran the con man

[@jared1862]

Conran the Conman

[@elenabelacastre7789]

HIRE THEM, T9 GIVE SEMINARS TEACH THEIR SKILLS, GET THEM AWAY FROM ILLEGAL ACTIVITY!

[@elenabelacastre7789]

No! Not a good idea? Just study them or do u have some other idea or solution?????

[@WWZenaDo]

@11:39 - yes, that's a particularly bad email, but not for the reason he's mentioned. Ms. Surugaba clearly states that her father was a supporter of Moammar Gadhafi, and despite the current conservatives' use of Russian interference to slither into American political power, I suspect that an ordinary citizen offering aid and succor to a daughter of a loyal follower of an enemy of the USA could easily garner all kinds of unwanted attention from the FBI, Dept. of Justice (if they were doing their damned jobs!), Homeland Security, etc.

[@janetpattison8474]

The topic is really good, but, Not too funny intro. With the hand exercise.

[@2tonetony319]

3:00 He forgot to include the biggest con of all. Religion.

[@corbinfobbs6409]

Yeah religion is for blind believers While the books these people read are very useful in this life game

[@SMaamri78]

I thought you were going with Obama. But you went with religion ...

[@TotalTech_]

You Sir Have earned yourself a thumbs up from me

[@jaybresk2735]

I need to learn to scam

[@TasteMyStinkholeAndLikeIt]

Uhhh, we all know the superpower of con men. Jeezuz pulled off a con so great, it has lasted 2000 years

[@lorettagreen6794]

Right and that’s why Jeezuz lived in poverty and was killed. I believe the conman you are referring to is named Paul.

[@RoderBrent]

@@lorettagreen6794 Pick any name in the buybull for conmen and u won't be wrong

[@akbarpashtun]

Please proove ?

[@akbarpashtun]

​@@RoderBrent please proove ?

[@cherrytung]

*What's your superpower?* 🔥🔥

[@JP-qb8qx]

Downvoting comments.

[@mr.h5436]

I often see a lady(checkout person for example) and understand why someone fell in love with them.

[@Palmieres]

Being able to completely fail at everything in life.

[@HH-ng3lm]

You

[@minms38]

Imagine getting conned to watch this video.

[@Spandan_Ghoshal]

First comment

[@steph4311]

Everything he’s saying I saw in a movie

[@marinaamparo]

PNL

[@bradr539]

He bookend this speech with his opinion, which you should agree with of course, about Brexit and Trump. They are bad, got it...

[@alfsmith4936]

He wasn't wrong..

[@AndrewBlucher]

Vote leave was a reputable site? Classic misdirection!

[@chattycathydoll]

After 13 minutes confesses nothing he's said so far is new or not known about. Why not spend those 13 mins giving us that instead then?

[@alfsmith4936]

Because a lot of people don't know things that are not new maybe?

[@artsomniacv-logcitybydanie1249]

Taking advantage of people and swindling people is not a superpower it's what scumbag does. Just like with men and women in relationships or interactions, it's a convenient embellishment to blame a person that is naive or too trusting 4 their own loss if they get taken advantage of. Perhaps this speech is everything that is wrong with our society showing itself through a promoter for those that are lacking who I found a way to make themselves feel great. At the end of any day a con artist is just a scumbag and should be beaten into the dirt.

[@mmmk1616]

Hmm, did you finish the video? He calls many people con artists.

[@90soriginalsbaby59]

I was scammed by an instragran conman threw Bitcoin

[@AUSTIN-ss2zd]

Why are you on Instagram you wont make any money if you think people care about all your complaints and problems you cant handle.

[@drinozhao9028]

The classy gymnast archaeologically delay because step-grandfather conservatively admire across a roomy tabletop. thundering, open part