“Anatomy of a Con Artist” with Johnathan Walton (GWTW846)

How do you know the person you just met is who they say they are? A family member just called asking uncharacteristically to be bailed out of jail, what do you do? What do you say to someone whose offer to help is too good to be true? These are the questions at the core of today’s conversation with Johnathan Walton, author of the must-read book, Anatomy of a Con Artist: The 14 Red Flags to Spot Scammers, Grifters, and Thieves. In this conversation, Johnathan shares how getting scammed out of $100,000 led him to his life’s work of exposing con artists and helping people who have been scammed to find justice and peace. We talk about his journey from television reporter and reality TV producer to podcast producer and con hunter, why people don’t educate themselves about con artists, how technology can be used against you and what to do about it, how he developed unshakable resilience, and what we can learn about creativity from studying the inexhaustible creative work of con artists. In a world of AI and frictionless technology that can be used to craft stories and keep track of endless details, Johnathan’s work will prepare you for your own life’s work: protecting yourself from the scammers, grifters, and thieves. Show Links Johnathan Walton Anatomy of a Con Artist: The 14 Red Flags to Spot Scammers, Grifters, and Thieves by Johnathan Walton Cocaine Air Queen of the Con Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988) Johnathan’s reel on Instagram about recording the audiobook Closeup evidence board with red thread connecting pictures by seventyfourimages from Envato Elements