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How Does the "Bank Examiner Swindle" on Dragnet Make Sense?
In the Dragnet TV show, Episode 6 in Season 1 (original broadcast date February 23, 1967), is the “Bank Examiner Swindle.” Two crooks, posing as bank examiners, persuade elderly customers to withdraw cash from the bank. The crooks mark the money and say they will redeposit into the bank, so that they can see which “dishonest teller” is “pilfering the accounts.”
How does this scenario even make sense? The cash in the till does not belong to any customer in particular. Each teller is required to account for his own cash, and if he is short, he will have to explain the shortage. If a bank employee is stealing cash from the bank, why would the bank need a customer to withdraw cash in order for the thief to be caught?Are there people really so stupid to fall for this scheme?
4 Answers
- STEVEN FLv 71 month agoFavourite answer
Some people trust apparent authority. The underlying swindle doesn't have to make sense. As long as the person believes they are helping a legal authority, that is all they really think about.
- StephenWeinsteinLv 71 month ago
Yes, there are people who fall for the scheme. I don't know whether they're stupid or just ignorant. It's a real scheme that does work. I've watched real video (on the news, not Dragnet) of a reporter or producer trying it with a hidden camera, and then explaining it had been a scam and returning the money.
- Anonymous1 month ago
It doesn't. You are comparing TV with real life. They are NOT the same. This is an actual scam. People have actually believed the scam. Maybe they don't realize that the cash in the "till" (I presume you mean teller's draw) no longer belongs to a specific customer. Yes, people are "so stupid" to fall for this scheme. Other people are "so stupid" that they don't do any research before they post. This will be a LOT less amusing when it happens to one of your Grandparents.
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Does it make sense that IRS will have someone arrested if he/she doesn't send a WalMart gift card to a stranger? No. Do people believe it? Yes.
