Mike Seidle ...notes from the road

Having come off several awful business relationships that have just sucked the life and cash out of my business, I ran into an article that actually explains why people are easily duped. Turns out the culprit is a "circuit" in our brains called THOMAS - one that releases ocytocin when we are trusted.  In other words, the con man trusts you and your brain makes you feel good. From the Article:

The key to a con is not that you trust the conman, but that he shows he trusts you. Conmen ply their trade by appearing fragile or needing help, by seeming vulnerable. Because of THOMAS, the human brain makes us feel good when we help others--this is the basis for attachment to family and friends and cooperation with strangers. "I need your help" is a potent stimulus for action.  -- How to Run a Con | Psychology Today Blogs