# What is the oldest scam in the book? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 12, 2010, 9:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-oldest-scam-in-the-book/546374 "2010-07-12T09:08:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2010, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-oldest-scam-in-the-book/546374/41 "2010-07-13T15:34:14Z")
> [@Isamu](#): > > That’s the one I first thought of too. “I’m pregnant and the baby is yours”, must be very very old. I’ve often wondered who, when figured out that sex is what causes babies? Also, as I understand it, both Lot and Noah got taken in by the “get them drunk” scam. SOme question as to what Noah and his boy were up to. ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2010, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-oldest-scam-in-the-book/546374/42 "2010-07-13T15:41:13Z")
> [@md2000](#): > > I’ve often wondered who, when figured out that sex is what causes babies? It would be highly surprising if before someone put it all together, the bearing of children wasn’t deemed to be miraculous, hence the reason for those female fertility idols which pre-date all known religions, as far as I am aware. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2010, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-oldest-scam-in-the-book/546374/43 "2010-07-13T16:09:57Z")
> [@](#): > > God resting on the 7th day, and creating that whole “sabbath” thing that people still fall for. C’mon, he’s God, what does he have to rest for? So you consider getting a day off work each week to be getting scammed? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2010, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-oldest-scam-in-the-book/546374/44 "2010-07-13T16:45:57Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > What about the Trojan Horse? That dates back to the 12th century BC and it’s in the _Iliad_. IIRC, it doesn’t actually show up in the Iliad, but only gets mentioned in the Odyssey. No big loss, though, since the Iliad is chock full of _ **other** _ scams from Odysseus: he fakes insanity when attempting to dodge the draft, but is forced into dropping the act when Palamedes puts the big guy’s son in the way of the ostensible madman; Odysseus then tricks Achilles into dropping _ **his** _ dodge-the-draft tactic of dressing up like a woman, and later settles up with Palamedes by framing the guy with a faked letter and stashed gold to get him executed. ---
**Author:** ![HawksPath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f07891/32.png) [@HawksPath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HawksPath)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2010, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-oldest-scam-in-the-book/546374/45 "2010-07-13T17:13:14Z")
Those “female fertility idols” were quite possibly just the prehistoric version of internet porn, which could make the oldest scam, “Honey, it’s just that I respect women so much I want to see their pure naked form. It’s art, beauty, and religion. It’s not that all I care about is sex.” ---
**Author:** ![pope\_hentai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@pope\_hentai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pope_hentai)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-oldest-scam-in-the-book/546374/46 "2010-07-15T02:10:28Z")
I would have assumed that since prostitution is “the worlds oldest profession”, wouldn’t “rolling a john” be the worlds oldest scam? ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-oldest-scam-in-the-book/546374/47 "2010-07-15T02:36:52Z")
> [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](#): > > it’s a common enough phrase, but what is the oldest documented scam? Religion. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-oldest-scam-in-the-book/546374/48 "2010-07-15T05:28:07Z")
> [@robardin](#): > > Aren’t there ancient stones worked to look like sea shells that archaeologists think were used as counterfeit decoys to trade with inland tribes who valued shells as a form of currency? Any idea of a date for this? Does it beat the 3250BC for the Sumaerian fraud that **dracoi** found? ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-oldest-scam-in-the-book/546374/49 "2010-07-15T06:07:00Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > > [@Superhal](#): > > > > Religion. > > [Moderator Note] > > Let’s avoid religious jabs in GQ. No warning issued, but don’t do this again. > > Colibri > General Questions Moderator > [@Clothahump](#): > > Religion. u=phail. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-oldest-scam-in-the-book/546374/50 "2010-07-15T08:28:54Z")
I know the answer. Just send me $50 and I’ll tell you. ---
**Author:** ![mr.jp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/48db29/32.png) [@mr.jp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr.jp)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-oldest-scam-in-the-book/546374/51 "2010-07-15T11:18:27Z")
> [@Nobody](#): > > I know the answer. Just send me $50 and I’ll tell you. Involved in the oldest scam in the book: “ **Nobody** poked my single eye out.” ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-oldest-scam-in-the-book/546374/52 "2010-07-15T14:03:18Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Religion. [Moderator Warning] Since I have already issued a reminder to another poster in this thread not to make religious jabs, I am going to make this one an official warning (for that, and also for violating moderator instructions). > [@Malacandra](#): > > u=phail. [Moderator Note] **Malacandra** , if you see a rules violation, the proper course is to report the post, not to address the poster yourself. No warning issued, but don’t do this again. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-oldest-scam-in-the-book/546374/53 "2010-07-15T15:26:08Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > [Moderator Note] > > **Malacandra** , if you see a rules violation, the proper course is to report the post, not to address the poster yourself. No warning issued, but don’t do this again. > > Colibri > General Questions Moderator Thank’ee - not so much concerned about the violation as the incompetence displayed in the commission thereof, hence the reaction in lieu of reporting. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-oldest-scam-in-the-book/546374/54 "2010-07-15T15:58:47Z")
> [@Malacandra](#): > > Thank’ee - not so much concerned about the violation as the incompetence displayed in the commission thereof, hence the reaction in lieu of reporting. Even so, you should refrain from making insulting remarks in GQ. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-oldest-scam-in-the-book/546374/55 "2010-07-15T16:57:17Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Even so, you should refrain from making insulting remarks in GQ. > > Colibri > General Questions Moderator Apologies - what I intended to convey was “_This snark_ is inept; someone else has already posted the exact same zinger and been rebuked for it”, not an insult. But it doesn’t profit me to continue arguing the point, so I’ll call it done for now. ---
**Author:** ![Neptunian\_Slug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce7236/32.png) [@Neptunian\_Slug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neptunian_Slug)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2010, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-oldest-scam-in-the-book/546374/56 "2010-07-15T17:16:30Z")
I would say that trade scams go back to the beginning of the first scam. No cites but I am sure that at one point, a Sumerian city slicker tried to sell beans out of deceptively smaller jugs, found lightweight stones to weigh goods, watered down wine, etc. Maybe it’s not the oldest, but the “pig in a poke” is pretty old. And lots of languages have a similar phrase so it must have been widespread. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-oldest-scam-in-the-book/546374.md?page=2)