3-Card Monte Cheat Scams Up Across US

Collegiate spring-break seems to bring waves of 3-Card Monte cheat hustlers literally out of the ocean and onto the strands lining both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. In Florida alone, there have been more than fifteen arrests of card cheats hustling vacationers with the scam during the past two weeks. The card scam is also on the rise in inner-city districts across the US, where it of course originated and is prevalent all year round. Police in Florida and California are especially angst over the 3-Card Monte scams because they are often gang related and lead to violence when victims realize they've been cheated or the gang hustlers fight over the profits.

For those of you not familiar with the scam, it's the one where a hustler spreads three cards usually over a box or collapsible table. Using either queens or aces, one is suited red while the other two are suited black. He shows you the cards face-up and then proceeds to turn them face-down and swivel them across the box or table, making it look easy to follow the red queen or ace. He always has confederates working with him who bet and manage to pick out the red card, winning their bets. But when you or another legitimate sucker makes bets (paid at even-money although no one ever wins), the red card manages to disappear.

Avoid this scam because the only thing you might get out of it is a bloody nose...or worse!