Confidence, Confidence Game

Confidence. Trust; reliance; relation of trust. Reliance on discretion of another. In the construction of wills, this word is considered peculiarly appropriate to create a trust.

Confidence game. Obtaining of money or property by means of some trick, device, or swindling operation in which advantage is taken of the confidence which the victim reposes in the swindler. The elements of the crime of “confidence game” are: (1) an intentional false representation to the victim as to some present fact, (2) knowing it to be false, (3) with intent that the victim rely on the representation, (4) the representation being made to obtain the victim’s confidence and thereafter his money and property, (5) which confidence is then abused by defendant. U. S. v. Brown, D.C.App., 309 A.2d 256, 257.

Black, H. C., & Nolan, J. R. (1979). Black’s law dictionary (5th ed.). St. Paul, Minn: West Publishing Co.