False Pretense and Deviant Exploitation: Fortunetelling as a Con

The purpose of this paper is twofold: (1) to provide a description of fortunetelling by non-Gypsy readers, and (2) to apply a dramaturgical analysis of the con as a form of occupational false pretense. Following a discussion of our methods, we will examine the several routines involved in the fortunetelling con. We will then discuss the implications of the study.