ABSTRACT
The concept of white-collar crime has been ambiguous and problematic since its inception. In some ways, the conceptual ambiguity surrounding white-collar crime has only gotten worse over time. Recall that deception is the advantageous distortion of perceived reality and that it can be achieved in different ways, including embellishment, mimicry, and hiding. The type or types of deception that are used in any particular white-collar crime depends in part on the relationship between the offender and the target. Offenders who are trying to sell a product or a service typically use embellishment to deceive their victims into doing something that is not in their best interests. Regardless of the form it takes—embellishment, mimicry, or hiding—the point of deception is to help the offender maintain the superficial appearance of legitimacy. This is one of the distinguishing features of white-collar crime and one that makes white-collar crime so difficult to control.
