Con games - swindles. Most of us think we would be the last people in the world to be tricked into handing over our hard-earned money for deals that in retrospect are obviously phony.

But confidence artists are experts in human psychology and behavior. They know how to win over your confidence with their smooth talking and self-assured manner. Unless you are careful you my find yourself turning over cash or buying worthless merchandise. You won't be able to recognize a con by the way he or she looks, but you can be on the lookout for some of their "pitches".

If you are offered a deal that sounds too good to be true, chances are that's just the case - it is too good to be true; it's a ripoff.

If you are asked for cash to close the deal, be cautious. Why won't a check do? Investigate before you lose your money.

There are two popular home improvement scams:

A contractor stops by your home and tells you there is something seriously wrong with your roof, gutters, etc. He tells you that if you sign a contract right away he will give you a 50 percent discount and a money-back guarantee. The deal sounds too good to pass up so you pay and get your contract. Shortly after the work is done you may find that the repair breaks down. Then wehn you read your contract you find in the fine print that the contract guaranteed only that he would do the job, but not that it would last.

A contractor stops by your house and tells you that he is new in the neighborhood. He says he will resurface your driveway at cost if you allow him to place an ad in your lawn or house saying his company did the job. He tells you all he needs in some cash in advance for materials. If you give him the cash you can be sure this is the last you will ever see of your money or the contractor.

Another popular con is the phony bank examiner.

In this "game" someone calls telling you he is a bank examiner and asks you to withdraw a large sum of money from your bank account so he can secretly check the honesty of a bank employee who he believes is stealing money from the bank. The phony bank examiner will meet you and show you fake identification if you request. If you withdraw the money for the bank examiner he will even give you a receipt for it and tell you that you will get your money back just as soon as the teller is caught. Of course, you will never see your money again. There is no reason for anyone to ask you to withdraw money from a bank for a "special purpose." If someone does call you or approach you asking you to withdraw money from the bank be sure to report it to the local police and to your bank manager.

Mail frauds should be easy to recognize because the same frauds have been perpetuated over and over again. Unfortunately, most of us would like to believe the claims that we can make instant profits with little investment in a mail order business, or that we can buy secret remedies to our health problems. Because of this we shell out our money without ever realizing we have been had. In fact, some mail frauds are so good that the victims swear even after they have been defrauded that they are happy with the product, information, or remedy they received in the mail.

There are dozens of swindles perpetuated by the professional con artist, each with dozens of variations. The best way to recognize if you are dealing with a con man is to listen or look for these words in his conversation or ads: CASH, HOME IMPROVEMENT, SECRET INVESTMENT PLANS, GET RICH QUICK, SOMETHING FOR NOTHING, or CONTESTS (which are not backed by reputable firms).

If you read or hear these words form someone you are thinking of doing business with, back away and tell the person you would like to take a while to think about the plan. This will give you time to check the plan with the Better Business Bureau or your District Attorney.

Most importantly, if you are victimized by a con artist, report it to the proper authorities and be willing to testify in court. This is the only way to put the con out of business.