this is the most successful scam show of
all time a hit in 45 countries around
the world
the real hustlers have stolen cars
perfectly sick there
burgle houses picked
switched and ditched and kind of though
they've carried out close to 500 scams
and stolen over 1 million pounds and now
they're back for an eleventh series Alex
Jess and Paul with new recruits Polly
and Jaz their job to expose the tricks
of the criminal strain so that you don't
get scammed on tonight's show
guest host Larry do one DJ now how throw
some shapes don't walk past there Polly
proves that scowling drinks is as easy
as enjoy the reward but I'm Jess makes a
new friend I'm actually furious you know
like I'm actually it is
you
the marks in this show have no idea
they're being hustled
they agreed the footage could be shown
so that you can avoid falling for the
same scams the hustlers have invited
celebrity friends to see if they can cut
it as con artists but they'll have no
clue what the scam is about and there
are no dress rehearsals so this is sink
or swim
today's guest hustler is TV presenter
and radio 1 DJ know-how I'm in Glasgow
unless it's something particularly
Scottish themed involving tossing cables
playing bagpipes I have no idea what is
gonna happen to me hello hello can you
walk across the brick and then down the
footpath and I'll meet you at the point
all right cool this program is amazing I
look at it and I've just seen you know
some of the guys have done it before
I just thought could I do that could I
get in that situation and act it out
could I look them in the eye and lied to
them I don't know and now today I'm
gonna get a chance to find out whether I
can't I'm really excited it let me tell
you a little bit about what we're gonna
be doing today we're gonna be pulling
off an audacious scam okay every like
that word the question is how do you
sell something that doesn't actually
belong to you
without stealing it in the first place
no idea okay so we get going
I'll tell you more about it
now hows going to have to achieve a
double-double to scams with two marks in
two rows
the hustlers have hired some rooms in a
luxury country hotel
the guys League Nahal as Jess waits
outside reception to meet a man about
some art this guy's come here to buy a
highly collectible sculpture and that
makes him the mark jess is going to be
doing an awful lot of leading people
around today and timing will be crucial
right now
she's taking the mark to Paul
he's playing the role of art dealer rub
marks he's selling a piece that's worth
a lot of money had to take a seat
rub boxes Peter Oh Peter how I have a
seat you find a place okay yes
while Paul entertains the mark Jess goes
back to meet some guards from a security
firm in charge of transporting the
precious item from a local gallery to
the hotel they've been told it's being
used for a magazine photoshoot and for
insurance purposes they mustn't let it
out of their sight
Jess walks the officer through the grand
hall
I think I think that's the piece
arriving looks like security that
Susie's and right past Paul and the
watching mark and into a corridor
leading to the room when a how Alex and
jazz have set the stage for the first
part of the scam the photo shoot
now first role is to play the
long-suffering assistant to Alex a
temperamental photographer prone to
hissy peace jazz is also getting an
earful as The Apprentice is that the hi
oh great because it's been photographed
for a magazine the piece has been loaned
by the owner so it's free for the day
and there it is
three beautifully cast birds in flight
made from solid bronze it weighs a ton
and is worth a five figure son
all right good okay now I just want
everybody to get off my set in front of
my being the artist that he is
photographer Alex insists on everything
being just right before he starts
shooting I ask you to take that outside
if you the prima donna photographer
sends one of the guards out of the room
like take a seat there thank you this
some papers or something you can have a
look at the other guard is left alone to
keep his eye on the sculpture making him
the second mark
if it goes don't worry I'll get it he's
asked to sit out of the way of the
photoshoot in fact for this scam to work
it's vital that he doesn't move from
that chair I'm just going to change this
light you want don't walk past there
everybody stop crossing the light we're
pressed for time all right
just don't cross sorry did he you were
just said yeah I'm sorry right okay
photographer Alex is starting to boss
his underlings around
now Alan jazz definitely aren't getting
an easy ride from their boss
no back back okay sorry so my question
with a bunch of amateurs honestly it's
not funny that's kind of working for me
there Jay what do you think yeah it is
the silhouette is what we're going for
yeah yeah nice and 11 I would just shoot
a couple of test ones sorry sorry the
marks forced to witness the outrageous
workplace harassment and though he can't
see the sculpture its silhouette is
plainly visible to him on the screen at
all times I don't need that Jay you know
I don't need that
just check is not your first shoot that
was just checking to just just try and
keep up
looks like it's going to be a long wait
back in the main hall the other mark is
getting anxious to get on with his deal
and buy some valuable art and I just
into the kill caddy not much casual
I feel better yes about them that's kind
of why we do this here rather than the
middle of town you know well sooner I
get the money off I feel much better
soon oh I have your money in my hands
I'll be a lot happier - okay here's Jess
to help the mark part with his money a
bit quicker Rob just say no they're
gonna be about another 10 minutes do you
two want to canto to the whiskey room
it's been more comfortable there I think
I sound perfect so why don't you bring
your why do you bring whiskey - yes -
tear that for you just make sure to give
him the first-class treatment and she
takes him to a meeting room that happens
to be right next door to the photo shoot
probably right
Jess leaves Paul to talk business with
the mark she heads straight over to let
Alex know everyone is in position Jay be
quiet
just for one second let me do my job all
right yeah so I may I'll get it and
that's really from any water or anything
to eat or drink
now we're okay actually thank you that's
the signal to Alex Jaz and now it's time
for the next part of the scam the
hustlers plan to sell this very
sculpture to the mark in the next room
but what about that guard
just take that off for a second I want
to clean their plinth this is where the
hell comes in he removes the sculpture
from the plinth just bring it over here
sensing the sculptures on the move the
guard is on his feet and starts moving
around this is a bad thing it's vital
the mark stays in his chair by the door
because when he seated he can't see the
other door which is the one the house
plans to slip through you know you're
right to take a seat me jazz tries to
convince him to sit down but he's having
none of it clearly it can't be in two
places at once
so to keep the mark fooled Alex quickly
replaces the bronze with a worthless
cardboard replica
now lift the statue and makes for the
door as Alex and jetski pups curing the
marks view where they're just yeah okay
just to get training everything just
come back when you've got the black
stuff done so guys should have a seat
sorry I noticed but you're just
reflecting light so if it goes don't
worry I'll get it yeah cheers me Alex
keeps the mark busy as long as he stays
where he is they'll be okay
but if he looks behind that screen the
game will be up now he'll now only has
moments to change for the next part of
the scam the photographic assistant is
becoming a security guard to take the
sculpture through to the adjoining room
and one admiring mark no no this was my
start I'm not as strong as I look
that really is stunning I've seen
pictures such as that isn't it amazing
on the photographs don't do any justice
at all it's totally amazing the scenes
now set for the sale coming up one
security guard gets restless and one
happy customer becomes very much not
happy
when hustlers go out they don't take
money they take profits the proposition
bet has only one role and that that the
hustler always wins I've got a challenge
for you here is three shock boxes and
ten coins they're just normal coins then
I used for an odd number of coins in
each glass but you have to use all ten
coins you can do it I'll buy your drink
if you kindly got by me drink so to win
a drink all these friends need to divide
all the coins so there's an odd number
in each shot glass it just doesn't add
up
we're to start with you yeah it's an odd
number in each glass one two three three
Louie and that was I have to be unsaved
the glass you have to be inside the
gloves yes me think of other odd numbers
yeah the odd numbers aren't the
houseless that house unemployed in
época ethanol no someone else will have
a little go no idea no idea
honey I do okay right so if I can do it
your buy me drink mine definitely yeah
okay so one two three one two three one
two
so there's three and there's three and
then three and then I'll put four in
there and then add that seven in there
odd number a bit it's easy when you know
how to start
Polly puts three coins in each glass and
is left with one spare she adds it to
one of the glasses and then puts it into
one of the others to make seven coins
so there's three in this one three in
this one and seven in this one all odd
numbers Polly wins the bars that way I
mind students on it
it's a late summer's evening and judging
by Jessa's travel bag she's off on
holiday but before she leaves she's keen
to make a little spending money in the
ringer Jess homes in on her first mark
please tell me please just found this
ring just down that it's waiting for a
cab I think it might be I'm pretty sure
it's that one in the window I don't
really know what to do get the jeweler's
I mean it since it's inside there so I
mean it's it's an engagement ring
obviously I don't know what to do I'm
really lay up gonna go get a slave so
jess is foundering outside a jeweler's a
poster in the window is offering a 500
pound reward to whoever finds it but
she's on her way to the airport
so can't come back to claim the cash
maybe one of these guys could help her
out love that cash but I'm not here okay
I've got it go sounds genuine how could
this possibly be a scam after all the
supposed to inside the clothes shop and
it seems like Jess's found the ring in
the picture it must be for real why did
I have to go to do act me damn it damn
it I could talk fast waddling y'all been
talking yeah Oh be open I want it so
he's agreed to help her get the ring
back
but it's a shame she's going to miss out
on all that lovely reward money unless
if you've got something I need that you
can give to me now but at least I've got
something out of it then you can get the
five hundred pounds
oh really but it sounds like he's broke
see Gabi a little something I'm sure
you're an ugly guy I tell you just yet
don't really want to be giving my number
out she doesn't want to chat on the
phone she just wants his money take it
even even if it's like a tenner or
something you know surely he'll hand
over ten quid knowing you'll get the
five hundred pound reward our cash
machine success he's off to get some
cash right few minutes coming up boys
really got a gown so late oh thank you
there's the cash the opening times are
on the door it's only a tenner mind you
which hardly seems fair as the mark can
get the 500 quid reward for the ring
tomorrow thank you hon thank you bye at
least it'll pay for a cab to the airport
the mark walks off thinking he's just
struck gold
a few minutes later here comes a
familiar looking lady stepping out of a
familiar-looking cab at the exact same
spot and she's only gone and found
another ring excuse me hi yes sorry
can't we please just found the spring
and once again she singles out a mark
once again Jess draws attention to the
poster in here and I've got to go I'm
shooting off fly in two minutes can you
help me baby all right we can handle
tomorrow he seems keen to help but
what's in it for Jess have you got
anything on you now that maybe you could
give to me the least I get something out
of it would you want to tell me what you
want well I mean I don't know hundred
quid or something
haha now that's more like it
thank you hon enjoy the rest of you know
I've really gotta go enjoy sir thank you
hi Jess leaves with the marks hundred
pounds what's really convincing about
this scam it's that poster inside the
jeweler's window so how did the hustlers
get it in there earlier jazz spotted a
jewelry store with a nice big window and
went inside posing as a young designer
looking to stick up a poster to
advertise his charity exhibition where's
the managers permission jazz stuck
posters up inside and outside the shop
window later when the shop closed all
Jess had to do was quickly remove the
poster on the outside revealing a hidden
reward notice printed on the back of the
poster on the inside and a constant
supply of cheap fake rains means she can
hit mark after marks after mark can you
just take me around the bulk I'm
actually the reason because my judgment
of people as usual a lot better I'm
actually region I'm actually Julius
nobody but nobody gets one over and meet
nobody I do I allow it to happen I'm too
protective for myself and it's clearly
fake this seems like a win-win situation
to most marks the young lady makes some
money they make some money the rightful
owner gets their ring back what's not to
like
variations on the ring scam exist all
over Europe and they all depend on the
victim believing that a worthless ring
is actually the real deal if you're not
an expert be careful who you listen to
and remember that a promise of reward
might not be worth the paper that it's
written on
earlier today radio 1 DJ now how help
the hustlers pull the wool over two
different marks in the same scam they've
borrowed a piece of art and somehow they
plan to make money from it
WAP is the catch it's not theirs to sell
and neither mark knows that yet it's
only a matter of time before the
security guard notices that the valuable
sculpture is looking after isn't where
he thinks it is in two rooms bar 2
alex is still shooting a silhouette fake
of the expensive sculpture while spawns
busy talking about the real one right
next door meanwhile jess is going to
bring someone new into the mix and
finally the house still looking mean
playing the security guard Bob your
Vilas here
oh hi how are you okay Rob as with all
major art deals it's important to have
an independent valuer authenticate the
piece to assure the mark that he's
buying a genuine work of art it's just
arrived actually we're still kind of
taking it in just like that sculpture
this guy's a hundred percent genuine and
he gets straight to work yes before
parting with any cash the mark needs to
be completely convinced he's getting
value for money
so what's this lump of bronze really
worth
you'd be struggling to pick up anything
like this retail for less than ten
thousand the sculpture is worth ten
thousand pounds the valuer has given his
assessment and Jess leads him away
before anyone asks any awkward questions
you a cabs gonna be here about one
minute if you're still next door that
cardboard cutout won't fool the guard
forever so Alex and just decide it's
time to make an exit how long is the
experience that does it take to go to
the van the frustrated photographer goes
off to track down his useless apprentice
join me to change any of these oh no no
leave it as it is stay there take care
bye bye the buyer is now totally
convinced the bronze is the genuine
article so all that's left is to close
the deal so um I hate to do this but
there is the matter of money to discuss
you said to me you brought cash oh yes
he mentioned that what kind of hoping
was all cash but that's okay ah
Kerching very good to think that our
security fund can drive it for you you
think of whitewater there'll be security
anyway yeah I mean you know so far they
haven't lost anything yet you lost
anything up not to the press tomorrow
yeah the hotel manager wants a word with
mr. marks sorry to disturb you mentioned
putting something in our safe and it's
on a time lock he does look an awful lot
like that photographer from next door
only in different clothing you've got a
window of five minutes all right would
you be so good as to make sure that goes
into my box
Paul hands their five grand cash to
Niihau okay okay thank you thank you
sorry to disturb
Alex will show him to the safe um sorry
could you sign me then documents I can
get in fact offers him and here's
another interruption
Jess has some urgent business there
requires Paul's attention back I'll see
you in a couple minutes okay I'll bring
you another way skater in fact this is
the getaway
and that just leaves jazz to get the
hell out of there
right under the marks nose
I told you ready
unaware that he's just been hustled the
mark is left to take in the full
grandeur of the newly acquired bronze
sculpture and next door the guard is
still at his post but he fills his
colleague in at the first opportunity
he can't believe the 10 grand sculpture
he's been guarding for the past hour is
actually a worthless cardboard cutout
following the only other exit from the
room he runs right into the other mark
is he ah yeah at least a sculpture is
still in the building
but the guard can't work out what's
going on he goes to find its mate
leaving the other mark very puzzled is
the security firm has been tasked with
keeping the statue safe so that's the
bosses first priority is for some
photographers let's get the photograph
well there was a security company there
who was going to go harder we others are
gonna come to deliver them to you yes
and we're looking up there today right
and you're going to deliver it to the
address I gave the other guy no we're
looking after photographers I've been in
this bag to discipline first 50 for that
laughing please ah be careful with that
said available fun but I was honourable
just have to be done my thousand poem
but you people are clapping for
something with little ones who please
see be careful of it so how did the
hustlers manage the sell something that
they didn't own in the first place
back in the den polly arranged to hire
the piece for the day and arranged to
have it delivered to the hotel she
carefully mocked up the shape of the
bronze on some card and made a cutout
that could be used to fool the security
guard into thinking it was still on the
plinth when in fact the whole time it
was in the room next door being sold to
another unsuspecting mark the value s
simply added authenticity to the deal
you'd be struggling to pick up anything
like this retail for mrs. info and after
that it was easy i slor' I could cry at
the moment be quite honest with you I
just feel so angry inside it's just been
a dear for me from start to finish when
the security guards came and to take
away the peace to be honest with you I
don't know what do you think in fact I
wanted to put my head through a wall
I'm just so bloody angry for you to live
your life not wishing to be hustled you
would always have to think the worst of
people but you know if someone was
trying to sell me you know three birds
sculpture made of bronze I would make
damn sure that there was no other room I
would do it out in the open if I sort of
security guard I go who do you work for
if there was a fellow with glasses a
really pretty woman and somebody looks
kind of Greek I'd run a mile quite
frankly does that mean I'm gone
the ground surroundings give this game
an air of authenticity until the very
last minute both parties believe they're
taking part in a legitimate piece of
business and by the time they realize
they're being scammed we're a couple of
miles down the road this is not amateur
hour this is the kind of scam that
professional criminals will set up to
obtain high-value goods if you're in
that market you should know who you're
dealing with and if you're asked for
cash that should ring an alarm bill make
sure you understand the kind of
transaction you're going into from the
outset
if you want to know more about how this
show is made go to bbc.co.uk/topgear
in my eyes there's only one thing better
than a round of Russell Howard's good
news and that's a big fat double dose -
lots of Russell heading your way next