Like many financial firms, only more so, Enron built its success upon a confidence trick.

ECONOMIST: Enron's fall

The manufacturers now say they were the victims of fraud and a confidence trick.

BBC: Despatches

Patch and cover up of a confidence trick that beats Sub Prime and Bernie Madoff for sheer temerity!

FORBES: Bonds, Bailouts & Barber -Surgeon's

This potted history may tell what happened, but it raises a question: how did Enron manage to pull off its confidence trick?

ECONOMIST: The tragedy of one company's rise and fall

Andrew Dilnot, director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, acknowledges that hypothecation may be a way of raising more revenue, but sees it largely as a confidence trick.

ECONOMIST: Taxation

While specific cases of death or injury as a result of the use of the devices can't be proved, their sale was a "callous confidence trick, " the judge said.

CNN: Maker of fake bomb detector gets 10 years in prison

Clive Bates, director of the anti-smoking charity Action on Smoking and Health, told BBC News Online that the whole concept of low tar cigarettes was a "complete confidence trick" played on the consumer.

BBC: Women 'conned' by low tar cigarettes

"One of our senior officers comments that he cannot believe that anyone is going to re-employ this dangerous charlatan and confidence-trick merchant, " a report from MI6 said.

BBC: NEWS | UK | British 'studied' Hitler's stars

Money is, and always will be, a trick of confidence.

FORBES: Another Leg Of The Credit Crunch Is Coming Soon

The return of Alex at centre-half seemed to do the trick in restoring confidence to the Chelsea ranks, while Paulo Ferreira's switch to right-back and Salomon Kalou's recall certainly helped the balance.

BBC: Birmingham 1-0 Chelsea