The Indian Express has one of those pieces of “news” that pops up every once in awhile with an inadequate understanding of hypnosis and a slant to sell copy without much critical thought.

A 25-year-old realtor’s been arrested by a special task force in Delhi. He preyed on elderly folks over 65 who wore gold or jewells. Now, the paper says that he used hypnosis to cheat money from his victims . . . with a description of his process:

Beginning every conversation with “Tauji Ram Ram”, he would engage them in banter, seek their blessings and gift them electronic equipment to distract them. Soon the victim would begin to feel drowsy and lose consciousness, waking up later to find his cash and/or jewellery missing, the police said.

Now, the assumption here is that he used hypnosis . . . but . . . his process is very similar to a number of con approaches and could simply be as simply as a bit of rohypnol or some other substance placed in a drink or used as an aerosol spray as has become more common as a tool used by con men in India.

Sure, he could be using hypnosis but honestly the description is more likely a drug . . . chlorophorm or some other substance.

The reason for the special task force? Nothing to do with hypnosis. This guy conned and robbed over 400 elderly persons so he’s become quite the public menace. Of course, there is a tendancy by some folks to attribute special powers to a con man so as not to feel as guilty of being guillible or cheated. No need. He’s a sleazy piece of work and that’s special attribute enough for him.

See http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Realtor-used–hypnosis–for-cheating–held/716944/ for more on the case and some more poor reporting.

– Brian