See my posts #48 and 51...This might be for real!
A)-Start with outrageous enough claims to filter the more skeptical people out as early as possible. But, be careful about making too many bogus scientific claims, or you may find self-righteous skeptics trying to debunk you - if this happens, tell your followers they (or any critics) are part of the conspiracy - maybe nitpick at fine points of their arguments, but don't ever respond to their main thrust.
B)- Claim you are not in it for the money, just to save humanity. Say you have already been offered huge sums, but want to sell it to the little guy (i.e. the gullible guy). Try to market it to older mid-western Christian farmers - they've always bought in in the past. Build excitement for something wonderful.
C)- Focus investors attention away from evaluating claims on technical grounds. The following distractions are recommended:
1. get them involved in political issues. Convince them you have some large secretive benefactor.
2. focus their attention on an elaborate multi-generational international conspiracy which has kept everyone pitching the device to fail. Make your audience outraged against the conspiracy, yet empowered that they can finally overcome it by giving you money.
3. talk about your valiant battles with the patent office or some government bureaucracy (that always warms people up)
4. get into religion quick (religious people are already taught to have faith) -appear to have God on your side
5. get people to focus on your theory rather than measurable evidence.
6. claim it already has been proven so you need not offer any proof Tell them you are done proving it and need big money to start mass production.
7. Write an autobiography (self-published, of course) where you can "control" the facts. When someone questions your shady past simply say, "Buy my book and learn the truth about what REALLY happened." Naive people won't question the "facts" because, after all, it's in a book. If your book is long enough, you may mesmerize them.
D)You must focus on the big conspiracy. It's very important to make people believe in the big conspiracy - because that's your excuse for past failures, present lack of evidence, the critics, and future delays. Locking horns with bureaucrats or the scientific community can distract from your lack of evidence and get you great free press. Make people believe exciting claims of bad guys wanting to steal or bury your ideas. - then claim you will destroy your prototypes and records rather than let them fall into the hands of the bad guys.
E)- Be bold, sell books, consider taking out full page ad or get on the radio. People will feel that something this out in the open can not possibly be a fly by night Con. The most successful cons are ones lasting for a few years not the quick cons.
F)-Watch your target market, Go after people predisposed to believing in conspiracy theories such as the militias, JFK conspiracy, and UFO cover-up groups.
G)-If you are forced to demonstrate some device, consider the following important tips: bore the skeptics right out of the room with long discourses on elementary science; claim you have some adjustments to make, yet; say it worked yesterday; run your machine for just a few seconds and move on to some other important point. - or do the Newman trick of openly hooking up input power and just promising it's less than what comes out.
There are a lot of cons out there, yet people never get tired of falling for them. These guys make millions scamming people who themselves are hoping to cash in.
This guy has already pulled out the conspiracy theory card, which should make everyone automatically suspicious.