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When innocent women are used in scams

Posted: Friday, March 30, 2007 1:43 AM by Dateline Editor
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by Keith Morrison, Dateline correspondent

One of the truly sad things people in our business encounter as we chase around to uncover the misdeeds of con artists is human collateral damage.  They tend to leave a lot of once innocent women in their wake.

Smart women, mind you.  Caring women. Women who almost universally feel incredibly foolish and used once the slippery criminal has gone off in search of new victims.

Matthew Cox used women, too.  Single mothers.  Young women disappointed in some way with their circumstances in life and looking for money, excitement, romance.  He saw them coming, did Matthew.  He'd romance each of them in remarkably similar ways, encourage them to slide into illegal behavior and, once he had them, use them as part of his scams.  Then he'd leave.

And we would meet them -- in prison, where they faced huge fines,years without their children, without their freedom, without the innocence that made them marks in the first place.
Hardcore conmen will use almost anyone to get what they want.. but it often seems to be women who pay the biggest price.

"Thief of Hearts" aired Dateline Sunday, 8 p.m. Read a post on the story from producer Shane Bishop, below. Click here for the transcript and video of the report, as well as links to Cox's art and an excerpt of his unpublished book.

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"years without their children"? Excuse me, but these women - at least Allison, aren't "victims", they're accomplices. Honestly Keith. No sympathy here, save for the poor kids let down by their greedy, stupid self-serving alleged parents.
I'm currently viewing the show as it is airing. I'm outraged at how easy it appeared for Matthew Cox to obtain mortgage loans...I can't help but to believe he was able to do so because of his race. While my husband and I went thru hell and high water to get a loan for our first starter home...and yes we're African Americans. I truly believe it was so easy for him to get those huge loans because of the color of his skin....and he was a crook!
OMG These women are NOT victims. They worked the con with Cox, and now they're working it again. They're greedy and entirely self-serving. How can you print tripe like, "Smart women, mind you. Caring women. Women who almost universally feel incredibly foolish and used once the slippery criminal has gone off in search of new victims." Caring? CARING? One dumps her husband and uproots her kid and the other dumps even her kid! Foolish? FOOLISH? If they did indeed feel ANY shame or foolishnish they wouldn't be on TV. They're using you to feed their sick naricistic personalities.
I missed how many years this guy will get if convicted. Anyone know?
WHERE CAN I GET THE BOOK HE WROYE I KNOW ITS UNPUBLISHED BUT THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING OUT THERE
I saw your report on Matthew Cox and his scams. In your report you mentioned that Rebecca Hauck was serving het time in Atlanta. Could you please tell me what facility she is in. Thank you.
I totally disagree with your statements that these were "innocent" women. They might have been disillusioned or disappointed with there lot in life, but they also saw a chance at fast, big money. As much of a conman as this guy Cox is, he is also a deluded, arrogant jerk that prefers to make money in a criminal manner, rather than applying his "smarts" to a legitimate endeavor. Another by product of our "short cut" society. Why do it right, when you can accomplish the same results, quicker, by doing it it illegally. He, too, was used. These women saw the easy life and money and were more than willing participants in his criminal endeavors. At least one of the women admitted that he was a bit pathetic, but that didn`t stop her from accepting the financial benefits. And the most laughable part is listening to them stating that they weren`t quite aware that what he, and they, were doing was illegal. Whatever punishment they recieve, they deserve. We all have major dissapointments in life, but we don`t all jump at criminal behaviour as the solution. This was just another example of greedy people looking for the easy buck, regardless of who gets hurt. These women didn`t quite appear very upset about the future of their children, as long as the cash was coming in. Those are the only actual "innocent" victims of the activities of this con artist and his easy, amoral partners. They all deserve the harshest punishments allowed under the law!!!
What an impressive couple! I encountered Cox and Houck in the summer of 2005 when they looked at a historic home I had for sale by owner. I became suspicious when they were hardly in the door and saying the property (which obviously needed a lot of work) was exactly what they wanted and they would sign papers immediately. They told me they owned a house in nearby Tallahassee. I happened to be familiar with their prestigiuos neighborhood and questioned why they wanted to leave a new, gated, planned community with the best schools and ammenities. The answers were brief and unsatisfactory as were the efforts to impress me with their business history. After a couple days our "deal" fell through. When I showed the house she went back downstairs while he told me about his art .... all this time, I thought their scam was to check out my possessions to come back and steal. Tonight's show was informative, glad to know they have been caught. I could have been a victim.
Mr Keith Morrison, your story about the activities of Matthew Cox is exactly the same of what a man named James Duncan did. He victimized over 800 people in a real estate/ mortgage fraud business and all of us "800 victims" are now in terrible financial situation. Pls contact me and I will give you all the details. I want our story to be known also as the FBI seemed to be very slow in their investigation against this James Duncan. I beg you to pls give me a chance to tell our story. Rowena (rowenayz@yahoo.com)
Where can i see more of Matthew Cox's art????
Im just baffled at how the system couldn't get this guy until the damage was too enormous. The girls knew what they were doing. They are very lucky they didn't get more time for all that damage! I don't feel sorry for them at all - they saw the money and they didn't care. Bottom line. Just like she said, she turned herself in when she knew she'd get in trouble. Boooooo Wahhh. Come on, don't play "I was a victim" Sheesh! Great report btw: Love Dateline - best show on TV!
After watching this report on NBC last night I was wondering why Mr. Cox wasn't portrayed as a Sociopath. His behavior indicates he most certainly is. These women just weren't victims of a con man they were victims of a sociopath. Society needs to know what these people are about, how to spot them and how to avoid them. Reference: Dr. Robert Hare University of British Columbia hare.org
All the links are on the front of the Dateline.MSNBC.com site The manuscript is here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17900903/ Images of his murals are here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17900839/
I married a con-man. He spent money he didn't have. He had no credit, so he used mine. He lost his job and spent my savings, Anuity, inheritance,and remortgaged 3 times. Always with the promise that he'd pay me back. Not the scale on Dateline, but he bled me dry. Then after I wised up & filed for divorce, he gave his girlfriend $15,000 and stuck me with the $16,000 Federal Tax from his business that he won in the divorce. (Never took it out of my name.) I ended up having stents put in because of blood clots caused by the stress,spent a month in the nuthouse, almost lost my job,and ended up bankrupt. All because I thought I loved this man. He was also a sex offender. He now lives in Florida, daddy put him up in a nice house and bought him a lawn cutting business. I wish there was a law to stop people like this. When you love & trust someone, you loose yourself.
I was wondering where you could get a look at the art work this man did on the interior of the homes he stole?
I was watching your program on ID thief. I would like to talk to someone on the subject.  Could you please contact me at my email addrsss.
Thank You


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