“Superb. . . . In chronicling a century-long tradition from caveat emptor to caveat venditor the author delivers not only an enjoyable romp through the history of fraud, with a fascinating case of characters . . . but delivers some fundamental lessons about social identity, reputation capital and trust. Utterly absorbing.”—Dave Birch, Financial World

“An ambitious exploration of two centuries’ worth of swindles, bogus stock schemes and corporate crime. [Balleisen’s] keen insights and the breadth of his knowledge keep the reader engaged, and he introduces plenty of shady characters and ingenious fraudulent schemes to boot.”—Dean Jobb, Chicago Review of Books

“Balleisen provides a thoughtful, sweeping examination of fraudulent business activities and the often delayed responses to thwart it. He makes extensive use of newspapers and magazines and a number of institutional archives, such as those of the Better Business Bureau and the National Vigilance Committee, to depict in rich detail numerous fraudulent activities and how people responded.” ― Choice

“Exciting. . . . Balleisen provides historians and policymakers with a rich history of the machinery designed to stop and prevent it.”—Anne Fleming, Reviews in American History

“The most comprehensive historical treatment to date of the ways that business people in the U.S. have hood-winked their unsuspecting customers, investors, suppli- ers, and creditors, and the responses that the frauds have engendered in the business, regulatory, legal, and non- governmental sectors. . . . In its thoroughness and analytical rigor, Fraud: An American History from Barnum to Madoff is destined to become one of the authoritative texts on the subject.”—Rowena Olegario, American Historical Review