Jon Mark

The victim of a confidence game or magic trick is often called the mark, or the vic. This is an underground slang term that evolved amongst swindlers because the intended victim was said to be "marked" for the sting. It could also be a reference to confidence man Ben Marks of Council Bluffs, Iowa whom David Maurer credited as the originator of the "Big Store". The victims were, in actuality, Marks' although the reference would have meant nothing to them.

In some instances the victim would literally be marked. This was a practice among traveling crooked carnival game operators in the past. These operators would come to town and set up a carnival then leave after a few days. When one of the operators was done working a victim he would give him a friendly tap on the shoulder and wish him better luck next time. The real purpose of the gesture was to leave a dusty chalk mark, or a sticker, that operators of other games would recognize to mean that this mark has particularly good potential. ^[1]

In modern usage, inner city slang and rap songs sometimes use the term "mark" to disparage someone who is foolish, a social reject or a loser. Also, the term is used to refer to a pro wrestling fan who believes that what he sees is "real." As confidence tricks have a long history there are many other words for the victim. In early modern England the term used was coney, the victim of coney-catching (i.e. a "rabbit" in a "rabbit hunt"). Hitmen also refer to their intended victims as marks as do Intelligence Officers.

See Also

• Traveling Carnival
• Carnival Game
• Confidence Trick
• Confidence Man

References

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