The Big Betty

"The Big Betty" is an episode of "Dragnet" about some real scum-bags. They are running a very sick scam. It starts by the cons reading through the obituaries to find the names of the recently deceased. Then, they show up at the homes of grieving family members to tell them that the dead person had ordered a gift before they died--some engraved pens or other crap that cost next to nothing. However, knowing the folks are going through the grieving process and are vulnerable, they charge then exorbitant rates for the crap. Soon after leaving, the victims realize that they've bought worthless items. Nice people, huh? Detective Smith and Sergeant Friday investigate this case but it turns out to be very frustrating. Finding these confidence men isn't easy and in the end, it all turns out to be the brainchild of a con-woman. Not among the very best but still a good episode--and a good warning to the viewers.

By the way, a variation on this con was used in "Paper Moon" but instead the item was an engraved Bible.