The art of the con reaches new highs as fraud and chicanery turn to art leasing scams in the latest crimes of persuasion. It's all headed our way, warns ROBERT BURATTI.

A campaign to prevent the English public getting conned by investment scams was launched by authorities nearly five years ago. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) estimates that over the past three years more than AU$788m has been invested in bogus schemes, with the scam of the moment appearing to be art.

The Guardian newspaper reports that "thousands of people have been targeted by companies promising big returns if they buy art prints which are then supposedly leased out to hang on the walls of large companies."

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