factitious
adjective

- not produced by natural forces; artificial or fake

- not genuine; sham

Vocab dot com / Collins Dictionary

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THE BRIDGE THAT SOLD A THOUSAND TIMES!

How the American dream was manipulated by smooth-talking swindlers.

Since its opening in 1883, swindlers have offered the Brooklyn Bridge as a commodity for sale. They also tried selling landmarks such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Statue of Liberty, but the bridge was their top seller.

New immigrants, eager for a piece of the American dream, were approached by con artists posing as gentlemen selling the bridge's toll rights. Most of these immigrants understood that they weren't actually buying the bridge itself but the rights to cross it. To make it appear legitimate, they were made to sign official-looking papers at a rented office near the bridge.

The most notorious of these con artists was George C. Parker. Although Parker was arrested many times (and he even once escaped prison by disguising himself as a sheriff) for over 30 years he repeatedly sold the bridge, ranging from a few dollars to a thousand. But by 1928, he was imprisoned for life in a high-security prison, where he continued to entertain inmates with tales of his scams.

By the 1920s, such scams declined as immigrants became more informed. Ellis Island officials distributed booklets warning against such cons. Despite the victims' distress, one can't help but marvel at the audacity of con artists – even placing "Bridge for Sale" signs when police weren't looking.

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SYNONYMS

a few fries short of a happy meal, a song and dance, all fur coat—no knickers, all hat—no cattle, all show—no go, artificial, bait and switch, blowing smoke, bogus, butter wouldn't melt in his/her mouth, cardboard cutout, castle built on sand, chasing rainbows, contrived, counterfeit, dog and pony show, empty suit, FACTITIOUS, feigned, fly-by-night operation, forgery, full of hot air, hoax, hot air merchant, house of cards, impostor, more front than brighton, not playing with a full deck, not the Real McCoy, one sandwich short of a picnic, paper tiger, pie in the sky, plastic smiles, red herring, rubber check, sham, simulated, smoke and mirrors, spurious, straw man, stuffed shirt, synthetic, tin soldier, toothless tiger, wolf in sheep's clothing

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THANKS to Maren for supporting today’s OWAD!

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SMUGGLE OWAD into an English conversation, say something like:

“A FACTITIOUS certificate of ownership for the Brooklyn Bridge fooled many hopeful buyers.”

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