Deadly Deception

Many people think of con artists as charismatic rakes, criminals who don't really hurt anyone. The reality is usually very different. Whether financially, emotionally or physically, con artists can cause their victims enormous pain. CBS News 48 Hours takes a look at two unusual and charming con artists, both of whom ended up hurting their victims - in one case, mortally.

Charmed To Death: Raymond Stone claimed that he was just a con man, that he would never resort to violence. But police and prosecutors said he was a murderer.

Friendly Persuasion? Retha Sue Whitfield was a former professional gospel musician. She painted herself as a deeply religious woman. That didn't stop her from defrauding a widow out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Avoiding Online Cons: The Web is rife with cyber-scams. We've gathered some links that tell you how to avoid being victimized.

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Produced by David Kohn;