[ryan71]

“A confidence trick is an attempt to defraud a person or group by gaining their confidence. A confidence artist is an individual operating alone or in concert with others who exploits characteristics of the human psyche such as dishonesty and honesty, vanity, compassion, credulity, irresponsibility, naivety and greed.”

[FreeAtlanta]

The whole fainting crap goes right along with your definition of working with others to exploit a group.

It reminds me of the tricks that the phoney baloney good time rockin rolling faith healers use. Bark is a snake-oil salesman, a conman, a wise guy, a confidence man, a shyster, a hustler, a flat out crook.