First Aired - April 20, 1967
Sergeant Joe Friday and Officer Bill Gannon are working in Frauds Division, Bunco Section. A man has been signing up people for magazine subscriptions. What is unusual in this case is a real Congressional Medal of Honor is shown to help prove that he is honest. However, there is no magazine as it is a scam.
Just the Tropes, ma'am:
- Blind Without 'Em: Marilyn Tate doesn't read any of the magazines she gets as she needs glasses. Her husband, Cliff, finally has enough and forces her to get an eye exam.
- Bling of War: The Congressional Medal of Honor is real. However, the Medal belongs to Glenn Procustan's late father.
- Call-Back: The Bank Examiner Swindle is referenced. Friday goes on TV due to another group of detectives working on the case.
- Fat Bastard: Pete Benson. He is in charge of the scam but blames everything on Glenn and Norma. When Friday and Gannon push him, he helps them out, but only to save his own skin.
- Performance Anxiety: Friday is nervous about going on the Jerry Dexter Show. Gannon doesn't help him.Friday: I'm not nervous.Gannon: You act nervous.Friday: Well have it your way then. I'm nervous.
- Public Service Announcement: Friday goes on the Jerry Dexter Show to show people some of the most common scams but also an unusual one. Cliff Tate, the film cutter, even quotes it.
