Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Catch Me If You Can

3.93 of 5 stars 3.93 · rating details · 11,045 ratings · 856 reviews

Frank W. Abagnale, alias Frank Williams, Robert Conrad, Frank Adams, and Robert Monjo, was one of the most daring con men, forgers, imposters, and escape artists in history.In his brief but notorious criminal career, Abagnale donned a pilot's uniform and copiloted a Pan Am jet, masqueraded as the supervising resident of a hospital, practiced law without a license, passed h...more

Paperback, 304 pages

Published August 1st 2000 by Broadway (first published January 1st 1980)

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

Best Memoir / Biography / Autobiography

174th out of 1,804 books — 1,743 voters

Best Manfiction

101st out of 525 books — 310 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 3,000)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Feb 06, 2011 Tom Germain rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is the true crime book that inspired the fun movie starring DiCaprio and Hanks. Truly amazing what Abagnale, a guy who never finished high school, got away with, such as impersonating an airline pilot, a lawyer and a teacher...and all at a very young age. Sometimes the veracity of his claims may be in doubt, as after all, he was a con man, but even if half of it happened as he describes it, it serves as a lesson in human relations, namely that you should never trust what your eyes or ears t...more

6 likes · like · see review

Nov 20, 2008 Heather rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

"What I learned from this book," Goodreads asks? That "con man" really does mean "confidence man": the more you act like you deserve something, the more likely you are to get it.

A precocious child who devised clever modes of personal gain, Frank A. grew into an even smarter man. He faked college degrees, professional affiliations, career histories - pretty much everything, including his name. Without any relevant schooling, throughout his life he "was" (meaning he successfuly convinced people h...more

11 likes · like · see review

May 16, 2008 Megan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is honestly the best book I have read in a long time. It's one of the few that I couldn't put down and had to know what was going to happen next. I know I had already seen the movie, but the book was better. I was disappointed to find out that the movie was actually a watered-down version of the story, and that the events were shuffled around and sometimes completely made up to go along with the flow of the movie. The actual story is much harsher and emotional, and there is really no cat-an...more

7 likes · like · see review

May 12, 2011 Adam Wilson rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Catch Me If You Can is an excellent novel. For me, the fact that it’s a non-fiction tale made it all the more engaging. It’s easy to read countless fiction books and, when things are getting interesting or horrifying, you can say “it’s all make-believe.” With this book, you must remind yourself that this really happened. Abagnale really pulled this stuff off at such a young age.
The plot seems to be one that most people are familiar with so I won’t go into it much, but I will say that it is one o...more

1 like · like · see review

Mar 10, 2009 Gary Taylor rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Although I knew the ghostwriter, Stan Redding, as far back as the 1970s and in the 1980s when this shot to the top of the bestseller lists, I never sat down to read it until 2008. When I was done, I couldn't understand the fuss. I've had to chalk it up to the tenor of the times, in which any sort of true confession like Abagnale's would seem a revelation. In addition, I am sure the excitement of such an accomplished, child-prodigy con artist overshadowed the omission of some elements I would hav...more

3 likes · like · see review

Jan 04, 2009 Eric_W rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This memoir is by a man considered by many police agencies to be one of the cleverest con men they had ever pursued. By the age
of 17, he was successfully impersonating a PanAm pilot, deadheading around the country and using fake identification to cash NSF
checks. He was almost caught in New Orleans, but convinced the FBI and local police that his credentials were authentic -- he had, after all, managed to pull the wool over experienced airline pilots -- but he was pretty lucky, too, because the P...more This memoir is by a man considered by many police agencies to be one of the cleverest con men they had ever pursued. By the age
of 17, he was successfully impersonating a PanAm pilot, deadheading around the country and using fake identification to cash NSF
checks. He was almost caught in New Orleans, but convinced the FBI and local police that his credentials were authentic -- he had, after all, managed to pull the wool over experienced airline pilots -- but he was pretty lucky, too, because the PanAm offices happened to be closed for the weekend when he was nabbed, and the authorities couldn’t check with
their personnel office. One police officer said of Frank, “[He] could write a check on toilet paper, drawn on the Confederate States Treasury, sign it ‘you are hooked’ and pass it at any bank in town using a Hong Kong driver’s license for identification.”

Fleeing to Atlanta, where he shacked up with a stewardess -- he had flight attendant friends all over -- he then moved into a singles apartment building. Asked for his profession, he simply replied
“doctor,” more specifically, pediatrician. This resulted in a bizarre twist because another resident was a real pediatrician and they got to know each other. Before he knew it, Abagnale was asked to be the residents’ supervisor on the night shift for what he initially thought would only be two weeks but stretched into almost a year. How he managed to get away with it is both amusing — he couldn’t stand the sight of blood and once, when forced to walk by the emergency room as a bloody accident victim was being admitted, he had to go to the
bathroom to vomit — and frightening. He wasn’t even twenty at the time.
He blames his descent into delinquency on a 1952 Ford — that and girls. He couldn’t get enough of them, and to wine and dine them required
ever increasing amounts of money. Soon he had worked a scam on his father, using his gas credit card to get cash. He would go to a service
station and make a deal with the manager. They would charge a set of tires or battery or gas to the card, but, instead of delivering the product, the dealer would give Frank cash of about 60% the worth of the product and keep the product which could then be sold again for its actual value. The Mobil people finally called Frank’s father to ask
how his car could possibly require six sets of tires in less than a month and get far less than one mile per gallon, not to mention need several new batteries.

Soon, by making a detailed study of the banking system and the way checks were routed, he was forging all sorts of payroll checks, working through all the banks in a small town, dating the tellers along the way. One girl he helped in Las Vegas happened to be a check designer and, during the course of a pleasant meal, she explained how
presses were used to print checks. Frank then studied special cameras and presses, purchased one and soon had so much money stuffed in his
luggage he had no room for clothes.

Abagnale lived a sumptuous life — he says he went through several million dollars — on the lam, until the law caught up with him. The ending — no hints from me — is extremely unsatisfactory.
That he is recognized today as the nation's leading authority on financial foul play we learn only from the book blurbs. Assuming the
entire book is not a con, or even if it is, Abagnale is a charming rogue whose hilarious, stranger-than-fiction book is a delight to read or listen to.(less)

2 likes · like · see review

Apr 25, 2013 Nina rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Entertaining, if somewhat lightweight. Two big things that hold me back from rating this higher: 1)The author's attitude towards women is stuck pretty firmly in the early 60s. Women, to him, are basically ornaments that are so dazzled by his looks and brilliance that they go along with his schemes unquestioningly. Even women who supposedly played major roles in his life and exploits (including one he nearly married and one who helped him escape from prison) seem to have no personalities of their...more

like · see review

Feb 02, 2013 Nenia Campbell rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: x-1980s

You can read more reviews at my blog, The Armchair Librarian.

A debonair con-artist who gets all the ladies and then gets let off with a slap on the wrist because he's an upper-middle-class white boy? Oh dear. I can just see a bunch of Republicans waving this book around and saying, "See? See this? The liberal news media wants to turn all our kids into criminals by glorifying crime!"

Har har.

I'm pretty sure my mother gave me a copy of this book when I was fourteen in an attempt to wean me off the...more

1 like · like · see review

Jan 05, 2013 Carlie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

what a great book. i enjoyed the movie, which i saw previously, but the book was a different form of entertainment. obviously, the movie is quite dynamic, and had to enhance some characters for interesting-ness sake. but what i enjoyed about the book is that frank's narration of his own events are just that, narration. he tells what happened, without too much of the look-at-how-freaking-awesome-i-am egotistical attitude.
this man is brilliant. he says many times, or eludes to it, how a finely gr...more

like · see review

Jan 01, 2013 Alex Dunn rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Is it possible to be a pilot, a doctor, a professor, a lawyer, and a millionaire all before you are 21? Frank William Abagnale Jr. completed such feats as a teenager. Forging signatures, swindling checks, and charming every pretty bank teller were part of the normal routine For Abagnale. Mainly “Abagnale” was not his name though, as he had many pseudonyms and fake identities. All of Abagnale's stories and crimes are accounted for in his autobiography, Catch Me If You Can.
Abagnale's first con...more Is it possible to be a pilot, a doctor, a professor, a lawyer, and a millionaire all before you are 21? Frank William Abagnale Jr. completed such feats as a teenager. Forging signatures, swindling checks, and charming every pretty bank teller were part of the normal routine For Abagnale. Mainly “Abagnale” was not his name though, as he had many pseudonyms and fake identities. All of Abagnale's stories and crimes are accounted for in his autobiography, Catch Me If You Can.
Abagnale's first con was when he was 16, on the first day of his new school he pretended to be the substitute teacher for a french class after a boy had teased him in the hallways. From then on his cons and lies became more complex. In a matter of weeks after transferring to his new school his parents got divorced and he ran away to escape the stress of it all. His dad had given him his first checkbook and that’s when he started to commit fraud. He would open a completely legitimate bank account and write insufficient funds to those accounts with a check. Abagnale had matured early so at the age of 16 he looked like he was 25. This helped him with bank tellers. He always tried to talk to a lady because he would be able to charm them into anything. Thats where he learned much about checks and banking. After hitchhiking out of New York he had the drive to do something great. He admired Airline Pilots and envied the respect and gratitude they receive. That is when he decided he would make himself an airline pilot. After weeks of preparation, fraud, lying, and research Abagnale took his first flight as a Pan Am pilot where he just flew in the jump seat of a United Airlines Plane. In his career as a pilot he never actually flew a plane, instead he would go on flights with other airlines to get somewhere. This was a common thing for pilots at the time. All throughout his travels around the world he swindled checks and committed fraud. This deceit did not go unnoticed though. Carl Hanratty closely followed the trail that was left behind by Abagnale and came close to catching him in a California motel, only to have Abagnale trick Hanratty into believing he was another police agent.
After months of being a flight attendant, Abagnale went on to become a doctor. For 11 months he worked at an Atlanta Hospital as a pediatric specialist but then quit after a boy had almost died at his watch. He didn’t want any death to come from his fraud. After becoming a doctor Abagnale forged a transcript and diploma from Harvard University of Law and passed the Louisiana Bar Exam to become a lawyer. As a lawyer Abagnale attempted to settle down and get married, but after the proposal he was forced to flee because the FBI were catching onto him. One of Abagnale's conflicts was the loneliness he suffered from. He was unable to tell anyone who he really was, and was mainly travelling alone. Another conflict in the story is Carl Hanratty becoming obsessive over Abagnale and trying to track him down. In parts of the book Abagnale describes why he committed so much fraud and had so many false identities. At first, the swindling was for survival but later Abagnale says it became a game that he just loved. “But what started out as survival became more and more of a game. I was an opportunist, so when I saw an opening I asked myself, ‘Could I get away with that?’ Then there was the satisfaction of actually getting away with it. The more I got away with, the more of a game it became—a game I knew I would ultimately lose, but a game I was going to have fun playing until I did”. Anyone who is interested in psychology would find this book quite fascinating, for Abagnale is a model criminal and his ideals are expressed in this book. This book makes a good read for many, but may be hard to understand for middle schools students. This book also educates the reader on checks, planes, banks, law, medicine, and many other fields that are beneficial to people’s general knowledge. At some points in the book the romantic in Abagnale comes out and some may appreciate the love stories. I did very much enjoy reading Catch Me If You Can, after reading the book I was compelled to watch the movie featuring an all-star cast of Leonardo Dicaprio and Tom Hanks. (less)

2 likes · like · see review

Dec 27, 2012 Jason Jb rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was a fun read. Certainly no great piece of literature, but entertaining nonetheless.

Frank Abagnale describes his life as con-man in the 1960's, going into great detail how he masterminded his outlandish schemes and swindles. He begins with a brief description of his family life and then jumps right into the cons. He doesn't seem to hold back on anything and is very concise when describing how he got away with his various crimes.

It is an intriguing look into a by-gone era that many still f...more

like · see review

Nov 06, 2012 Ba3paayahoo.com Zuunzuu rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book hypnotized me. Couldn't stop reading until the end. From my opinion this is the example how the book must be written. Very accurately written, right in a doze. Some books are too concerned in lengthening the story, adding some unnecessary information and selling by more price. But this book really short, and There is nothing too sufficient or lack of information. This how the story and the book must be written.

I actually saw the movie earlier. And to tell the truth I was actually liked...more

like · see review

Sep 17, 2012 Sara rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Catch Me If You Can is the story of Frank Abagnale, Jr - the most notorius white collar criminal in America. At the age of 16 he dropped out of school and started his criminal career by passing bad checks written on the savings account his father opened for him. The product of a broken home, he had been living with his father, a very successful businessman, the first time he engaged in a criminal scheme. His mom had insisted upon him spending a year in a reform school, and when he came out his d...more

like · see review

Aug 28, 2012 Christi rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Anybody

I only opened the book to scan the first few pages, just to get a feel of the voice. I knew it was autobiographical, and I wasn't sure I was in the mood to read something like that. As I said, I intended to skim the first few pages, but next thing I know I'm 50 pages in and despite being so ready to fall asleep for the night, I was forcing myself to stay awake to at least get to the end of the chapter. Abagnale's (albeit, illegal) adventures are incredible and so much more so because it's a true...more

like · see review

Aug 13, 2012 Karisa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I listened to this book on CD, and it was crazy. It’s the true story of the con artist Frank Abagnale, written by himself. The back of the book says: “In his brief but notorious criminal career, Abagnale donned a pilot's uniform and copiloted a Pan Am jet, masqueraded as the supervising resident of a hospital, practiced law without a license, passed himself off as a college sociology professor, and cashed over $2.5 million in forged checks, all before he was twenty-one.” It’s really hard to beli...more

1 like · like · see review

Aug 09, 2012 Bonniemmm rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Fun memoir alert! This was the first audio book that I downloaded from my public library app to my phone, and I was just using it as a test. What a surprise when I found myself enjoying the aitch out of it!
A terrific memoir by Frank Abagnale, who dropped out of school when he realized that he could make quite a living, and get the girls, by writing false checks. Because he looked so much older than his young age, he successfully posed as an airline pilot, a doctor (he was promoted to resident s...more

like · see review

Jun 30, 2012 Eugene Caputi rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book was a lot of fun. Fun! Then it was harsh! Harsh! As in when main character and narrator Frank Abignale ends up in a French prison, where he is basically left to rot, toe nails curled over, beard down to his belly, too weak to move. Really a lesson in where a life of crime can lead.

But the lesson after France is really the core of the story. Abignale goes from the torture of the French Prison to the spa-like life of a Swedish prison and there he promises his parole officer that he'll t...more

like · see review

May 13, 2012 Esmeralda rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is the autobiography of Frank Abagnale, Jr. a con-man and counterfeiter who made millions passing fraudulent checks all around the world and, meanwhile, posed successfully as a Pan Am pilot, a pediatrician, and a lawyer. I enjoyed the movie based on this book so I hoped the book would be better. Although the book certainly provided more information about the scams and how he got away with it, Abagnale himself was much less charming in the book. He was too much of a womanizer and a…well…con-...more

like · see review

Feb 28, 2012 Monte rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book was actually written about twenty years before the movie was made. Stephen Spielberg took the liberty in changing some of the details and made a movie out of it. According to Frank Abagnale, the movie is about 80% accurate. I don't like how he bragged about how gullible these people were when he was able to con them. I could see his inner struggles when it comes to his love life. He wanted to get married with certain women; and yet, he knew that no way can the marriage take place becau...more

2 likes · like · see review

Nov 17, 2011 Sheila DeChantal rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Have you met Frank Abagnale.... err.... Frank Williams, Robert Conrad, Frank Adams, or Robert Mojo? They are all the same man. AND not a fictional man either... but a con man of epic intelligence and a "no fear" attitude that brought him far.

During Franks great conning years he sweet talked his way into a pilots uniform and co piloted a Pan Am jet... this "Pan Am" masquerade brought him money, fame, and women from all over the world. Frank also practiced law without a license and forged over $2....more Have you met Frank Abagnale.... err.... Frank Williams, Robert Conrad, Frank Adams, or Robert Mojo? They are all the same man. AND not a fictional man either... but a con man of epic intelligence and a "no fear" attitude that brought him far.

During Franks great conning years he sweet talked his way into a pilots uniform and co piloted a Pan Am jet... this "Pan Am" masquerade brought him money, fame, and women from all over the world. Frank also practiced law without a license and forged over $2.5 million dollars in checks - all before he was 21.

Abagnale lived a life of luxury and fantasy until the law caught up with him. Now recognized as the nations leading authority on foul-play, Abagnale shares his incredible, occasionally hilarious true story of being a man with a mission.

I seen the movie Catch Me If You Can many years ago, starring Tom Hanks and Leonardo DeCaprio (as Frank Abagnale). I really enjoyed the movie and knew it was based on a true story and that was that.

Then last month, Audible.com had one of their fabulous audio book sales I chose this one for $4.95. Turns out, that was a great $5 buy! As soon as I started listening, I knew I was in for a treat. Narrator Barrett Whitener tells it like it is and I was quick to realize that this audio was going to be better, MUCH better, than the movie.

Told in great detail, Catch Me If You Can is Frank's true retelling of his start during his teenage years as he had bigger dreams and wants than he had money. His swindling career started with his own father (which he regrets to this day), and went as big as posing as a Pan Am Pilot and receiving all the perks that go with it.

When you listen to how Frank makes things happen for himself you will be astounded how simply he gets away with things. A few phone calls posing as reporters, students, and trainees, gets Frank the information he needs, a few questions to the right people finds him being fit for uniforms, receiving the tools to make forged licenses, and at one time - even flying on a fake passport.
Franks story is one that is both frightening (at how simple his forgeries are!) and astoundingly laughable (Franks escape off a plane through the toilet is certainly one I will not soon forget!).
If you are looking for an interesting and well narrated audio, look no further than Catch Me If You Can. I find myself still talking to friends about this one! (less)

like · see review

Aug 03, 2011 Manda rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2011

I loved the film, but nearly gave up on the book several times. Abagnale is keen to be cool - using slang that I don't understand, he is also lavisious about women, which I found irritating to read, and he is really annoyingly chuffed with himself for fooling so many people, without much of a concience. He brags that he made it a rule not to con money from individuals, but conning money from a big organisation just means that you hit a lot more individuals, because big organisations are owned by...more

1 like · like · see review

Aug 01, 2011 Michael Mcclelland rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was first introduced to this book on a long bus ride by our coach driver. That he preceded his recommendation with "I don't read books, but..." didn't immediately propel "Catch Me If You Can" onto my mental to-read list. In any case, as we listened to the audio book version for the next hour or so, Frank Abagnale's tale of his conman and forger past, certainly entertained. It's taken 8 years and a feature film version (which I haven't seen) for the book and I to finally crossed paths again, an...more

like · see review

Jul 04, 2011 Teresa rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

An astonishing and entertaining account of the escapades of a teenaged con-man. Given the nature of Frank's crimes, he is hardly a hero. However, in many ways he is an inspirational figure. I have observed that a lot of what seperates the highly successful from the mediorcre people is that HS people have the confidence in themselves to "go for it". Frank has this, albeit within a criminal framework. Obviously a highly intelligent man, he is now using his knowledge of fraud to educate banks and...more

1 like · like · see review

Jun 11, 2011 Patty rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A superfun read that captures the spirit and lingo of the 1960's (even though it was published in 1980). Abagnale is less sympathetic in his memoir than in the film adaptation; for example, the root of his larceny in the book is the desire to woo women, while the film spends more time showing him struggle with his parents' divorce. He seems younger, more innocent, in the film, but there are moments in the book when his youth and inexperience peek through his bravado.

I was reminded while reading...more

like · see review

Mar 06, 2011 Clint rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I've been reading this on my droid over the past several days - I'd enjoyed the movie and figured I would enjoy the book as well. It's not too far from what you'd expect, move of the major events in the movie match up with events in the book, while there is a bit more detail, and some other portions of Abagnale's criminal ventures that don't appear in the book. Frank Abagnale is clearly a very intelligent man, and seems to posses an otherworldly knack for picking up and retaining knowledge that...more

like · see review

Nov 12, 2010 Matthew Edward rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: i-own

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

like · see review

Sep 22, 2010 Dennis rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It's a real eye-opener to see how often we take things at face value. Frank Abagnale, Jr. used most people's innate trust to his advantage and cheated people out of a lot of money. While his actions were despicable (despite his attempts to dress them up a bit in the book and make them seem more respectable than they were), reading about them is quite entertaining.

Although the specific methods he used wouldn't work today (most of his career took place in the 60's and 70's; the book was published...more

like · see review

Apr 28, 2010 Maja rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really liked this book and then I discovered that it wasn't really a biography. Apparently, at the beginning of the book there is a disclaimer. Since I listened to the book on CD instead of reading it I missed the disclaimer. (I don't remember hearing a disclaimer at the beginning of the story.) I don't know if I'd have read it if I knew that it wasn't a true representation of his life.

Still, I was amazed by how he was able pull of all his shenanigans. He must be a very personable man, extreme...more

like · see review

Jun 01, 2009 Courtney rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction

Frank Abagnale Jr. was a check-swindler and a fraud. He impersonated doctors, airline pilots, lawyers, and teachers. He stole millions and blew them on fine threads and even finer ladies. He was wanted the world over by police in various countries. On the few occasions when the authorities managed to get their hands on him, he made daring and absolutely implausible escapes, only adding to his infamy. He was 16 years old.

I can't say enough good about this book. There is so much of interest to la...more

like · see review

Apr 27, 2009 Steven rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Sure, the movie influenced me to read this--but what a fun book. Once I got involved, it was the departures from the film that I enjoyed most. For example, Frank's relationship with his father is nothing like the film version. In reality, his father was a stand-up guy who would never con anyone. To see Frank go astray without the corrupting influence of Christopher Walken's movie father made Frank's bad choices all the more reprehensible. The movie feels sorry for the thief, being raised by an u...more

like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 99 100 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
Mrs. Meyer Bell 6: Con Man	5	10	May 16, 2013 07:33pm
Anyone read the book, and see the movie, and see the musical play?	12	14	May 16, 2013 06:31am
Goodreads Librari...: Issue with the book Catch Me If You Can	2	22	Mar 05, 2013 12:42pm

combine
Other Editions (46)

More editions...

Genres

Biography

169 users

Autobiography > Memoir

109 users

Non Fiction

105 users

Mystery > Crime

88 users

Biography > Autobiography

58 users

Crime > True Crime

57 users

Media Tie In > Movies

33 users

Adventure

31 users

Biography Memoir

22 users

Book Club

15 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Frank W. Abagnale

Born and raised in the Westchester County city of Bronxville, New York, Abagnale attended Iona Preparatory School, an all boys Catholic high school which is run by the Irish Christian Brothers. He was the third of four children (two brothers and one sister) born to a French mother, Paula Abagnale, and an American father, Frank William Abagnale, Sr.

One of the early signs of his future as a fraudste...more Born and raised in the Westchester County city of Bronxville, New York, Abagnale attended Iona Preparatory School, an all boys Catholic high school which is run by the Irish Christian Brothers. He was the third of four children (two brothers and one sister) born to a French mother, Paula Abagnale, and an American father, Frank William Abagnale, Sr.

One of the early signs of his future as a fraudster came when, after purchasing a car, he persuaded his father to lend him his Mobil card. With this card, he would purchase large quantities of car parts, such as tires, batteries, engines and fuel. The purchases were on paper only, the goods were never taken from the shelves. In an agreement with the gas station attendant, he would then immediately return the items for cash for less than the price at which they were purchased, the remainder being pocketed by the attendant. Not realizing that the card was in his father's name, he tricked his dad out of $3400, doing this to pay for dates, before the local Mobil branch sought his father out for questioning and expecting payment. Upon being confronted, Abagnale confessed to his father that "it's the girls that make me crazy", but escaped punishment for the incident. Later, his mother placed him for four months in a special Catholic Charities school for juvenile offenders.

In 1964, when he was 16, his parents divorced. The experience was so traumatic that he ran away during a court break. It was the last time he saw his father, though he renewed contact with his mother after seven years.

Living alone in New York City after running away, he became known as the "Big Nale", later shortened to just "Big". He decided to exploit his mature appearance and alter his driver's license to make it appear that he was ten years older to get a job. However Abagnale, posing as a high school dropout in his mid-twenties, quickly learned the more education one has, the more one is paid. Desperate to survive, he soon began working as a confidence trickster to earn money.(less)

More about Frank W. Abagnale...

Books by Frank W. Abagnale

Catch Me If You Can: The Film and the Filmmakers

The Art of the Steal: How to Protect Yourself and Your Business from Fraud, America's #1 Crime

Stealing Your Life: The Ultimate Identity Theft Prevention Plan

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About Catch Me If You C...

11 trivia questions

More quizzes & trivia...

Quotes from Catch Me If You Can: T...

“What bothered me most was their lack of style. I learned early that class is universally admired. Almost any fault, sin or crime is considered more leniently if there's a touch of class involved.” — 16 people liked it

“When you're up there hundreds of people will claim you as a friend. When you're down, you're lucky if one will buy you a cup of coffee.” — 13 people liked it

More quotes…

title link	preview: Catch Me If You Can
avg rating	preview: Catch Me If You Can Goodreads rating: 3.93 (11045 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/375789.Catch_Me_If_You_Can?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1320550169l/375789.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/375789.Catch_Me_If_You_Can?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Catch Me If You Can by Frank W. Abagnale[/url]

Catch Me If You Can

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website