THE EFFECTIVE REPRESSION OF FRAUD PRESUPPOSES A CLOSE KNOWLEDGE OF THE OFFENDER PERSONALITY; THUS A TYPOLOGY OF DEFRAUDERS INCLUDES A WIDE RANGE OF OFFENDERS: THE 'PURE DEFRAUDER,' OFFENDERS WHO ALSO COMMIT RELATED PROPERTY CRIMES (E.G., FORGERY, STEALING), OFFENDERS WHO ONLY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF AN EXISTING OPPORTUNITY, AND HABITUAL DEFRAUDERS WHO ACTIVELY CREATE OPPORTUNITIES. DEFRAUDERS ADJUST THEIR TECHNIQUES TO CONTEMPORARY CONDITIONS: IN THE WEST GERMAN POSTWAR ERA THE MAJORITY OF FRAUD CASES INVOLVED GOODS, WHILE MONETARY FRAUD NOW DOMINATES. OVER 90 PERCENT OF ALL RECORDED DEFRAUDERS ARE ADULTS; WHILE MEN USUALLY POSE AS SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSMEN, WOMEN DEFRAUDERS PREFER THE ROLE OF THE HELPLESS ABANDONED FEMALE. ALTHOUGH NO UNIFIED OFFENDER PERSONALITY HAS BEEN DETECTED, ANALYSES OF CONVICTED DEFRAUDERS REVEAL THE FOLLOWING CHARACTERISTICS: COLDNESS, EGOTISM, INSECURITY, LACK OF PERSERVERANCE, SPIRIT OF ADVENTURE, DESIRE FOR A COMFORTABLE LIFE, INTUITION, ACTING CAPABILITY, VERBAL SKILLS, AND INTELLIGENCE. FREQUENTLY, DEFRAUDERS ALSO SHOW ABNORMAL PERSONALITY TRAITS SUCH AS MANIC DEPRESSIVENESS. WHEN APPREHENDED, DEFRAUDERS TRY TO CAPTURE THE COURT'S SYMPATHY BY PLAYING THE 'NAIVE CLOWN'; THEY ARE USUALLY EAGER TO CONFESS IN ORDER TO OBTAIN A LIGHT SENTENCE OR PROBATION. EASILY ADAPTIBLE AND INGRATIATING TOWARDS PRISON PERSONNEL, DEFRAUDERS USUALLY BECOME HIGHLY POPULAR INMATES. RECIDIVSM AMONG DEFRAUDERS IS HIGH, POSSIBLY BECAUSE THE TYPE OF OFFENSE IS SO CLOSELY RELATED TO THE OFFENDER'S PERSONALITY. THE ARTICLE INCLUDES FOOTNOTES. --IN GERMAN. (SAJ)