What is the world's most dishonest profession?

You forgot realestate salespeople. We bought three homes over the years and sold two of them. Two through realestate and one private. With the private sale everything was as reported. This was not the case with the realestate people. We were lied to on both occasions. We didn't get a lot of help when we sold either. They should be right next to car salesmen
on the list.

I have to disagree a trifle on the car salesperson, I have found a fair amount of honest salespeople, its the next person in the line that is the crook!! The finance guru is the worstkind of rip off artist if you dont go into their office well prepared be ready to beturned inside out financially.

Actually, it all depends on who you know and who you find to do business with, but a majority of real estate sales people are the worst people to deal with. Once they get your listing, they just wait for someone else to sell your property, no customer service, no effort. I agree with Retired that they should be next to the car salesperson.

Actually, in my community in Southern Ontario, the police are the most corrupt of any profession. When I lived in Quebec, it was even worse. Now I am not saying this because I have had run-ins with them. I have never even had a parking ticket. I am basing this on what I see in the local news. So many convictions of assault, break and enters, spousal abuse, etc, etc.

Politicians! Hands down as THE WORST. What was once honouaby termed Public Service is now a "Profession" - with all the perks that such a name implies. They don't just deceive a customer, they deceive everybody. Listen to the voters? Don't be silly. Their ambition is only to get elected and stay elected. They listen to the party, their "experts", their co-conspirators and big business. The one time you may be able to get some response from an elected official of our wonderful government is if you hit on a subject that will embarass him (or her) or if there's a good chance the matter could become public. Remember the old joke...How can you tell a politician is lying?...His lips are moving!

The world is full of greedy, immoral and corrupt people in all professions - just watch the news! There are good but also bad in every type of career including crooked cops, criminal doctors, bad teachers, corrupt stockbrokers. It all points to a lack of ethics and a moral decay in society.

What about pro golfers? Talk about dishonest, lying, cheating, conniving and ruthless.

@ Mary Lou.

Come now Pro Golfers? I know more women that cheat on their spouses than I do men in my community. I don't see any on them on the news because of it, although in the same train of thought you could add money grubbing, ex wives ready to make a dollar anyway they can to be truly fair to both sexes.

Seriousely you could add many a politician, lawyer, judge, cop or salesman in that list and it would be quite valid.

We see politicians way up there, because in order to get elected those who make the biggest promises are the most exposed by the media machines, end up looking like big liars by the end of their term.
One should never make promises until all facets are studied and understood.
Those vying to get elected kiss ass with words during this stage, then if lucky or good get to enjoy the won seat/position. Enjoyment of the power, bonuses, attention, salary, exposure/links to media (fame?), work environment or DUTY [Health of All Life].
It is hard for a real honest truthful person to get elected as people fear the needed changes as everyones daily life would be affected/altered/diviated.
Becoming a good citizen means complying to our evolved ways. Becoming an adult is planning our destiny by questioning our wrongly evolved ways.

Do your research (due diligence) and be prepared to ask the hard questions. Always get more than one opinion or option to consider. Being lied to by various professions can have negative consequences in varying proportion, like a car salesman might rip u off for a few hundred dollars, real estate rip offs can be in the thousands even tens of thousands.

Many of these despised professions have enjoyed their infamy for thousands of years. Politicians and lawyers have been around for a long time and the lies are well documented. Used car salesmen have evolved from the not so noble profession of horse traders.

Keep up your guard and try not to experience the downside of these professions. If you can learn from others misfortunes you can often limit your own pain.

I am very offended by the article above! As a sales consultant in the automotive industry, I pride myself on the service that I provide to my clients. You should know inside the first 10 seconds of your first introduction to your consultant, if your going to like your consultant. If not leave. We have liscences to hold, to be able to sell vehicles and GM has satisfaction surveys sent to all customers. This ensure maximum satisfaction when visiting and purchasing vehicles. The finance personel are there to help you. Don't buy what you don't want! Simple as that. We do reccommend warranty. Why not? Have you had a transmission repaired outside the manufacturers warranty period. Or had a client screaming and yelling because it failed and they didn't have warranty. It's even more valuable to have it at trade in time or easier to sell privately if you have one. I understand tha their are going to be a few bad seeds. But the big brand manufacturers realize that customer satisfaction is the key to repeat customers. So take it easy on consultants. They are actually there to help you!

The Gallup survey is vague at best. For all we know the survey could have been conducted at a U.S military hospital which would easily support the top 5. I mean, there's nothing to say it wasn't.

What about journalists? For instance, how does this reporter get paid? Has he written this article using facts or opinion? Isn't he writting this to get paid? So I guess he's using his own bad experience along with mediocre "facts" to strengthen his spin and all for the selfish purpose of making money. Perhaps reportes should be near the bottom of the list too. Maybe he's been lying to us right from the first paragraph. Was he shopping for a brand new car at a new car dealership or was he at a questionable used car lot?

Shopping for a car is actually pretty easy. The vehicles are all clearly priced and are the same at every dealership. It would take no effort at all to go in and pay what is being asked, just like any other retailer. However, a good majority of the public unrealistically believe that they could get a great deal by initiating the 'numbers game'. Let's face it. Ask enough, pressure enough and shop a number around enough and it will get lower just like any other retail item.

uh .. banking? their insatiable greed nearly collapsed the global economy and don't even get me started on international bankers. the whole concept of "international banking" is a farce. and used car sales man is number one? I guess they didn't have the "money" to pay to keep from being on this list lol.

I believe that a few bad apples exist in every profession and bad impressions exist in every mind. People believe what they're told, as factless as it may be, and that creates unrealistic expectaions.
Educate yourself first, build an understanding and you won't 'feel' like your being taken advantage of nor would you ever 'feel' like a victim.

Real estate agents and some financial advisors probably rank up there with me.

I find the "expertise" that real estate agents claim to bring is really not that special. Most people can conduct research on the internet and have the same amount of insight that many agents bring.

Financial Advisors selling high MER, commissioned mutual funds that underperform are pretty dishonest as well.

I feel news reporters should be at the top of the list. I listen to reporters every day and get the feeling they would do anything for a story. I can see the likes of CNN who are one sided and will do and say to sell and promote the news even if its untrue!! they earn too much money and think they "are" the news. wrong!!!

I agree with Laz. Money grabbing ex-wives. (and I"m a woman) They get married to someone making good money, then, make up some bs story and leave. They don't need the man...but ohhhh, they do need the alimony money. lol Yes, ex-wives.

Some auto mechanics wo do unnecessary work. I took my car to a Canadian Brand gas station and repair shop some years ago. The mechanic disassembled my front brakes, showed me badly worn pads with no life left ( I had just got this replaced barely six months ago) added extra work and I stupidly fell for the quote. The real problem was wheel bearings. When the noise and kept getting worse and did not go away as he said it would I took the car back and he would drive and give it hard brakes telling me they need to wear out a bit. I complaind to the head office of the company and they sent in their rep to the garage but he was told the mechanis did the job as it was needed. Sorry no. I have not gone to this name station since even for gas.
When the order was written the owner happend to ask the mechanic something and this led me to believe he was going to get extras.

In my experience, the are a lot of dishonest industries, but hands down ,I have to say the realestate industry is not only dishonest but corrupt at every level.

Politicians are defenetly the world's most dishonest profession, but I would put them in second rank, Evangelical preachers being in the first place.