Fair enough, no shame there, not everyone can tell a hawk from a heronsaw.

Carpet spruikers draw the crowd in to get a punter to buy a ratty old carpet with a backstory. It's a grift but the mark leaves with a carpet, just not a good deal.

Erich is selling the idea of aliens. There are no aliens in truth in his tales, but he is at a least (largely) a true believer (to the best of my knowledge).

Others know from the outset they're lying, misleading, and profiting from vaporware. The promise of better healthcare that doesn't come about, the myth of a better country again, etc.