From the year 1747, we have the following: "As there are no men who complain more of the frauds of business than highwaymen, gamesters, and other thieves of this kind, so there are none who so bitterly exclaim against the frauds of gamesters, etc., as usuers, brokers, and other thieves of this kind; whether it be that the one way of cheating is a discountenance or reflection upon the other, or that money, which is the common mistress of all cheats, makes them regard each other in the light of rivals;..."
I found this while stuffing and shuffling, cramming and cajoling, bulling and butting my way through all 714 pages of Henry Fielding's "The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling" - on page 666 no less.
In light of today's economic situation, Hank would agree - the more things change, the more they stay the same.