View from the cop: Crime & punishment
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AJC.com > Metro > View from the cop > Archives > 2006 > June > 02 > Entry
Scam artists count on you to trust and obey
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Why is it that when we see crimes of identity theft, especially in the form of a scam, we find it hard to understand why someone fell for a con so obvious?
Some ID theft victims couldn’t do a thing to prevent it. Someone picking your Social Security number out of a pile of thousands is best written off as bad luck.
Losing your credit card at the bar after a hard night’s drinking is unfortunate, but hardly written up as bad luck. As a matter of fact, there are very few cases of drunks losing a credit card that ended up being used by another person. My theory is that at the time of the lost card, everyone else was drunk, too. They were too busy throwing up in the bathroom or parking lot to notice.
The saying that “God looks after drunks and small children” is somewhat true given that most small children haven’t yet established credit.
A recent article in the paper reported that almost 3 million victims had been duped by an international group of scam artists working in several countries.
They ripped off many Spanish-speaking U.S. residents hoping to establish credit in exchange for a couple of hundred dollars. In other scams, phony lucrative investments reeled in thousands of folks hoping to make quick money. One investment promised a “legal” way to avoid paying taxes. Other scams involved lottery winnings, (I’ve won the Spanish Lotto twice) and various investment schemes.
It seems so ridiculous that anyone would fall for such a scam. The reason we see it so clearly, after the fact of course, is that we have no emotional need for whatever reward the crooks were offering.
If we have credit, we don’t understand why someone would pay $200 bucks to some fly-by-night guy offering to magically establish credit. If we have no credit, and are at a great disadvantage because of it, we might listen to his pitch. There’s a good chance we’d convince ourselves it was a good idea.
At some point, almost everyone falls for quick-money scams or, if not scams, easy-money ads. Most of us can chalk this up to inexperience and the need for money, mostly when we’re younger and not inclined to think things through.
Some scams are very efficient because they don’t have any emotion attached. The more profitable ones involve senior citizen victims. Seniors are of a more trusting generation and they tend to give more time to phony sales pitches. If you give a scam-artist enough time, he or she will be able to make some personal connection. It’s what they do best. Find some emotional button to push.
In the case of seniors, sometimes they enjoy the conversation and the fact that someone calls and spends time talking to them.
Years ago, one of my flim-flam victims said she had the feeling she was being duped but she was lonely and enjoyed the conversations she had with the woman who was working on taking $50,000 dollars from the victim’s savings. She had no immediate family and her loneliness drove her to rationalize risking thousands for the time she spent in conversation with what she later described as a “daughter-figure.”
As sad as that is, it happens at so many different levels. Kids, the older ones, rip off aging parents and locals rip off seniors through nickel-and-dime scams ranging from overcharging them for groceries or phony driveway repair, roof repair, or parking lot car-repair scams.
Even after I became a police officer, I fell for a good pitch on a product that I was tailor-made to sell. I was contacted by a businessman who had connected to a company that made burglar and medical-emergency alarms. The system was monitored somewhere in Siberia and it was a sure thing, according to him.
The fact that I was a police officer meant that I would have instant credibility. I didn’t stop to think that it was most and foremost, a conflict of interest. (I was a rookie and still thought it cool to wear shoulder holsters.) I paid him a thousand bucks and took this suitcase-looking thing and headed out to fat city.
Fortunately for me, I tried a sale on a man who shot so many holes in my product that I ended up confessing that I didn’t have a clue how to sell this thing and so I asked him for advice. His advice was to dump it.
The next day I called the slick business guy and told him that I was returning the whole thing and for the sake of both of us, I wanted my money back and he and I would go off in different directions. He didn’t like the idea, but I told him I was friends with the cable guy and could arrange for him to have non-stop Oprah, 24 hours a day, forever.
He caved.
The point of this is that good principles are based on good fundamentals. As simple as it sounds, there are two old sayings that will keep most of you out of trouble:
— If it seems too good to be true, it usually is.
— You never get something for nothing.
Remember:
— Ask questions
— Be skeptical
— First instincts are usually right
— Abolish the designated hitting rule
— Don’t respond to bulk e-mail offering things that just don’t seem easy to achieve or anything else for that matter.
Use the Georgia “No Call” list, tell solicitors, up front, you aren’t interested, and hang up. If you have any reservations about something, even though you may have made some level of commitment and just don’t feel right about it, don’t let your pride get you into trouble. Ask for help.
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By Citzen
June 2, 2006 7:23 AM | Link to this
Is it OK for cops to give free cable now?
By PI Jarhead
June 2, 2006 10:12 AM | Link to this
The real fear about the Identity Theft is that the police will do nothing. It’s MY identity that needs to be re-established and it will involve HOURS of constant phone calls, letters, emails and still the victim is going to suffer (many times for YEARS) It would seem as though the credit agencies and the police could use a method to state - user Joe Jones on June 1, 2006 has had an identity theft - any changes to credit history after that date must be verified or some such thing to let ME get on with my life!
By ec
June 2, 2006 10:15 AM | Link to this
Can you take care of a ticket for me, since your on the “inside”
By Marie
June 2, 2006 1:12 PM | Link to this
They ripped off many Spanish-speaking U.S. residents hoping to establish credit in exchange for a couple of hundred dollars.
Yet another reason people should learn to speak English before they are allowed to become U.S. residents.
By Tommy
June 2, 2006 2:00 PM | Link to this
…cops are worthlesss…
By dylan
June 2, 2006 2:08 PM | Link to this
For God sakes you are right abolish the designated hitting rule what the hell is wrong with this country.
By singlemom
June 2, 2006 2:55 PM | Link to this
@Tommy - step away from your crack pipe, I sure hope you never need a policeman for any type of assistance. What a jerk to post that kind of a comment -these men and women put their lives on the line each and every day for worthless pieces of trash like you. I have several family members in law enforcement and they don’t get nearly the respect they should.
By Sherry
June 2, 2006 3:54 PM | Link to this
This has nothing to do with the BLOG, so forgive me in advance, I just wanted to say something I have thought for a long time. Steve you are one hunky sexy looking cop. I’ll go back to work now, sorry.
By Eric
June 2, 2006 7:02 PM | Link to this
Tommy, you’re showing ignorance. Whatsa matter, get pinched for speeding lately?
You should be doggone thankful there are men and women, who put up with your snide comments, and STILL do the job that you are either unwilling or afraid to do!
If you’re such an “expert” as to what needs to be done in law enforcement, sign up with any of the Law Enforcement Agencies here in the Metro…..walk a mile in our shoes, before you make snap judgements about “Those D@!##!@ Cops”. Be very glad, that when you call 9-1-1, someone WILL respond to your cry for help. Then again, from your comment, I could easily say that you’re probably some ignorant youngster who is easily influenced by the “Thug Life” mentality.
Oh Yeah…I am one of “those cops” and d@$%%#$ proud to serve the citizens in the community I work in, even the “Thug Life” citizens…….EVERY life has worth…..even someone like you, whose only apparent purpose is converting oxygen into carbon dioxide for our little plant friends!
By Richard Nichols
June 2, 2006 7:06 PM | Link to this
First and foremost, I don’t think cops are worthless, and neither should anyone else except the crooks. Cops have a difficult thankless job, and after a while, they get hardened to the negativity and lack of thanks. It is too bad that scam artists exist. They are everywhere in every walk of life. They take advantage of people’s natural desire to help others. They take advantage of open minded and open hearted people. These people are plentiful. Often they don’t even violate any laws, they just take advantage of personality weaknesses in people of all ages. The only real antidote for this is education— assertiveness and knowledge go hand in hand to combat these evil people. I’m just surprised that so many people in this world have no conscience. It is just very sad.
By cindy dunlap
June 2, 2006 10:32 PM | Link to this
What an ignorant thing to say.
By Ron Robinson
June 3, 2006 5:22 AM | Link to this
As a general rule. trust no one. The old saying, “You can trust three people in your life, including yourself, if the other two are dead”.
By Always Paronoid
June 3, 2006 10:30 AM | Link to this
Can you suggest help when family members (older and younger) think you are just being “paranoid” at the questionable investments they are sucked into? I may miss a good deal at some point…but, I will never fall for “a well oiled scam.” Those guys will even set up their own background verification systems. WHO CAN WE TRUST???
By Elizabeth
June 4, 2006 6:27 AM | Link to this
I thank God for people everywhere who are willing to put their lives on the line every- day trying to keep law and order in this country. It would be a sad day without them. Just one thing folks, I work at a money service business, so all I have to say is watch out for those Nigerian letters saying you have some so many millions if you will just wire back $4000 or so and they will release the funds to you.
It is a scam!
By CoachRick
June 4, 2006 3:59 PM | Link to this
Another red flag to help avoid scammers…if the ‘opportunity’ is promoted by the use of illegal signs nailed to utility poles or stuck on the roadside, the spammer/scammer is probably not too good at following other laws and regulations. Just say ‘NO’ to sign spam.
By Lt. Steve
June 5, 2006 5:24 PM | Link to this
Okay, guess who my new best friend blogger is?
By Hun
June 7, 2006 12:49 PM | Link to this
To Sherry, If you think Lt. Steve is one hunky sexy guy, you should see his younger brother!!!!!!
Anonymous
By John
June 8, 2006 1:31 PM | Link to this
Thanks Elizabeth. I didn’t realize that was a scam. Good thing a “money services” worker like youself is here to tell us that.
By Hun
June 8, 2006 3:43 PM | Link to this
If you think Lt. Steve is a hunk, you should see his much younger and better looking brother! Talk about HOT!!
By BexB
June 9, 2006 11:28 AM | Link to this
Sherry likes Steve…does this mean Steve likes Sherry as well? What does the wifey think!? (Or is she just amazed, after all these years, someone thinks he’s hot?) (Not that I’m saying you’re not hot, Steve, but you’ve got a lot of mileage on you!)
By Elizabeth
June 9, 2006 1:57 PM | Link to this
Ummmm…. Sherry?? You ol’dog you!
PI Jarhead, if someone suspects their private information has been compromised or someone knows they are the victim of identity theft a call should immediately be made to one of the three major credit bureaus. Equifax 1-888-766-0008; TransUnion 800-680-7289; Experian 888-397-3742 The three credit bureaus have an agreement with each other that if you (Joe Citizen) call let’s say Equifax to report your identity theft, they (Equifax) will notify the other credit reporting agencies FOR you. No more having to make calls to each agency seperately. Additionally, your suggestion “It would seem as though the credit agencies and the police could use a method to state - user Joe Jones on June 1, 2006 has had an identity theft - any changes to credit history after that date must be verified or some such thing to let ME get on with my life!” is actually what happens! When you have the credit bureaus “flag” your credit report anyone trying to open an account using your name, SSN, address, etc will need to provide more identification than is normally required. This does include you too so if you try to buy a car after you’ve had your credit report “flagged” don’t get all mad when you’re asked for a DNA sample…it’s just for your own protection. (Just kidding on the DNA sample but there will be more hoops to jump through.)
Be aware of your rights as a consumer and be diligent about checking your credit history. Everyone is entitled to one free credit report each year I believe. You’d be surprised what you’ll find on there!
By Stephen
June 9, 2006 5:05 PM | Link to this
Latino, European, Asian it makes little difference what your skin color is, a cop will answer the call and if necessary put his or her life on the line.
In Chambodia, with such a large populance of those from other countries the cops I work with do their best despite language barriers to help those in need.
Everyone points out that those illegals that are here do need to learn the language, but there are beside Spanish too. Chinese (both dialects), Serbian, Russian, German, French, Japanese, etc., get the picture?
The scammers target an audiance that they perceive to be easy pickings. Everything from the lotto scams to even “selling” the unsuspecting victim a stolen vehicle.
The officers I work with, bust their butts every single day and I have seen the satisfaction of them busting a scammer or two. Yeah it is a bear sometimes with those strange languages spoken by that man or woman standing at the window orcalling by phone; but the cops still try their very best.
By Lyrazel
June 10, 2006 8:26 AM | Link to this
Just say no to spam will protect your personal data? Its not that easy, sir! You have spent quite a bit of time writing about pishing and spam but an obvious danger is more from government failure to protect our personal data than Nigerian operatives.
So I ask what sort of protection is available to the average citizen from government agencies who collect our personal data? So far we have seen many major gvt agencies/banks/credit agencies loose or abuse our personal data records—because of theft or operator error and the average citizen has to do all the legwork to get their files back secure, even to gain the knowledge that their data MIGHT be wrongfully exposed. Is the problem really internet theives, hackers and their ilk or is it lack of insight or training on the government role of data protection? There is zero protection for average citizens from the very gvt. agencies we are supposed to trust. If the government keeps collecting data on children as part of NCLB will they also be responsible to the child when their SSI number records are found in computers in Nigeria?
Can we call a police officer if we discover our SSI numbers are being published without encripttion by government agencies web-sites available on-line? This is happening now! As more data is being collected isnt it pecquliar how little security is in place for our data by the agencies that collect it?