Scams
Scams have been around since there were humans. These scams can only increase in various forms or new methods. Some have been around for ages but yet there are people who still got conned. People can get conned for various reasons - some out of kindness and others quite often out of greed. It is not right for kind people to be taken advantage of. It not only makes me want to puke but it makes me angry. That is the only reason why I had chosen to talk and write about it. Many people think that only ignorant people or seniors fall for them, you are dead wrong.
Nigerian Email Scams
In the UK, average victims are conned of 50,000 pounds while in the USA, over $1 million per day. They send out emails en masse to individuals, businesses, charities, learning institutions, government departments. Some victims were known to be held for ransom, killed or ended up with suicide after losing everything. It may simply begin with an email to you claiming it was from a civil servant, a family member of a military leader, a royalty, a doctor, a political insider, children of a Prince, relative of a deposed leader with hidden stash of cash, businessmen of even a religious figure.
Some of our local people have been conned because it seems so real with promise of big money and get rich quick. Victims often forgot to ask themselves simple questions - why did they pick you and if it seems to good to be true, it probably ain't true but a greedy heart thumps whatever intelligence you possess. Watch your heart.
Lucky Draws And Sweepstakes
Have you ever been told that you have won in a lucky draw that you have never participated? Or even if you did? You get to win millions for nothing. Some even give you a telephone call and they ask you to go down to claim your prize. Once you are there, they use all kinds of tactics and they will try to psycho you. Just stay away and you will be a winner.
Time Share
How often did you read about such things in the newspapers? Yet, people will fall for them. "You have been selected for a free holiday". Just go down to watch a presentation and you can claim it. Well, you go there at a time you may be hungry and in a dimly lit room with the air con blasting, you want to bail out but they locked the doors. You feel pressured and just want to get out and then you sign for something for a few grand or more for your future holidays. Even when you realised later that you may have been duped, they may tell you why not just settle it for a thousand dollars and you relented as you just wanted it to end. Multiply it by 10 or a 100 people and they got away with your $$. Simply believe in paying only when using even if dearer.
Scratch And Win
I am not sure if this prevails locally but when you are holidaying overseas, be careful. With just your family with young children, you may find yourself surrounded by a group of people who will ask you to play scratch and win where you will surely win something! There is only one catch that is you have to follow them to their shop to collect that very attractive big prize. Please decline politely and may be tell them you are on the way to meet local friends. You do not wish to find out what they might do to you or your family.
Other Email And Phone Scams
They hijack the email of someone you know and tell you that he is overseas and in trouble asking you to sent money to help. If your friend is in trouble, he should be in contact with his family first and if further help is needed, his family will be contacting you. I wouldn't be contacting my doctor, dentist or whoever. There is also always the embassy to turn to for help.
Then there are people who gets a phone call to say that your family member had an accident or is kidnapped. Next you hear someone screaming which you can't make it who it was but in a state of panic, you just wanted to send money to help. If they tell you your son is in trouble and if you do not have a son you will be okay but in ten attempts they just need to succeed once. In a state of panic, people often forgot that they can call their loved ones or that the police will be in contact with you should there be troubles.
Local Sales Scams
They are not straight cheating cases but I suspect they use dubious methods to achieve their aims selling you products that are very expensive and over-priced or you may not need. Their leaders recruit people and train them with tactics and are like cheer leaders telling them to stay motivated, to knock on doors till the owners open up. Next they will probably see that old folks alone at home can be vulnerable. Their next target is to get in and once they are in they will spread out their pots and pans or vacuum cleaners or whatever they are peddling.
They will make the old folks feel obligated to buy and ask for a deposit which can be quite high then make you sign. I have this feeling that these people in such business know the law. If you find out and ask for refunds they will try to stall it or persuade you to buy a lesser quantity, etc. Tell your family members at home never to open the door to anyone. Don't.
Conclusion
Do not think that these things only happened to other people as they can really happen to you and me or our friends and family members. Delete that email, hang up that phone call, do not walk about too freely in unfamiliar places especially with family in toll and overseas, do not think of saving for future holidays by paying for it now, don't even bother to find out. Some spas are real business but others may not be. Watch out for other email or phone scams. If something is so good, you may be out searching and looking to but them they do not have to come to you.
Finally, do not be greedy. If something is too good to be true, it probably ain't true. Be kind but be always wary and stay alert as there will be more intricate patterns to cheat or con you of your hard earned money. Keep watchful and never let your guard down.
Nigerian Email Scams
In the UK, average victims are conned of 50,000 pounds while in the USA, over $1 million per day. They send out emails en masse to individuals, businesses, charities, learning institutions, government departments. Some victims were known to be held for ransom, killed or ended up with suicide after losing everything. It may simply begin with an email to you claiming it was from a civil servant, a family member of a military leader, a royalty, a doctor, a political insider, children of a Prince, relative of a deposed leader with hidden stash of cash, businessmen of even a religious figure.
Some of our local people have been conned because it seems so real with promise of big money and get rich quick. Victims often forgot to ask themselves simple questions - why did they pick you and if it seems to good to be true, it probably ain't true but a greedy heart thumps whatever intelligence you possess. Watch your heart.
Lucky Draws And Sweepstakes
Have you ever been told that you have won in a lucky draw that you have never participated? Or even if you did? You get to win millions for nothing. Some even give you a telephone call and they ask you to go down to claim your prize. Once you are there, they use all kinds of tactics and they will try to psycho you. Just stay away and you will be a winner.
Time Share
How often did you read about such things in the newspapers? Yet, people will fall for them. "You have been selected for a free holiday". Just go down to watch a presentation and you can claim it. Well, you go there at a time you may be hungry and in a dimly lit room with the air con blasting, you want to bail out but they locked the doors. You feel pressured and just want to get out and then you sign for something for a few grand or more for your future holidays. Even when you realised later that you may have been duped, they may tell you why not just settle it for a thousand dollars and you relented as you just wanted it to end. Multiply it by 10 or a 100 people and they got away with your $$. Simply believe in paying only when using even if dearer.
Scratch And Win
I am not sure if this prevails locally but when you are holidaying overseas, be careful. With just your family with young children, you may find yourself surrounded by a group of people who will ask you to play scratch and win where you will surely win something! There is only one catch that is you have to follow them to their shop to collect that very attractive big prize. Please decline politely and may be tell them you are on the way to meet local friends. You do not wish to find out what they might do to you or your family.
Other Email And Phone Scams
They hijack the email of someone you know and tell you that he is overseas and in trouble asking you to sent money to help. If your friend is in trouble, he should be in contact with his family first and if further help is needed, his family will be contacting you. I wouldn't be contacting my doctor, dentist or whoever. There is also always the embassy to turn to for help.
Then there are people who gets a phone call to say that your family member had an accident or is kidnapped. Next you hear someone screaming which you can't make it who it was but in a state of panic, you just wanted to send money to help. If they tell you your son is in trouble and if you do not have a son you will be okay but in ten attempts they just need to succeed once. In a state of panic, people often forgot that they can call their loved ones or that the police will be in contact with you should there be troubles.
Local Sales Scams
They are not straight cheating cases but I suspect they use dubious methods to achieve their aims selling you products that are very expensive and over-priced or you may not need. Their leaders recruit people and train them with tactics and are like cheer leaders telling them to stay motivated, to knock on doors till the owners open up. Next they will probably see that old folks alone at home can be vulnerable. Their next target is to get in and once they are in they will spread out their pots and pans or vacuum cleaners or whatever they are peddling.
They will make the old folks feel obligated to buy and ask for a deposit which can be quite high then make you sign. I have this feeling that these people in such business know the law. If you find out and ask for refunds they will try to stall it or persuade you to buy a lesser quantity, etc. Tell your family members at home never to open the door to anyone. Don't.
Conclusion
Do not think that these things only happened to other people as they can really happen to you and me or our friends and family members. Delete that email, hang up that phone call, do not walk about too freely in unfamiliar places especially with family in toll and overseas, do not think of saving for future holidays by paying for it now, don't even bother to find out. Some spas are real business but others may not be. Watch out for other email or phone scams. If something is so good, you may be out searching and looking to but them they do not have to come to you.
Finally, do not be greedy. If something is too good to be true, it probably ain't true. Be kind but be always wary and stay alert as there will be more intricate patterns to cheat or con you of your hard earned money. Keep watchful and never let your guard down.
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