You cannot let your guard down even for a split second Thieves and scammers work a 24/7 day every day. It’s more like a 365/24 job. I am a writer so I sit in front of my computer most of the time. It’s an easy calculation: No sit and write, no dough. I can earn only as fast as I can dream up new ideas and new plots and then I have to sell everything. Sunday Today is Sunday and I’m sitting here, more out of habit than anything else. I looked at the headlines, checked my bank account, looked at a couple of other things and then started playing Freecell, the patience game that comes built into the Microsoft programs. The phone rings. Remember, today is Sunday. “Is this Mr. Smith speaking?” Yes, it is. “Congratulations, Mr. Smith. You have been selected at random to receive a free stay at a resort town on the coast in any five star hotel of your choice. Just give me a few details and I will get things moving.” Details She started by asking for my full name, my address, my phone number (she had just called me). Then she asked for my credit card number and after some hesitation I handed it over. It was when she asked for the 3 numbers on the back of the card that I refused. She asked me to hold while she called her boss, the manageress. This lady was smoother and silkier, spent some time inquiring about my health and then repeated the offer. She also explained why she needed the 3 numbers on the back of my card and I argued, telling her that she didn’t need them and that anyway I wasn’t going to give them. She then demanded them and I said this conversation is over and put down the phone. Be wary There is no end to the ingenuity and smartness of these scammers. They will do anything to get at your money. I suppose if they have a success rate of 1 in a 1000 calls they are doing well. Their costs are minimal, and they’re sitting around doing nothing anyway. They may as well spend it on phone calls that may raise a bit of cash. Their major business strategy is coming up with a new plan every few weeks or months and deciding on a new neighborhood or town to try their nefarious schemes. Tough times We are living in tough times and all the signs point to things getting worse. This is the time when many ordinary folks become desperate at the sight of hungry children and turn their thought to making money any way they can, even if it means crossing lines for the first time in their lives. But this is also the time when folks who are fortunate enough to have some savings or a little spare cash to be extra cautious. Keep your eyes and ears wide open and your fists tightly closed.
Leave a reply