It's amazing what desperation does to a person. Even otherwise intelligent people suddenly become fodder for every scam artist who happens by. And after a few burns the warning flags begin flying high even when no scam is involved.
Got a telephone call last evening. I forget who the guy identified himself as, or his organization. But he said he was calling because we were finalists for a Home Makeover. Had I been thinking clearer I should have kept him on the line and tried to get more information from him, such as how and why we became finalists in something we never signed up for. Instead, I just informed him that we no longer had the house. We lost it about forty days ago. And what a pity, because the house certainly needs a makeover.
He seemed quite depressed and apologetic, and with an apology he said goodbye and I hung up.
Could it have been real? I don't know. I know of the show but I never watch it. Don't find that kind of thing entertaining. But it didn't matter because we no longer have a house.
We've received many calls from people saying they represented organizations which very much wanted to help us. Ultimately, they would ask for money. Now let's examine this rationally. I tell you I have no money. You wish to help. So what do you do? You ask me for money. What's wrong with this picture?
And yet it is hard not to believe these people. Why? Because in a desperate situation one is willing to suspend all disbelief in order to make things better. Rational and logical effort have produced nothing. Why not try the ridiculous? At some point in time you get the feeling you have two chances to die and only one chance to live. And if that one chance is a one-in-a-million chance, so what? What other hope do you have?
Scamming people who are safe and secure (in their own minds and emotions) is difficult. It requires great charisma and quality acting with believable accoutrements. Scamming the poor only requires tapping into their desperation. They know they're being scammed, but they're too desperate to care anymore.
What kind of person does this to the poor? The financial rewards certainly are pitiful, so it has to be something more. Simply proving how foolish people can be. That needs no proof. You might as well try proving the sun rises in the east and sets in the west.
Politicians use this tact to get elected and reelected. They keep telling us why we need to be afraid of what will happen should they not be elected. That the dire consequences they predict are no more likely to occur than the wonderful promises they offer does not enter most voter's thoughts. They're just desperate not to have things 'go bad'.
We have all been desperate at least a few times in our lives. Some times with high stakes and some times with low. But we all know what it is. And I doubt that any of us like it.
And we're not keen on the predators, either.
5 comments:
I think I understand because I feel the way about my CFS. I'm so desperate to get well that I'd try almost anything - and that leaves you open to every con there is.
I know. And what's so depressing is the number of cons there are.
Oh. And every time you turn someone away you can't help but wonder if this wasn't the one and only time a legitimate source of help showed up.
I get people trying to scam me all the time in my teaching. I get these e-mails that say "my daugter, who really wants to study with you, will be vising from England for six month. Please send me your rate for three hour-long lesson a week for six month. Then you can send cashier's check."
A few get a little more artful because the English is better.
I would ask if there's any sort of work-from-home jobs you can do, but so many of those are scams it's almost not even worth the time.
There are legitimate work from home jobs, but they're hard to find. I've investigate more than a few and I must shamefacedly admit I've spent money on things with no return.
I've become so skeptical now I don't even try unless Spouse pushes it.
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