I have a dilemma or rather, I’m a wee bit baffled. I skim over two local community groups on social media, mostly looking for road conditions and weather alerts. So without fail, they often get hit by scammers. Someone will post some poor sob story about being stuck on the side of the road without gas money and how the baby has no diapers and their kids haven’t eaten for days. They just need some kind soul to cash app them a few bucks, Venmo, PayPal, Apple pay, Gift Cards, Visa, Debit, whatever, they always got a veritable accounting system ready at the waiting for your ease and convenience.
Sometimes the wording is off, the grammar is poor, and you get the impression either English is not their first language or they are a bit inebriated. My point being, although they have some really elaborate sob stories intended to tug at all your heart strings, they also raise enough red flags one ought to at least consider the possibility that maybe they are not really stranded on the side of the road.
Gasp! Maybe they’re a scammer?
One way you can investigate is to copy and paste their name, (often it’s going to be “Trevor,”) into the search function on Facebook. If you get 15 hits from “Trevor” who also seems to have had a litter of abandoned puppies earlier this year and was in desperate need of money for flea medicine since his baby mama left him with flat tires, odds are pretty good he’s a scammer…..
So, someone will try to post a warning, something like, “This is a scam.” Which brings me to the part that baffles me. Without fail a good 50 people will suddenly come forth and attack said person for being so cruel and heartless towards poor “Trevor.” How thoughtless, how cruel, haven’t you ever been stuck on the side of the road with no money? How selfish are you? What kind of a vile person would be so insensitive? Source?! Shame on you for trying to slander Trevor’s good name…..
Not a single one of these people has any darn idea who in the heck “Trevor” is….
The amount of abuse you are going to receive, from your acquaintences and neighbors, if you even try to suggest that “Trevor” might be telling some tall tales, has certainly convinced me one should not even try.
What irks the heck out of me is that “Trevor,” who these people don’t even know, apparently has motivations and intentions that are above reproach and must be protected and defended at all costs. He is clearly an innocent, a victim of circumstances, thanks to mean people like you picking on him! Clearly, clearly, “Trevor” is the victim in this situation and in desperate need of defending, protecting, and rescuing. Everybody just wants to rescue “Trevor.” People be all tripping over one another trying to rescue poor “Trevor” even harder.
Me on the other hand, or anyone so much as whispering the word scam, apparently is not worthy of the same protection and defense?! Whereas the unseen and unknown “Trevor” is clearly an upstanding citizen with innocent motivations, you are not. Your motivations are very suspect! You are a selfish, mean-spirited, greedy person who enjoys kicking puppies and laughing at people down on their luck.
Shame on you! Just to show you, I’m going to give “Trevor” twice as much money….
What baffles me is, why? Where is my motive hiding? The payoff for “Trevor” is clear, he’s going to get 50-500 bucks sent to his Venmo. He is motivated and this effort is worthy of his time and energy. Very profitable, even! Pretty sure “Trevor ” is making buck these days.
What’s my payoff for allegedly shaming poor “Trevor?” How does my small effort to protect you from financial fraud actually benefit me?! That’s the part that baffles me.
Anyway, that’s my lamentation today. I hate to watch people get taken advantage of and having to stand by helplessly, all because their desire to rescue some random stranger and be perceived as a good person, is way stronger then their ability to think rationally and deploy some common sense.
See, there's this thing called biology... 
I remember the commercial long ago, where the big, chubby Russian guy would be on the phone in some igloo in Iceland referring to himself as “Peggy.” Trevor must’ve moved in with Peggy.
LikeLiked by 2 people
LOL! That’s hilarious, Kathy. Yep, I can picture Peggy and Trevor living in an igloo in Iceland together.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I can see Peggy in a tee shirt with a pack of cigarettes rolled up in his sleeve. Trevor on the other hand is well groomed and looks pretty spiffy. Opposites attract.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha! Very funny! I think we could get a good skit going on. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
IB… I am perfectly sold on the idea that the moment you wake up in the morning you think everything that will hit your senses during the day is a scam, conspiracy, or someone wanting to make you a victim of some sort… at your expense, of course.
As for “Trevor”.. he will hit me up typically in the Walmart parking lot… for gas, food for the kids, etc.. and it amazes me anyone carries cash these days to pop a buck his way. ‘Sorry, bud.. I don’t carry cash anymore. On the other hand, “I need food to feed the kids on the way to grandma’s house.” I actually will ask “I work at a CPS. Where are those kids, btw?”
Being a marketing/business guy.. the other day the church council was mulling over the need to ask for donations to meet the monthly deficit we have… and I suggested we do a TV commercial, and have our members face the camera looking forlorn, dispondent, and pitiful as it seems to work so well with starving dogs. I could even hold an offering plate in my mouth with sad eyes.
LikeLiked by 1 person
LOL! You’re not wrong, Doug. I do wake up everyday thinking just that, but I am in recovery.
We have a lot of panhandlers here, too. I wish I understood how to change the cultural system so people could give that five bucks to the single mom in the car behind them who’s running on empty rather than the professional addict who pulls in more money begging on the corner then I make working a job. There’s a whole lot of misdirected compassion in the world and what winds up happening is that those in actual need get nothing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well, it becomes a numbers game. For every ten that say “no, get lost.” there’s a percentage that says “yes”. It’s then about addressing the volume by personal stamina (and the weather). That’s where AI becomes valuable. Imagine walking out of Walmart. Some “needy” person aims their smart phone at you.. some AI app outlines your form.. and based on some algorhythm (walk, facial expression, your bag contents, yada, yada) it “predicts” your chances of you giving him money… or not… with some measure of accuracy. In fact… it might venture to predict the dollar bill they might give to you.
LikeLiked by 2 people
LOL! There you go, now you’re thinking. AI probably does help profile the easy marks for them. It’s no accident that “Trevor” always posts in local community groups full of older women of a certain political persuasion.
Speaking of profiling, it’s kind of funny, my husband looks like a big old tough guy, but he’s always the one buying the girl scout cookies and putting the money in the Salvation army tins. The only reason he isn’t handing money over to local panhandlers is that in a small town we’re often intimately acquainted with their backstories.
LikeLike
Small towns indeed can pose their own problems. I kick some unruly abusive parent out of the CPS lobby and after work I run into them at the Walmart. Which then causes me to look over my shoulder while walking to the car, and checking the rear view mirror as I exit the parking lot. I’ve been thinking… maybe I should dress like ICE and wear a mask when on duty. I could scare the unruly kids into submission… and write autographs and pose for selfies for all the “Red” people in our county.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Clever Trevor eh? There is a song by Ian Dury and the Blockheads back from the late 70’s. I don’t trust any of these cries for help, even ones supposedly from people you know can be a scam. I have even read of voices being copied and used by AI to mimic request for help.
Anyway, those who fall for such things may also fall for the governments ‘request’ for help.
“Please feed this starving politician, 2 wives and 3 mistresses to support. You can fund me via your taxes. And don’t worry I have voted to increase these so you don’t need to bother yourself.
P.S. we have another pandemic lined up. Or is it another war, I forget.”
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh yes, someone I know almost got taken by one of those fake AI voice overs! Her grandchild had allegedly been kidnapped and they demanded money. They had pictures, her voice, everything, and it all seemed very real. Fortunately when she went to the bank they managed to convince her to just call someone in the family before making a large withdrawal. That’s when she discovered her grandkid was actually safe at work.
This same principle that scammers exploit, our needs to protect, save, and rescue the forlorn, is definitely at play with government fraud, too. We care so, so much, that we will support spending hundred of millions “housing the homeless” and never bother to question whether or not any actually homeless people ever got housed.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Interesting, not a one off then. As to the housing issue I remember you did a post including that.
LikeLiked by 1 person
On line reactions have more to do with what kind of day a person is having, rather than what is actually written. Everyone we interact with online is a bit of fact and a lot of imagination. Even the way we present ourselves isn’t all together factual, as we tend to display only the best of self. I don’t think any of it is much to measure reality by. Pretty much, if you open your mouth, someone will make you a target of their ill will. But a few will heed your warning. My husband calls it “ stupid human tricks” lol
LikeLike
LOL! “Stupid human tricks,” indeed.
I like what you said about how, “Everyone we interact with online is a bit of fact and a lot of imagination.” Something I never realized until the internet is just how much of what we accuse others of is actually a projection, or an example of how we are feeling about our own selves. I think the Bible points that out in several places, but seeing it magnified and up close is really revealing.
Ha! Scammers and con artists have known this forever, that’s what they exploit to get your sympathy, it’s the rest of us that aren’t always aware of it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
We can be guilty of projecting our goodness on to others and that’s exactly what con men take advantage of 😏
LikeLiked by 1 person
Is that not the entire effort of religion itself.. projecting the “goodness” onto others is what we do? We need to feel guilt for doing that?
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m more into relationship than religion and I think in relating to others, it’s better to try and see them as they are rather than seeing them like ourselves. Not that we can see what’s going on inside them but we shouldn’t either condemn or excuse the actions of others based on our own intentions. I’m not trying to make anyone feel guilty, it’s just something we do.
LikeLike
You bring up a hint of the complexities of our culture trying to make sense out of people who have served humanity, or a culture, or fought valiantly for a cause.. we make them into heroes, honor their existence, then find out later they suffered from their own human frailties… and abused, sexually abused, through some perverted use of power. Then we are left having to try and erase them from our sight and minds… yet still relishing in their accomplishments. Obviously Chavez, Cosby, our own Founding Fathers for owning slaves. Sometimes relationships, perceived or otherwise, simply exist until our own personal discontent intervenes. Then we feel betrayed. The ultimate sin of any relationship.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Maybe what we look for in relationship with other human beings can only be found in God. Seeing others as not like ourselves can help us see them as they are rather than how we want to imagine them. We can only trust others in so much as we are able to protect ourselves from them and no human is worthy of our trust in every area. We all have glitches, some we can look past and enjoy the good others have to offer despite their short comings, others we need to steer clear of.
LikeLike
Insanity bytes
Scammers remind me of predator animals who can sense out in a passing herd the older weaker, sick, or very young or naïve victims that may lag or stray form the herd, or similar in human society.
Sad
Reards and goodwill blogging.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s well put, Rudy. Scammers are predators and they do tend to prey on easy targets, much like wolves do.
One way to help protect oneself is by practicing a little self awareness so you recognize when your heartstrings are being tugged on. Or when you are being fed a sense of urgency. Or when you are being flattered.
Also, in most places in the US there are numerous social services and organizations available to people who need help. One can always get a list of these places and make a referral. For example, our gas prices here are outrageous, nobody can afford gas, but our buses are free. So if someone is genuinely out of gas, there is some free transportation available. People who claim they can’t get to work unless you let them borrow your debit card, are not being truthful.
LOL, pretty sure you know this stuff already, Rudy, but just in case someone else doesn’t. 🙂
LikeLike