America's Worsening Gullibility Problem

[wenwilder]

America's Worsening Gullibility Problem

A 73-year-old retired electronics specialist sat for a long interview in December in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, patiently explaining that the $300,000 nest egg he had just lost on a familiar Nigerian scam was really the fault of "corrupt governments" and not the dishonesty of his Nigerian "friends" who had no choice but to ask him to pay ever-escalating investment amounts. The man repeatedly insisted that his "friends" couldn't possibly be scammers, but toward the end of the two-hour interview, finally remembered that they "never did really explain how they got my name." [South Florida Sun-Sentinel, 12-23-03]

Former Harvard professor Weldong Xu, who was arrested in March for his alleged scheme to bilk colleagues out of $600,000 to fund a bogus SARS research institute in China, admitted to Boston police that he spent part of the money on what the detectives recognized as a traditional Nigerian money-laundering scam, although Xu aggressively insisted that it was a legitimate deal. Said Detective Steve Blair, "(The Harvard professor) never caught on." [Boston Herald, 3-31-04]

[EJRS.COM]

Didn't you hear?
They took the word "gullible" out of the dictionary.

[esiegel]

Originally Posted by EJRS.COM

Didn't you hear?
They took the word "gullible" out of the dictionary.

No they didn't...I just looked in mine (the one I used in college) and 'gullible' is still in there.

[sonnie]

Originally Posted by esiegel

No they didn't...I just looked in mine (the one I used in college) and 'gullible' is still in there.

esiegel: From EJRS do you now know the meaning of "gullible"?

[esiegel]

Originally Posted by sonnie

esiegel: From EJRS do you now know the meaning of "gullible"?

Yes...'cause I looked it up!

[dpd1998]

As found on Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary

You may use this tool freely
http://www.hometownlinks.com/study_a..._thesaurus.htm

One entry found for gullible.

Main Entry: gull·ible
Variant(s): also gull·able /'g&-l&-b&l/
Function: adjective
: easily duped or cheated
- gull·ibil·i·ty /"g&-l&-'bi-l&-tE/ noun
- gull·ibly /'g&-l&-blE/ adverb

[sonnie]

Originally Posted by esiegel

Yes...'cause I looked it up!

Ha Ha .... gullible
Don't you get it?
Take care, Sonnie

[ldyguique]

Each of us is the sum-total of all of our life experiences at any point along the way. Now, it's also possible to have a life experience and not understand what it was or why it happened, and never really think about it in-depth again--a fairly common situation for many. So, for some, the sum-total can be missing fundamental information. Ergo, chronic or ongoing gullibility.

How many people do you know who keep falling in love with a particular personality type, only to discover that Mr/MissRight = Mr/MissWrong? Their excuse(s) run somewhat along the lines of, "he SAID!!!" or "she PROMISED!!!" YaHUH!

Frankly, I really don't know which is worse -- to be so cynical and jaded as to disbelieve just about anyone or to keep an idealism that always gives credence to the words of another.

How does one keep the door open to the joy of surprise and not also let every bloodsucking insect come flying through it?

Although, most who fall for versions of the Nigerian scam also have more than a faint odor of cheater about them and fall in the category of "You can't cheat an honest man." Someone who managed to save aside $300,000 as a nestegg AND managed to risk it all is less gullible and more gambler. He wanted to believe and keep in believin' cus he didn't want to face the fact that he thought he could cheat someone else or "get something for nothing."

I never loan another person money. I may use the word loan, but I accept that it's a gift. Once it's out of my hands, it's likely gone for good. And, I've paid more than one person to "get out of my life," with a loan -- cus, they immediately start avoiding when the so-called loan is due and payable.

NO one saves for a lifetime and then spends it foolishly because they are gullible. He thought his "Nigerian friends" were the gullible ones.

Ahhhh, I'm such a cynic :)

[ldyguique]

Since the "Nigerian Scam" has surfaced in multiple postings recently, it's time for Scam-O-Rama!!!

Now, I realize that the url for Scam-O-Rama aka "The Lads from Lagos," has been posted a couple of times in the past; however, since time moves on and new members join, etc., it's "that" time again. If you want to laugh until you have tears rolling down your cheeks or need to change your undies, do check it out. Plus, I guarantee you will never ever fall for the Nigerian Scam, in whatever guise it happens to come your way.

First of all, there are a handful of people who get their kicks by responding to and developing correspondence with the would-be scammers. Since they are a creative log, they have become adept at developing "multiple personalities" for their counter scams. Such as an April 2004 addition for:

OVER 1000 MUGUS SERVED! - long, fun read from Mac Nughette, Juan Freizwidatt & Friends

Cast of characters:
Jose Randy (aka Prince) - typical 419er
Ron Reynolds - naive victim
Mack Nughette - Ron's "smart" cousin
Juan Freizwidatt - Crooked lawyer
Sue Percise - Freizwidatt's secretary, and Ron's new love interest

I have to admit that I very nearly lost it. No one should laugh that hard at a computer!

I had applied the term "speculative fiction" to define IRC chat a long time ago. Obviously, speculative fiction is alive and well in other internet locales.

Another one that mixes subtle Spanish (misused or mistranslated) AND Star Trek is also of particular note:

KEEPING UP WITH THE COJONES.
updated apr22

Dear Kind Postmaster,
... I did manage to get this particular lad ... to call the Federales....that is, the Mexican Federal Police! I chose the Tijuana office of the Federales....figured I would give them something to draw their attention away from shaking down American motorists in Baja California.

I hope that you get as much laughs out of this as I did.
BEEP!! BEEP!!
Captain Christopher Pike

Cast of Characters:
Captain Christopher Pike, scambaiter
Mr. Isaac Bamu, scambaitee
Commodore Jose Mendez, Star Fleet Academy

The Mexican Federal Police, " The Federales", Tijuana BC Mexico, appear as themselves.

Captain Pike is checking his email address, where he comes upon a lucrative offer involving defaced US currency.

It's a great timewaster to read through these scambaiting posting; plus, after one reads through enough of the links, there is NO WAY that one would ever fall for any scams of this ilk.

[Andilinks]

I don't think America's Gullibility Problem is Worsening. So, I think the premise of this thread is wrong, but it does point to a serious and real problem.

There have always been and will always be gullible people. The Internet has made it possible for the scammers to compare notes more easily and possible for us to more easily hear about the outrageous scams.

The public is becoming more sophisticated about scams, but the very nature of scams is that they must stay one step ahead.

New media are always developing, and new scams will follow the naive there. The problem is not getting worse though, we are becoming more aware of it--and that's good. And the more aware we become, the more outrageous the gullible will seem.

I recall the first spams that I received, they were chain letters sometime in early 1994. Spam has come a long way since then and chain letters still circulate somewhere I'm sure. I had never heard of the Nigerian scams back then, and I doubt I'd have fallen for one (I never have) but it wouldn't have been QUITE so laughable back then.

But the public is slowly learning. I think I can point to the steady but uneven progress of civilization through the ages as proof that humans can learn. Much too slow, but getting faster.

Andi

[EJRS.COM]

It all stems from our insecurity with who we are. We believe we need to be successful and rich and would do anything to gain wealth by such means.
People who are greedy for more are the ones who would be quick to fall for such devious get-rich-quick schemes.

[Andilinks]

Originally Posted by EJRS.COM

We believe we need to be successful and rich and would do anything to gain wealth by such means.

Perhaps you are writing about some group that you belong to. I don't consider myself a part of that "we," thank you very much. :)

But I certainly understand what you are saying, and the fault lies in the desire to believe something that is too good to be true. Here we are getting to the very definition of "gullible."

I suppose children are not exposed to scammers and thieves early enough and are sent out into the world thinking that everyone is honest. The flaw in that idea is that the elderly seem to be more gullible than the young, which would bolster Wen's argument that gullibility is increasing...

So here I go refuting my earlier assertion if that is true. It may be a generational thing, or do the elderly just get more gullible with age?

Andi

[EJRS.COM]

Sadly tho no human is free from insecurity.
welcome to the human race...

[ldyguique]

I dunno about it being an age thing -- I'm certainly one of the older people who come in here and I'm really quite skeptical. Or, rather, I simply have fewer and fewer false expectations about other people. I grant most people about 75% trust from the getgo -- I trust them to behave according to societal norms and standards. As they prove otherwise, they drop in percentage points -- at about 60%, they lack credibility to be much more than decorative human objects -- and, at 50% I cease to see them.

In other words, I've been learning throughout a lifetime about human nature.

Some noteworthy individuals raise from 75% into the 90s. At this point, I trust them to behave as they've previously proven themselves and that their personal sense of honor is strong and well-entrenched. I accept their human foiables and flaws as being simply part of them. They have an integrated personality that balances. They have integrity.

I've lived too long to believe that all people will do as they say (or have done as they've said).

As for scams, I suppose the criteria that ScamORama lays out pretty well works for me and my own brand of skepticism:

Last but really first: do you honestly believe that someone who claims to have stolen millions of dollars is

**someone you want to deal with
**smart enough to steal a LOT of money but somehow unable to move the funds on his own
**will transfer it to a complete stranger (you) in hopes that you will give back 80% of it

[Andilinks]

Originally Posted by EJRS.COM

welcome to the human race...

eeewwww... they said it was temporary. oh well... :)

Originally Posted by ldyguique

I dunno about it being an age thing...

I certainly don't mean there is a one-to-one correspondence with people growing more gullible or more skeptical with age. But the elderly are more often the victim of scams which means that there is some correlation there. Typically they are scammed more often by phone boiler-room operations, or door-to door home improvement scams. So it doesn't surprise me that they might fall victim on the Internet more often.

I think the young have so grown up with TV ads that they have come to expect lies and deception while people who grew up before TV was common may lack this.

The elderly grew up in an earlier time when trust was more taken for granted. I do know from my own experience with elderly relatives that they are often more naive about these things.

Now if you, ldyguique are offering yourself up as a typical older person you are very wrong. You are Internet savvy, just your experience on a message board like this alone would give you experience that most people lack.

Andi

[trsiyengar]

Wen's post show us the greed of human. When some one is trapped in his own bait, is he or she gullible?

EJRS.COM wrote:
Sadly tho no human is free from insecurity.

It is the society we are part of it. To make them secure, keep them happy, earning atleast their daily two square meals.

Andilink wrote:
The elderly grew up in an earlier time when trust was more taken for granted. I do know from my own experience with elderly relatives that they are often more naive about these things.

It was way back generations! Mutual trust, helping tendency, liberal moves, no aparthied then! And now?

Namasthe Everyone,
TRS Iyengar

[xmx]

I feel sorry for the gullible ones, don't you?

I think that only 0.0001% of the receivers of nigerian scam business proposals don't find absurd to spend great amounts of money without a guarantee of cashing the money.

And when after a first payment arrives a second request of money there should be all the alarm leds blinking and a hand that moves itself toward the phone with the police number already scheduled.

[volkoman]

Wow... I just got my first overseas sales offer today... and he dosent care how much it costs???

--------------------

original message from

"larry ben" <larry_ben2000@yahoo.co.uk

HELLO SALES,
MY NAME IS LARRY AND I RESIDES IN USA .I WOULD LIKE TO PURCHASE A PRODUCT,BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEND THIS ORDER TO MY STORE IN NIGERIA.ALSO I WOULD LIKE PAY FOR THIS ORDER BY CREDIT CARD AS MY FORM OF PAYMENT IF YOU DON'T MIND. I HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU SOONEST ABOUT THE TOTAL COSTS AND SHIPPING OF THIS
ORDER TO LAGOS NIGERIA.
THANKS.

----------------------------

Cool...With this sale and the $2500000 I'll make helping Mrs Arubu bring $25000000 into the country ...I can finally afford the bridge thats for sale in Brooklyn..

Now where is that big red button that says "do not push"

[rocky1]

The easiest way to rid yourselves of these guys is to save all of your Nigerian inheritance e-mail in a special folder! Everytime you receive one, copy the reply to address, drop it in the folder, then go through the folder pulling up all of the previous I'm going to make you wealthy e-mail, clicking forward, and sticking their e-mail address on everything in that folder, and send it all to them!

When they receive about 50 - 60 of these in reply, they will remove you from their mailing list! I have yet to receive a duplicate mailing from even one of the addresses, that I handled in that fashion. Whereas I have received duplicates in countless cases that I chose to ignore.

[volkoman]

Not a bad idea rocky...I'll even offer "them" a free fishin trip when I send back the e-mails...

Could use the extra bait when we go sharkin' in these parts. Screamin Nigerian con splashin around with a little cut in his foot will probably attract a whole slew of Makos'....

All I need is their credit card to use as a deposite. Dont worry the $30000 will be refunded after the fishin trip.. ;) hahahah

Think i'll watch "The Sting" tonite...

[LauraB]

Andi wrote:

I think the young have so grown up with TV ads that they have come to expect lies and deception while people who grew up before TV was common may lack this.

Okay, lets look at that premise just for a moment. Television has been around for 75 years, albeit not in many homes, prior to 1945 or so. Check out the http://www.tvhistory.tv That still is a long time.

I am guessing that snake oil salesmen pre-dated TV, and I am convinced that TV has dumbed-down more folks then it smarten-upped.I wonder what the real age demographics are regarding scams? We may hear about older people being scammed because younger dupes are more afraid to admit their mistakes! That and I believe that at least a few people (in many age brackets) fall for scams because they are lonely...

Enough of my random thoughts ..........

[Andilinks]

I am guessing that snake oil salesmen pre-dated TV

You'd be guessing right. BUT Though television was invented around 1929 and the first broadcast was in 1939, the intervening World War delayed development, and the wide-spread practice of using TV as baby-sitter did not develop momentum until the late '50's.

But children were seldom targeted by snake-oil salesmen or early TV ads and the results of specific and sophisticated targeting of children by TV ads is only now showing up in the current adult population.

The practice of deception itself pre-dates humanity by millions of years. Predators and prey used deceptive tactics and coloration even before life emerged from the sea.

Andi

[EJRS.COM]

I love watching CyberCrime by Tech TV. Anyone watches that? Very informational.

[wenwilder]

A high school friend of mine is now in jail thanks to the nigerian scam. Wish we were still close friends, I could have warned her.

Scottsbluff woman caught up in e-mail scam

Involvement leads to charges of felony theft

By Maunette Loeks
Staff Reporter

A Scottsbluff woman has been charged with felony theft after she cashed a $48,000 check while allegedly participating in a well-known scam.

Police arrested Bobbi Jo Bernhardt, 34, of Scottsbluff, Friday on charges of theft by unlawful taking, a Class III felony. Bernhardt had deposited a check for $44,089 at a local bank and spent it. Scottsbluff Police Department Lieutenant Robert Kinsey said a representative of the Scottsbluff bank contacted police after she became aware that the check had been reported stolen.

Kinsey said Bernhardt allegedly became involved in the theft after she responded to e-mails that are sent as part of a scam commonly known as the Nigerian Advance Fee/Check Scam. According to information gathered during the investigation, Bernhardt received an e-mail from a man claiming to be an attorney in Johannesburg, South Africa. The attorney claimed to represent a deceased client, a wealthy businessman who had died in an accident, and was trying to track down relatives. According to the e-mail, the attorney faced having to forfeit a $12 million inheritance to the government because he could not track down the relatives of the deceased. He said he believed he could present Bernhardt as the next of kin and in exchange would agree to a 55/45 percent split of the monies.

During an eight-month period, e-mails and phone calls between Bernhardt and what appeared to be four different people claiming to participate in the arrangements were exchanged. Many of the e-mails are complicated and contribute to confusing people so that they end up being scammed, Kinsey said.

“A lot of times people send their own money and end up being scammed that way,” Kinsey said. “In this case, she cashed a stolen check and is now being charged with theft because of it.”

Many times, the perpetrators of these scams ask a person to send them money to pay various fees and send a counterfeit check to repay the funds, taking off with the money sent. In this instance, the perpetrators sent a check that a hospital had sent to a supply company and police believe was stolen out of the mail in New York City.

The Nigerian Scam is one of several scams circulating throughout the United States. Kinsey said people should beware when they are asked to send checks or money in order to receive an amount of money in exchange.

“Reports of these scams, and others, that dupe people out of money are starting to pick up again. People need to be careful,” Kinsey said.

Kinsey said it is difficult to charge perpetrators of the scams because they are in a foreign country and can be difficult to track by e-mail.

Bernhardt is scheduled to appear in court Wednesday at 1:30 p.m.

[trsiyengar]

wenwilder wrote;

The Nigerian Scam is one of several scams circulating throughout the United States. Kinsey said people should beware when they are asked to send checks or money in order to receive an amount of money in exchange.

It is the Greedy who respond so much in advance! And they advance a paltry sum while thinking for the big return! No policing can be effective, as long as there are people taken over by greed for $$$$. Their fate now hanging in balace, they shoud know now where they are. This should be a lesson for others to check and balance (?) their act together!

[mikmik]

More than 70% of people would reveal their computer password in exchange for a bar of chocolate, a survey has found.
There have always been people that are greedy, desperate, whatever. But I think that the lack of critical thinking skills is worse than ever,and that people have overwhelming amounts of information to process
One look at the types of leaders that are elected and the way they are campaigning these days will attest that using diversionary and misleading selling points is the rampant. There is a term for it, I am not sure it is in the dictionary yet, is "Social Engineering".
The "Social Engineering" of Internet Fraud

Many online media have recently been focusing on the topic of Internet fraud. Business leaders, computer security experts, and lawyers, however, do not fully understand the kinds of frauds that can be conducted through or with the aid of the Internet, or the ramifications of such frauds for the future of e-commerce. This paper has three principal goals. First, it will identify the principal types of Internet frauds that law enforcement and regulatory authorities are observing. Second, it will explain the major psychological influence techniques that criminals use in conducting such frauds (including the similarities between those techniques and "social engineering" techniques of hackers). Third, it will propose some responses to the problem involving both government and the private sector.

More gullible now? 83% percent of Americans believe in mind reading, and New Age idocrinated PSI?
Less than 5% of peopl are scientifically literate?

Look how many millions upon millions of desperate and disillusioned people buy lottery tickets. Gambling addictions. The 'Me' generation and general attitude of self-righteousness.
I have also read that people overestimate their analytical talents by 80% - and that sounds awfully low to me.

I am not sure if we are more or less gullible as a percentage, but I would bet that more people are duped, than ever these days.

EJRS.COM, I agree with you, people have always had a greedy and oppertunistic bent. It is human nature, and it has and always will be available for expliotation.

Andilinks wrote

You'd be guessing right. BUT Though television was invented around 1929 and the first broadcast was in 1939, the intervening World War delayed development, and the wide-spread practice of using TV as baby-sitter did not develop momentum until the late '50's.

But children were seldom targeted by snake-oil salesmen or early TV ads and the results of specific and sophisticated targeting of children by TV ads is only now showing up in the current adult population.

Hitler himself said "If you tell people lies often enough, they will believe them as the truth."

Maybe to a certain extent there are some who have learned to spot deception by a gained sophistication through experience, but the use of TV to mislead people is a symptom AND a purveyer of ignorance and gullibility of the population.

It is still the most common advice I hear: "If it sounds to good to be true, then it probably is."
Why is that common sense advice still necessary, and so often it seems, if people are more acute and less gullible.
I think relatively speaking, we are MORE gullible, and I speak for myself as i have been takin in all kinds of ways in the past, and the editorial 'we' to mean people in general, and not anyone specific.

I like this topic, wen. It is a pet peeve of mine (symptom of guilt and embarassment) that there is such a seeming lack of common sense these days. I read a book called "A Candle in the Dark", by Carl Sagan, and another called "How We Know What Isn't So (The Fallibility of Human Reason in Everday Behavior)", by Thomas Gilovich 10 or 15 years ago.
I have always prided myself as a student of logic and rational thinking, but these books shocked me at how wromgly I saw - and still do at times - see things.

I am really trying to drive this home by using everyone who is reading this as example, to analyze yourself for fit. For if you think that you are to smart or educated or sophisticated to be fooled...
"Step right up, ladies and gentlemen. New and scientifically Improved "Snake Oil"!" You sir, you and your wife are obviously smarter than most, how would you.......

[Andilinks]

Hitler himself said "If you tell people lies often enough, they will believe them as the truth."

Denying the genius of the deranged Hitler should be easy. :) In his era and particularly in his fascist regime, the acceptance of the authority of the state as a paternalistic omnipotence was far more prevalent and his statement was more true. But not even entirely true then.

In our era it is far less true and could only be true stated with the qualification:

"If you tell people lies often enough, the gullible will believe them as the truth."

Other than that minor point mikmik I like your post and pretty much agree.

I first heard the term Social Engineering in Steven Levy's fine book Hackers.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...12105?v=glance

Andi

[mikmik]

Thanks for the compliment, Andilinks. You are a sharp cookie and it means much to me.

I agree that the relative portion of the populace that are gullible may be less, and I hope it is, but my impression is otherwise. It is a very problematic determination, and I always admit that my judgement, no matter how well thought out (I may think it), is subjective, and biased.

I do think that there are a lot of people that WANT to beleive, just so they don't have to think. That is the crux of my argument, that there is so much information to process, and so much confusion and negativity in the world, that more people are prone to take stuff at face value. This does not preclude that there are also more informed people around, just that there are more at the extremes.

<edited in---
You are entirely right about people attitude to government,Andilinks. I hate quoting Hitler, and it is a dramatic mechanism, more than an informative one. Should've gone with PT Barnum LOL. I added this because I may have originally misinterpreted what you meant. My apologies -->

I agree with you about the faith in government, but how did that get to be? Appathy and uninvolvement by the voters? To much info to digest, making the political campain ads the major source of information? How big a part does conditioning play in our thinking process, and how used to bombardment by 'hard sell and manipulation' are we that it is past concious consideration?

I have a link that I am just trying to recover (virus/hijacker woes of late) that is for a site that is Noam Chomski -ish (my God! lol) in it's reports of the heavy use of propaganda against the general public, but my words are meaningless until I provide the source for analysis. I will post it so we can discuss.

Anyways, Hi :o)

PS, I think I have that book somewhere -"Hackers". I downloaded it as a text file ;o]

[regmanabq]

I hate to bring politics into this discussion, even though it has been brought up before, but I thought it might be a facinating comment on the discussion. I do not mention this to take sides on the issue, get everyone excited or even debate the issue of war, just to point out the current and past (I hope) frame of mind of the average american citizen. (yes, yes, yes, I know, everyone is not like that, I'm not in that group, etc... but I'm talking about the millions of others who don't seem to know what is going on and trust the magic TV box in their living room to tell them the truth. And it's not limited to the US, most others around the world do it too, but we were not talking about them)

The events of the last couple of years, the war in Iraq particularly, has me more scared then ever about the average american's reasoning skills. Since we are talking scams and how easy it is to fool or plain lie to people, I thought it might be interesting to see what people thought about that.

We (America, and thus all it's citizens since we live in a democratic republic)had a very difficult decision to make that would affect the lives of almost everyone on the entire planet when we thought of going to war in Iraq. Did most of us take that seriously? NO. We simply trusted our leaders and let them handle it. After all, I'm busy and don't have time for things like civic responsibility and duty. That's what we elected those guys for! (actually we elected them because they promised to get rid of abortion, taxes, poverty or whatever else they thought we wanted to hear or they just happened to be the least of the evils or the most attractive candidate or the one with our own skin color, heritage, hair cut or party affiliation. Boy, Lincoln and Washington would have never got elected now days).

Then the side taking took over. You had people waving flags at the entrances of military bases, "peace protesters" taking the streets, cops in riot gear shooting tear gas at families on both sides, and generally everyone was upset and angry with those "crazy people who just don't understand" (namely the other side). But ask any of these people from either side to explain the situation, the history, the culture, the possible ramifications to America and the rest of the world and they were unable to even repeat the news report they heard only moments ago, let alone understand the complicated situation and history of the area or the long term effects to foreign policy and americas standing in the world a war might bring about.

I was amazed at how many people thought the Taliban was in Iraq, Ossama lead the Taliban, the russians trained them during the Kosovo war, and the biggest one of all--- Iraq planned or helped in the 911 attack. Three days before the war launched I saw at least two seperate polls that showed over 80% of americans polled thought Saddam Hussein bombed the world trade center, twice. Where did they get this completely wrong info?

They didn't. They just never bothered to ask questions, do research or even read the paper and listen to the news carefully. They didn't want to seem stupid or "anti american" so they listened to rumor and lies from the streets and never bothered to even make one phone call to anyone who might know what the real story was or watch one single political show on PBS or cable where the major players from all sides were all being interviewed constantly. All the informational resources available to modern man and we didn't take advantage of it because we just didn't have time. Had a protest to go to.

We were angry and someone must pay. Don't ask questions, just support the president. To even question the course of action was cause to be labeled a "traitor" or worse and possibly opened one up for a physical attack if you spoke out in the wrong crowd. Disgusting and anti american, but it happened every day.

Now it seems we have forgotten the war, moved on with our lives and our worries. Michael Jackson demands more air time than the 100 soldiers killed this week. But it's such a bummer man, death and destruction, american doesn't want to hear about that. Just let us know when we are kicking ass. We would much rather know everything that went on in Michaels bedroom or the hotel room Mr. Bryant stayed at in Colorado.

So why is this all important to scams? Because this is how you scam people. You play on their fears, greed, emotions and peer pressure. "No time to check out the details, we must act now to make the big money!" or "you don't want to be the only one not to profit from this revolutionary personal wealth system, do you?" Advertisers do it all the time and so do politicians. They learned it from the scam artists. It's been working for them for thousands of years and people still buy whatever they tell them too. We just don't want to be left out.

[mikmik]

I figure this is as good a place as any...

Psychic Phenomena

We were listening to a lecture on psychic phenomena in our Comparative Religions course. Our instructor told us about a woman who contacted police working on a missing-persons case. "She gave eerily detailed instructions on where to find the body," the teacher said. "In fact, the detectives did find the body just as she had described. Now what would you call that kind of person?"

While the rest of us pondered the question, a sheriff's officer taking the course raised his hand and replied, "A suspect."

Compliments of the Comedy Barn

[codex]

Advertising affected alot of people the past decade and there isn't any serious research made public to identify the results of how TV adverts affected our minds.
Alot of people after work sit and watch TV or movies on their box.
Computers are much better but again these days adverts just pop up on your desktop.
Alot of information about what you are doing is send over the internet to data centers.
Most of the people see computers like TV,fax,Hi-Fi stereo and playstation all together. Advertising for the new media is already here.. almost..

Chris

[southplatte]

Okay, late in on this one, but lets face it, America is full of idiots. Bottom line, end of story, truth in the face of denial. Does everyone fit into this, no. But then again not everyone is an alcoholic, a mass murderer or a politician either.

The principles that founded this country opened it up for all sorts of scams and their artists. The sad fact is scams happen in more ways than any one would want to admit, and in more craftier ways than anyone would want to admit.

Have I been scammed? You bet, everytime I go to Wal-Mart. Low prices everyday, after a 200-400% markup.

On the Internet? You bet I have been gotten. Twice. The first time a reputable company, in good standing with their local BBB and the Online BBB got my wife and I both. The second time another reputable company in good standing got us. About 3 months after reporting them, the BBB reported to us that they recieved numerous complaints from others, the business was no longer in operations and they had no further contact information.

Did we do research? Yes. Did we check out the companies? Yes, both online and offline.

With some of this stuff, common sense plays a factor. We are a Nigerian attorney, we want to give you $35 million, but you need to pay us first. yeah, okay...see ya later. However, there are those who aren't necessarily so gullible as compared to greedy/money hungry/turn a quick buck type of people. A lottery ticket for a chance at $250 million costs a buck, but $35 million costs a couple hundred thousand or a bank account number?

Human nature is decerned by surroundings. America has surroundings of greed, lust, power, and the dream that it can always be easier and faster to attain it. Don't believe me? Why are the most frequented sites (outside of msn and yahoo) porn? Why are most scams centered around making quick money in astronomical amounts? Why are so many CEOs stepping down, facing inquiries or going to jail? Why are so many wanting to get out of working for a living and get a free ride on a get rich quick scheme?

No, America isn't more gullible (yes, some are more gullible, but as a whole). No, America is just more greedy, more lustful after money and power, and wants it faster and easier than ever before. Hmmm....nest egg of $300,000, willing to gamble it on the chance of getting so many millions in a quick-turn around, easy as pie deal. Fits the profile in my opinion.

And, if you put a Christian viewpoint on this, most all of the things that people fall victim to in scams go against some of the most basic principles and teachings of the Christian faith.

Take a look at the leaders. The politicians. They are corrupt, liars, greedy for money and power and never do 1/4 of what is honest and right. Now look at the other leaders, the corporations, they are corrupt, liars, greedy for money and power and never do 1/4 of what is honest and right. Why should the individual citizens be any different with those types of role models? Why should the TV ads not follow these examples? Why should people not be able to fudge a bit here and there to gain? Why should people have to work hard to make a living? There has to be an easier or faster way right?

Oh, and while everything is getting so much easier and faster, we can do ten times what we used to be able to do. And with the Internet we have such a wealth of information at our fingertips we are more informed, better informed. Yet, more and more are completely obliterated to the honest truths of the world. Why? Too much information from the wrong sources.

It comes to teaching, learning and respecting. Take a school shooting, nine out of ten shooters claim they had no clue it was "wrong" to shoot and kill someone. Why? Psychologists, Psycho-analysts and freaks claim children need choices, they need to be able to have a say in their life, and express themselves. As Bill Engvall says, "Hey lady, is that your son over there expressing himself with that deer rifle?" Our parents and grandparents did as they were told, when they were told and didn't back talk, ask questions or argue about having a choice to do it. They just did. But in the course of making it "easier" for the next generation, this has become the "Johnny, take the trash out." Johnny says, "No, I don't want to." Parent says, "I would like you to." Johnny, "No, I am busy, and plus I am going to a friends house." So to avoid the argument/fight that will ensue, parent says, "Fine, take it out when you get home, and make sure your home by 11." The child is 14 years old, in 8th grade going out until 10pm or 11pm, because that's his/her choice, according to the psychologist that told them they could make choices in their life, that their parents choices sometimes are wrong and do not need to be followed and that sometimes if their parent's choice makes them unhappy it is okay not to do it, and if it is their choice and makes them happy, then it is okay to do it. (Trust me, my step-son had some issues at school, the psycho-babble heads told him and us this, and he didn't straighten out until we got him out of all counselling/psycho-babble crap and into a good discipline action plan with set standards and consequences and a good old fasioned church-ordained butt whoopin. He is now getting awesome grades in school, plans on going into the military for medical, and then onto college after that and has changed his outlook on life 10-fold). How did you learn it was wrong to cheat someone? How did you learn that people will try and cheat you? Who taught you that hurting people was wrong, but you should expect to get hurt through out your life?

The fact that elerly people fall victim may not fit what I have wrote. But this does, the Internet is not unlike any other media outlet. 80% of it is crap. Ask my mother-in-law to give her credit card to a stranger in the store, or to someone who calls her on the phone, and she will tell you where to go. She applies the same principle online, without me or my wife even having had to tell her about the scams and potential there of. The fact is though, many of the scams use fast language, faster sales pitches, and a blurring of lines on what is necessary and not necessary. I used to sell vacume cleaners. Elderly people were the most hesitant of all customers I ever had. In the end, it was trust that won them over. I would tell them out right honestly, "Yes it works better than most I have seen. yes it is overpriced. And no you probably do not need it, unless you "want" it." I almost always made the sale by being blunt honest with them. Yet, since the Internet is computers and all, so many people, elderly included, throw their basic principles out the window. Why is that? That's the study that needs to be done. What is it about the Internet that makes people throw their standards, principles, morals and beliefs right out the window?

Whew...I don't mean to step on toes, anger anyone, or hurt anyone and hopefully I haven't. I did need to vent about this for a while though, even before seeing the post on here. And yes, I am an American, yes I love my country dearly, and yes it does have problems. Same as any other country on the planet. The basic fact is people are more greedy, more power hungry and want it all quicker and easier. These scams fit that profile so much better than the glove and OJ it's not even funny. And it is not just America that falls into this either.