I need to vent here!!

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Not quite a Newb Joined: 14 May 2007 Posts: 41

I m a online friend with this old poor couple both are handicap.
they told me that they receieved a email from a person that they have "helped" before and that person had "died" and wish to give them million of dollars inhieraton money
I told them this is a SCAM. do they listen no
so today I just talked to them and they just cashed a fake check worth 10,000 and nothing to show for it.
plus she informed me that one of them is "stuck' in new york with the

"cash" and need 5000 to get to get to where they are

by reading this forum I can begin to understand how they can have high hope

thanks for letting me vent
if this is in the wrong place let me know and move it to the right place

Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 4:17 pm

Tell them to go to the bank they cashed the check at and have the bank review it. They will be liable for the entire amount of it, plus any fees and/or legal repricussions associated with it.

On a side note, do you think you'd have any luck getting the lad's email address for us to put them into misery?

Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 6:26 pm

If they're online friends we can assume that they're computer/Internet savvy and able to surf forums.
You can send them to http://www.scamvictimsunited.com/ or here or to any other place where they can see people going (or that have gone) through the same stuff.

It's basic human psychology. If they don't believe what you say once and you push too hard, they'll move into paranoia and start to think that you have a hidden agenda. Regardless of how much a person trust you, people tend to get a strong grip to their own perception of reality if the alternative reality is too scary. That's why it's a lot (and I mean A LOT) easier to convince someone who hasn't pay than someone who has already lost money. To the former, it could be an embarrassing but easy path to get out of the problem. To the other, it's the worst nightmare, his money is gone and nothing is coming out of it. For him, the alternative reality is final, there's no way out of the problem
To make matters worse, a close relationship (closer than a total stranger) makes it a lot easier for them to build "defensive walls" around their reality. You're jealous, you're wrong, you're too young to understand, you're paranoid, you want the money for yourself, etc. Getting confirmation from others they're not related to, makes it harder for them to keep protecting their perception of reality (not impossible though, a true paranoid is someone with the skills to build walls against ANYTHING).

Think about this when dealing with victims. Because the typical human reaction is to go against the wall over and over again and that doesn't work. It's a matter of perceptions too. When you're on the outside, it looks like the wall crumbles under your impeccable logic. However, from the inside, the wall gets stronger and stronger.

This comment also applies when you're dealing with xxxx's call center... Confused

Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 6:29 pm

As mentioned, it is very important for them to notify the bank immediately that the check is fraudulent.
This may help your friends, as they could be charged with a crime just for cashing it.

Not quite a Newb Joined: 14 May 2007 Posts: 41

I told her that I m "still doubting thomas"
when she told me she have 25 milllion dollars in bank in europe
I told her to call them and verfiy it
and told her to take some out then I will stop being "doubting thomas"