FINDING SCAMMERS IN BUSINESS SITES
We spoke of dating sites in many posts here, and along with them, the scammers that permeate them. However, computer dating moved to business sites. Recently, another Romeo approached me on LinkedIn, which is supposed to be a place for businesspeople to meet others of their ilk.
He started out much as they do on dating sites, Face Book, Twitter and other social entities by asking to become part of my network. Often, these people seem to be in the same type of business, although occasionally, they are from way out in left field and appear to be pulling new business in by going outside their supposed area of expertise.
SIGNS OF A SCAMMER
When accepted as part of someone’s network, the dance begins and it does not take long to figure this is not a real businessperson, but a con artist instead. Check out the following conversation (scammer’s name has been changed):
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Hello Maggie, How are you doing?
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Hi, Gilbert
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Doing just fine and you?
- Well I will like us to get along to know each other the more and see if we can become good friends and how the future maybe, hope you won’t mind? (Now, folks, this is supposed to be an army doctor, yet he writes like someone who does not know our language.)
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I looked up the name you gave as an Army doctor and I must say you look nothing like the profile picture of him. (Always look up a person, if at all possible. The man by the name used here should have been over seventy and retired.)
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What do you mean by that Maggie?
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Never mind. (I did not want him off the hook yet, so continued answering him.)
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Well, I’m Gilbert of the US Army and I am currently on deployment here in Damascus Syria working as a military doctor and I am from US California. what about you?
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I am retired, living in Florida and currently editing a book for publishing.PUSHING FOR PERSONAL INFORMATION
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That’s awesome. I am so happy having you as my friend and tell me are you married?
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Widowed. (This is usually where the scammer starts getting a lot more interested.)
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Oh, OK. I was married but I lost my wife 5 years ago during childbirth, but I have a son Wilson, he is 15 years and he is in Military boarding school here in California, do you live alone (Invariably, the person will claim to have a teenage child and will have a sob story on how he lost his wife. Be wary of any story.)
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Okay I know Lady’s finds it hard telling their age but 55 you?
- I have no problem telling my age because I love the age I am. At 75, I am active, organize clubs, love writing and very happy with how I aged. You are young enough to be my son. Sorry to hear of your loss. I hope, if you are seriously looking, that you find a partner that fulfills your life.
- (He now knows I am a senior and widowed. When that info is available, the wheels start turning to get the mark on the hook more securely. Why? Because he figures that senior widows are easy prey. He counts on them being lonely and desperate for someone to care about them. Should that be the case, it is all too easy, in many cases, to sometimes take every cent the person has, even to having them sell their homes, jewelry, cars, etc. to keep this leech in her life. His pretty words sooth her soul until she discovers she has been duped and he has impoverished her. And gentlemen, women can do the same to you.)
PUSHING THE SCAMMER AWAY
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Thank you. Like we all know that good communication and trust plays a great role in a friendship, I will like us to make out time and know ourselves the more. (Again, his English is falling apart.)
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Would you mind giving me your email address and Whatsapp number so i can make out time and write to you all you really need to know about me please?
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Not a chance. I don’t hand out that info to everyone. In fact, to a very select few. (This should be anyone’s answer to a stranger wanting their contact information. If you have not met the person, face to face, never give it out.)
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I understand. Why don’t you send me your call phone number?
- Because I don’t know you.
At this point, Gilbert stopped contacting me. He was not getting the information he needed to possibly: 1) Try to get money; 2) Threaten if I refused to give money; 3) Harass if I do not go along with his plans.
BE PROACTIVE AND BE WARY
Regardless of where you meet one of these people, beware, be careful, and be smart enough to block them from your social media sites where you meet them. Next, report them to the site, giving full information as to why you think they are on there for illicit reasons. I continue talking to people such as this fellow to get more information out to the readers of this blog. I do not recommend that anyone carry on a drawn-out conversation once it is apparent a scammer is the contact. The longer scammers keep their marks talking, the more likely they will succeed in gaining exactly what they want…access to everything the mark owns.