Mental Health #12 - or so

It's rather frightening that someone that gullible/dumb is allowed out on their own.

 

The Nigerian prince continues to rake in loot after 25 years of his shenanigans.

 

I simply don't understand, barring some mental disability, how anyone could fall for that scam.

 

Greed causes people to lose what little control they may possess.

 

I remember getting such letters through the USPS 30+ years ago...and faxes too. The tech changes. The con does not.

 

Unfortunately people fall victim to obvious scams every day. Elderly, mentally impaired, and uneducated people are the most common victims. In short, these scams tend to hurt the most vulnerable among our population more than anyone.

 

You jogged my feeble brain, yes got snail mail CHAIN letters and spam on my fax machine.

 

I've known some victims that were educated, wealthy, and powerful.

Greed knows no socioeconomic, ethnic, or educational barrier.

The victims weren't stupid, even intellectually challenged, they allowed their greed to overcome their common sense.

 

A place where I worked briefly in the 80's got the first one of the Nigerian prince letters I had ever seen. The owners almost fell for it and likely would have had it not been for problems calling the Nigerian number. Of course, they weren't the brightest lights on the tree which is one reason I didn't work there long.

There was also an F1 team that was pretty much brought down by a Nigerian Prince.

 

Greed can grip anyone. But while some educated people fall for obvious scams, what I see much more are those who are more vulnerable falling for it.

 

We all see different things.

I never assume what I have seen that others haven't seen something different.

The world is not a one size fits all planet.

 

I've seen that scenario played out several times.
Once the techs (or law enforcement) get involved, the ruse can be sorted rather quickly.

Each time an email is sent, there is a rather elaborate audit trail that reveals from whence the email originated.

The forensics experts can identify the device and the network from whence the email originated.

That means the true owner of the email account can be exonerated and the culprit identified.

 

Yes, I have seen all three scenarios just as you queried.

It isn't fantasy.

Its reality.

To achieve what you've postulated takes very little skill.

One of the most common ways its done is Albert leaves his computer unattended while at lunch.

Buster sees an opportunity to make mischief and sends off several insulting emails to some of their colleagues from Albert's computer.

Another example finds Cletus with Albert's password. Off to a nearby library Cletus rushes and sends a few pornographic images to half of Albert's contacts.

It isn't hard, and its done many times a day all over the planet.

 

Yes, that is possible.