Now Is The Time To Keep On Your Toes
Joe M posted in opinion on February 2nd, 2009
I talked to a friend of mine, yesterday. We’ll call him Chuck.
He owns and operates a restaurant.
He filled me in on an experience he had recently.
Several days over the past couple of weeks, he received a call from the same person.
The call came from an intermediate operator, used for the hearing and speech impaired.
Chuck told me that the calls came during the 12pm-1pm hour, during his heaviest business.
Each call was taking between 15 and 30 minutes. The operator would read out the statements from the person on the other end of the phone.
Not the most patient guy in the world, my friend finally got to the point that he was hanging up during the call.
Ultimately, the caller wanted to place an order for catering services. Over a matter of four or five days, the services grew from $1,500 to over $3,000. Gradually, the caller would add items in small increments.
Chuck started getting suspicious when the caller wanted to charge the whole amount on a credit card, and from another state.
What really tipped him off?
The caller, supposed to be hearing and speech impaired, insisted on having him charge the credit card. Chuck was then supposed to take cash ($1,200 to add to the credit charge) to a Western Union to wire it to the WU office in Kansas City.
I think this is a sign of things to come. As the economy struggles, we can expect more scams and schemes.
Most of them will be illegal, but not necessarily all of them are.
Now is the time, more than ever, to stay alert and aware.
If someone wants a complex deal that is hard to understand, chances are, it might be better to just say no.
Whether you talk to someone face-to-face, on the phone, on chat or by email… be discerning.
If you don’t have time to check out an offer on a service or a good, wait. Check with the local law enforcement. Google it. Check out the BBB site. Discuss it with your friends.
If it sounds fishy, it probably is.
If you miss a good deal, you still haven’t lost anything.
In the next few months, scams and schemes will be on the rise. Some will originate domestically, and a large percentage will be overseas.
Don’t be pressured or rushed in any transaction. Beware of any appeal to your emotion.
If you feel guilt, empathy, anger, sadness or any other emotion while considering some type of exchange… stop. Walk away, push away from the desk, put down the phone, slam the door.
Spread the word, and start a dialogue with family members and friends.