I enjoyed watching a programme called "Hustle" about a group of con-artists who....well.... hustle
They would decide on a target, usually a specific individual, set up some scheme so elaborate right up the alley of expertise of their prey to dent the pride, the smugness and sometimes to take revenge on behalf of other victims.
The ideas are so brilliant, it's a bit like ocean's 11 & ocean's 12..
However that's where the "niceness" stops.
Because in real life, there isn't any Robin Hood hustler Who'd teach a lesson to other lesser crooks, to those "thieves without honor" These con artists would not be targeting "deserving" individuals But unsuspecting ordinary people.
These people are professionals Professional Miners As a character in Hustler once said "We are miners, for we mine people's greed"....
Indeed.
Be warned!
The Internet has opened the playing field for such fiends Not just by spamming or through chatrooms but through other semi public environments Like "Friendsters", "Tagged" even "Skype"
I came across 2 such incidences through various 'venues'
1. Invitation to live and work in USA. This is a legitimate offer from USA, yearly application, within a specific time frame There is another website, which offers to help and monitor, for a fee... granted, one such agency that was pretty clean.
However, there are some dubious 'follow up' agencies They will call you up to hasten you, asking why you hadn't submitted the form, or sent the money They claim they are working on behalf of the legit agency, Like a 'sub-contractor' And will ask you to send the money prompto to proceed...
Nothing to worry about right.....? Wrong!!
Their request is the money be sent to a different address, a different name Heck, in a different country!!!
A quick check with the USA lottery enquiry, even the agency and it became clear the agency does not 'sub-contract' out to others, let alone a company outside of USA.
The fee ain't much, but as someone pointed out The amount is relative. It's not much for us, it's plenty for someone in another country. Multiply that by the no. of people who fall prey and well.... you get the picture!
2. Helping a bank to claim a dead man's inheritance
A 'bank manager' looking for a foreigner To claim a dead customer's capital Providing all information about the dead person
I played along with it to see where it was leading to... so.. here goes....
Somewhere along the way the bank will ask you to sign some papers knowing jolly well that you are not in the country to handle the transaction so they advise you to use their 'appointed attorney'
who in turn request to be paid his services first not a lot, just a few thousand compared to the millions you might be getting
The fact that there are people who will go all out to cheat people whose crime is reading their emails or signing up "Tagged" or "Friendster" or just "Skype"
Perhaps at this point I really should thank the "Hustle" team for making me weary of schemes and deals as the saying goes: "if it's too good to be true, it probably is"
Name: charisMA Home: Singapore About Me: Mom of 2 amazing n different girls. Love to sing, act n help people, even if it's just with a smile. See my complete profile Earworm:
