“Scams are almost laughable” a friend might say in response to hearing a passing story from a neighbour or colleague about the latest one.
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“Who would be fooled by that?” The person replies, quickly changing the conversation.
Many may have experienced this exact scenario themselves. In an age of constantly evolving technological discoveries, a suspicious phone call or text should be avoided for security concerns.
There are many reasons why scams continue to fester among even the most intelligent of circles. Beyond the statistics, such as those which tell us from January 2016 over $60,000 was stolen from Goulburn Mulwaree people, there appears to be an active dissociation to these horror stories.
This is thousands lost on a fake partner abroad or to a disguised household internet provider.
People believe it won’t happen to them. People think they, as an owner of expensive devices, will know if they are being swindled by criminals on or offshore.
But scammers are skilled and sometimes all it comes down to is a lack of concentration. They hunt for the vulnerable and in their far-reaching net they to catch a lot.
A veil of embarrassment has also protected the stories of thousands who are too afraid to admit their mistakes. Vulnerability is not defined by any sort of certain characteristic but instead is quite fluid and like the net of the hunter, is far reaching.
Person A who owns an expensive house, takes overt pride in a stable income and who is a constant traveller will be less likely to speak out about losing money from a scam others might joke about.
Increased stories of scams become an ironic deterrent and the reticence in victims coming forward does the same thing.
Scammers work in a sweet spot of human psychology. Add in the potential for high financial reward and it becomes an easier pill to swallow.
There is nothing common about common sense. It’s a notion that leaves some feeling smart and others just feeling left behind.
There shouldn’t be a comedic overtone attached to a crime and there should not be an assumption that avoiding scams is part and parcel of our privileged common understanding.
Education and acceptance will deter scammers who only see Goulburn in dollar signs. Let’s keep vigilant to stop these scammers in their tracks.
