Theme:
Beware of tricksters & Fraudsters.
We read in news papers or listen to stories as how people get deceived by simple tricks or unbelievably false offers,
Often, it is difficult to decide if one loose out to tricksters fraudsters out of greed or foolishness.
Following few stories will tell a couple of stories and one might decide as how to protect themselves from similar situations.
While some come with innovations in cheating, most people fall victims to some simple and old tricks.
Confidence tricking:: The tricksters gain victim’s confidence with small doses of help or voluntary favour. Some day they walk off with a big loot, even before the victims notices it.
Solution: Always be on altert. Think and consult a few others of any new situations before you act. There are situations when one needs to react now or never. Even in such situations, pause, look all around think and act slowly.
Story 21
(A) James works as an accountant in a construction firm. He would go to his bank to draw cash for salary disbursement of the work force in his company every week.
On one such occasion, he with drew cash and was about to leave the counter. Suddenly, some one nearby pointed out that a few ten rupee notes had slipped out of his pocket. James saw a few ten rupee notes near bum, on the floor.
He bent down to collect the notes and in that very moment some one snatched and ran away with the suitcase where he had kept a few lakhs in cash.
I am not sure if he could get the cash back or not. It was the days where there were no CCD cameras in the Banks.
It is important to remember that when our attention is distracted, it is easy for any one to relieve us of the possession. I have read such news stories several times in life. Probably it will be in news in future also.
(B) It was the days when email in India becoming popular. I had an acquaintance who called me on some urgent discussion. The matter was simple. He received an email suggestion some Defence official from an African nation wanted his help to do some bank transaction so that he could get the huge sum stashed away from his country. If he offers his help in fund transfer then he would part with a few hundred million US Dollars. I asked him some basic questions such as if he know that person before receiving this email. He replied me in negative. Then I advised him to ignore that email. He was afraid to go alone and probably expected that I would support the idea of responding to that email.
A week latter, there was a big news in national dailies of an incident where some one responded to such an email. He was asked to give a lot of personal information, Then was invited to Mumbai. He was taken to a Star hotel by an African, He has a couple of more Africans and a couple of locals.
All of them beat him up black and blue. relieved of all his valuables. Drew as much cash that was possible to be removed from his credit cards.
To top it all, they warned him of revenge killing of his family members if you choose to complain with Police or any other agency.
The victim, after suffering humiations and loss gained currage after newarly a week and reported this incident to police and press. The acquaintance brought the press clipping to me and thanked for the right advise.