Scammers, even clever people are getting conned out of serious money.

[Dave7]

Just listening to a R2 item discussing this.
We know it happens but these are clever people getting scammed.
One guy was a computer programmer that followed a fake Martin Lewis advert. He ended up putting everything he had ie ISAS, 2 bank accounts, he even took out a loan to invest in the non existent "sure thing". He lost C £200K.
IIRC Gloria Honeyford who hosts an anti scam type program got caught out.

 

[Tenkaykev]

With these " Investments " don't people ever stop to think why someone would offer you, a random member of the public, an incredible opportunity instead of investing to the maximum and reaping the rewards for themselves. After all, altruism is hardly a trait amongst their ilk.
There's an excellent BBC Podcast on scammers, they go into the psychological tricks they use and how to counter them. Well worth a listen.

 

[markemark]

I think you need to be either naïve or greedy. I only have sympathy for one of those parties.

 

[biggs682]

I also listened to this on Radio 2 earlier and people are targeting the elderly people by the sound of it

 

[matticus]

Gloria Honeyford

Seems to have a curse on her:

Rip Off Britain's Gloria Hunniford defrauded by impostor, court told
This article is more than 9 years old
‘Lookalike’ convinced banker she was the TV presenter and stole £120,000 by adding 18-year-old as signatory to account

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news...gloria-hunniford-defrauded-imposter-lookalike

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

These scammers are clever and the people at the top do a lot of research

They are VERY good at finding the people they need and exploiting whatever their vulnerability is

and once they get hold of them then they push it and push it until they get everything they can

morality it irrelevant to them

apparently some of the "workers" are told that ALL Western people are rich and if they take everything someone has then they will be fine because The State - or families will sort them out

It is one of the things that we are supposed to talk to people about in AgeUK Digital support
but most people think they are OK and will not get conned

which is worrying

 

[markemark]

A number of the people on the phone are victims of human trafficking and are being kept against their will. The fraud is horrendous but it is not often the human being at the other end of the line that is profiting

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

A number of the people on the phone are victims of human trafficking and are being kept against their will. The fraud is horrendous but it is not often the human being at the other end of the line that is profiting

Yes
it is the people at the top that deserve to be locked up

the people at the bottom - probably varies depending on the organisation

 

[Dave7]

Seems to have a curse on her:

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news...gloria-hunniford-defrauded-imposter-lookalike

I didnt say it was recent.....im just highlighting the fact that even savvy people are being caught out. These scammers are clever and thier scripts are tried and tested.

 

[All uphill]

There was an interesting article in the Geographical magazine recently reporting that there are scammer "factories" in Cambodia with up to 100,000 employees each. They represent more than 10 percent of GNP.

In other words it's a big industry, not a few baddies. As said above many employees are victims too.

 

[Dirk]

Just listening to a R2 item discussing this.
We know it happens but these are clever people getting scammed.
One guy was a computer programmer that followed a fake Martin Lewis advert. He ended up putting everything he had ie ISAS, 2 bank accounts, he even took out a loan to invest in the non existent "sure thing". He lost C £200K.
IIRC Gloria Honeyford who hosts an anti scam type program got caught out.

Hardly what I'd call a clever person; more like a gullible greedy one.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Hardly what I'd call a clever person; more like a gullible greedy one.

Gullible and greedy are the best possible combination for scammer who want a big profit

The series Hustle - for all its faults - was a good illustration of this - a few well placed lies, a great opportunity and a lot of hurry
and they have you
if you are greedy enough and believe them