To say this is going to be a happy holiday for everyone is simply missing the obvious. That is not the case for many who have succumbed to fraud online.
The scenario begins with a friendly "hello" from a stranger that so many people accept as friendly because of an online life. When salesmen and fraudsters had to actually make an appearance at a customer's door, their presence would more than likely end any transaction. But, in the age of cyber there are some very successful fraudsters and scammers and there are no laws that stop or punish the crimes being commited globally.
What sets in is similar to the Stockholm Syndrome. The victim to the criminal actually has incorporated their identity as a friend, but, more a member of the family. So after the relationship has cemented, all of a sudden there is a tragedy so herendous it is almost inconcievable. Immediately, the relationship turns to need for funds and the victim is so astounded by the tragedy the money rolls out of their accounts into that of the criminal.
That is not all. If the victim states there are no monies in that large sum available, they might secure loans or the criminal may deposit checks into the victims account to razzle-dazzle them and then ask to return the monies, hurriedly and all too often they are asked to deposit the cash in cyber ATMs so the monies are received anywhere in the world. The checks will bounce, but, in the short duration of the interaction, the computers at the bank have cleared the checks and in a matter of a couple of days, the victim has an enormous negative balance in their account. The checks are either third party checks and/or altered and fraudulent. But, it is too late by the time all that is discovered by the humans of the bank because the computers have already allowed the transactions.
When I speak with people, and there are many, they say I never doubted what was said to me and I don't know why. I am usually not that influenced. Stockholm Syndrome. The enemy becomes family and a trusted commodity.
There needs to be legislation globally to end this because it is cruel and inhuamne and some of the most innocent citizens of any country become victims and simply write it off as "How could I be this stupid?" I don't believe these are individual criminals, I am convinced this is organized crime. Every story is nearly the same and the false checks always manifest when the victim's cash flow runs out. This is organized crime using cyber to redirect money away from citizens and into their own coffers and no one knows who they are really funding.
Get on it. This is dangerous to average people. How could one person, age doesn't matter, after another, after another, after another do exactly the same thing with such devastating adverse outcomes? It is well practiced and it is a syndrome that sets in that allows the vulnerability. It is a syndrome that is realted to cyber. An enemy becomes a friend and their financial need is so important it causes self-destruction of the victim.
By James Tapper
...The impact of fraud on victims is appalling, (click here) Lewis said. “As well as potentially being life-destroying financially, it has a huge impact on self-esteem and mental health.”
Research by the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute (MMHPI), a charity that Lewis set up, found that people with mental health problems were three times as likely to fall victim to scammers.
“This is not something we can put back in its box and say it was a lockdown problem,” said Helen Undy, MMHPI’s chief executive.
“Scammers are targeting people who are vulnerable because of their mental health, bereavement, long-term health conditions or any number of reasons. So the number of people who are vulnerable is going up, which will mean that number of victims of scams is likely to go up.
Undy said the pandemic had seen an increase in romance scams, where a victim is targeted through online dating, and impersonation scams, where criminals claim to be from a bank or other trusted institution, such as a delivery company.
“The delivery one, that says pay a £2 or £3 charge, was twisted genius,” Lewis said. “So many people are expecting deliveries now. They swear a bit and just pay their delivery, and don’t realise they’ve given away their bank details to a scammer.”...
...The impact of fraud on victims is appalling, (click here) Lewis said. “As well as potentially being life-destroying financially, it has a huge impact on self-esteem and mental health.”
Research by the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute (MMHPI), a charity that Lewis set up, found that people with mental health problems were three times as likely to fall victim to scammers.
“This is not something we can put back in its box and say it was a lockdown problem,” said Helen Undy, MMHPI’s chief executive.
“Scammers are targeting people who are vulnerable because of their mental health, bereavement, long-term health conditions or any number of reasons. So the number of people who are vulnerable is going up, which will mean that number of victims of scams is likely to go up.
Undy said the pandemic had seen an increase in romance scams, where a victim is targeted through online dating, and impersonation scams, where criminals claim to be from a bank or other trusted institution, such as a delivery company.
“The delivery one, that says pay a £2 or £3 charge, was twisted genius,” Lewis said. “So many people are expecting deliveries now. They swear a bit and just pay their delivery, and don’t realise they’ve given away their bank details to a scammer.”...
