Quote:
Originally Posted by retiredguy123
I'm not criticizing, but, when I read about some of the outrageous scams like these, it makes me wonder that, if I ever get to the point where I would fall for them, what difference does it make? I may as well just lose my money. But, your advice to just hang up the phone seems ridiculously inadequate. Is someone who would buy hundreds of gift cards and give them to a stranger really going to take your advice to just hang up the phone?
|
Hi retiredguy,
You are right about my advice to not answer or hang up as being inadequate — though ‘woefully’ inadequate might have been a better phrase. But, that’s OK. I knew what you meant.
- - - - -
There is a lot to this brain science thing discussed in the link I added to my earlier post. What is really scary is that writing off the susceptibility to being scammed as a sign of dementia is to dismiss much of what is happening with the ever growing onslaught of scams. Many, many of those scammed are highly functioning seniors with no signs of dementia.
I have read other articles about the hijacking of the amygdala, a part of the brain that has to do with our emotions.
The goal of a scammer is to get a grip on the amygdala to elicit an emotional response: Must act immediately! Get a deal! Rescue someone! Rescue your computer from having been hacked! Fear! Paranoia! Anger! Romance!
Maybe advice should include to be aware of quick, new, emotional responses, slam on the brakes, and let critical thinking skills kick in.
Another aspect of scamming potential — those cruel in-person scams. One night at LSL, I observed a young woman chatting up a much older gentleman while in line. They were obviously strangers to each other. She was so persistent in trying to connect with him. Something about it was making the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I continued to observe as the line moved along. But I then realized he was suspicious of her motives, too. Good for him! I did not have to rescue him.