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The web site looks like a typical crypto scam.[1] [1] https://web.archive.org/web/20230216090211/https://ecurrencyescrow.llc/ https://web.archive.org/web/20230

The web site looks like a typical crypto scam.[1] [1] https://web.archive.org/web/20230216090211/https://ecurrencyescrow.llc/ https://web.archive.org/web/20230216090211/https://ecurrency...

Mistletoe 2y ago
Old people are simply too easy to fool. Their brains don’t work fully, it is like shooting fish in a barrel. Then you realize these people vote and elect our officials and the world makes a lot more sense. My parents are having these same issues where they don’t recognize obvious scams. It’s like they don’t speak the same language of the internet the rest of us do.
- foepys 2y ago
  It's not just old people. Younger people (and especially GenZ) are falling for (social media) scams at an astounding rate. https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/data-visualizations/data-spotlight/2022/12/who-experiences-scams-story-all-ages https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/data-visualizations/data-spo... https://time.com/6802011/gen-z-financial-scams-fraud/ https://time.com/6802011/gen-z-financial-scams-fraud/
  - lupusreal 2y ago
    There is virtually no difference between a "parasocial relationship" and a confidence scam.
    - QuadmasterXLII 2y ago
      I am getting “parasocial relationship”/“confidence scammed” for currently $1.23 a month, which feels like a quantitative difference from the situation in the article if not a qualitative one
      - lupusreal 2y ago
        There are scams sized to fit everybody, big and small.
  - RGamma 2y ago
    Is there no consumer protection and enforcement in the US? For years I've been reading about huge and abundant scams in the US. How the fuck does there not exist a massive immune system against this? If the respective agencies are overwhelmed with detection, try tapping into wisdom of the crowd via whistleblower programs.
    - rawgabbit 2y ago
      The US has CFPB which just survived the Supreme Court. https://www.reuters.com/legal/us-supreme-court-backs-consumer-finance-watchdog-agencys-funding-mechanism-2024-05-16/ https://www.reuters.com/legal/us-supreme-court-backs-consume...
- interludead 2y ago
  It's not necessarily about their brains not working but rather about lacking experience with online communication and fraud tactics! And it's not just old people
  - lupusreal 2y ago
    It's old people particularly and most of it is being done over the phone; something they've used their whole lives. Cognitive decline with age is real, no sense in denying it.
    - Twistyfiasco 2y ago
      I think they’re just saying no one group is immune.
      - interludead 2y ago
        Yes, and thinking about it, I believe they choose specific tactics of deception or scams for each group
EnigmaFlare 2y ago
It doesn't even matter what the website looks like, that's what trips people up - thinking they have any capacity to judge how legitimate something is from what it looks like. Almost all scams follow this same pattern that everybody should learn: 1) Stranger approaches you 2) They tell you some things 3) They ask for money That process looks like a legitimate cold-calling salesman, but you can treat them the same way and not miss out. After step 2), assume everything they said is possibly a lie and go find the actual person/organization you already know and trust and contact them yourself to do whatever it is. If it's not somebody you already trust, as in this case, then abort.
- teachrdan 2y ago
  I would add a bit of nuance to this. I always say there are three parts of any scam: 1. Claim of authority (timeshare purchase agent in this case) 2. Call to action (send me just a bit of money to sell your timeshare) 3. Sense of urgency (buyer will go with someone else if you don't act now) You'd be surprised how often all three of these are present in a phishing attack of any variety.
  - jbs789 2y ago
    Absolutely. Once had exposure to a sales course at a leading institution and biggest takeaway for me was learning the tactics, to then be able to recognise the tactics when used on me. And when these things all line up, I become deeply sceptical. Examples: Sense of urgency - limited time offer! Social proof - everyone else is doing it! Call to authority - #1 doctor recommended! For scammers, the way I think about it… there is no choice but to be exceptional at the sales process and understanding what drives people, because there is no product. It doesn’t necessarily indicate someone who is good at sales is a scammer, but seeing these tactics always shifts me into a sceptical mode.
    - EnigmaFlare 2y ago
      Looking for signs in the tealeaves is risky though. For example, my doctors sometimes sends me text messages saying something like "Hello enigmaflare, your XYZ Medical Center invoice for $83.00 is due in 7 days. Please pay to 01-2345-67890123-00." It's not using salesman tactics, but a scammer could replicate that and collect the money himself. Another example I experienced was a door-to-door salesman who say your home has been identified by the government to be eligible for a heavily discounted air conditioner installation. Our company is authorized to provide that. There's limited funding available so buy quick to avoid missing out. So it ticks all your boxes but it wasn't a scam and I did buy it and it really was a great deal. BUT I didn't trust a word the salesman said. I checked with the government myself, found their company from the list of authorized installers, and called them back through that channel to order it. That's that part people keep getting wrong. They don't go through another channel to re-contact them.

The web site looks like a typical crypto scam.[1] [1] https://web.archive.org/web/20230216090211/https://ecurrencyescrow.llc/ https://web.archive.org/web/20230216090211/https://ecurrency...

Mistletoe 2y ago

Old people are simply too easy to fool. Their brains don’t work fully, it is like shooting fish in a barrel. Then you realize these people vote and elect our officials and the world makes a lot more sense. My parents are having these same issues where they don’t recognize obvious scams. It’s like they don’t speak the same language of the internet the rest of us do.

foepys 2y ago
It's not just old people. Younger people (and especially GenZ) are falling for (social media) scams at an astounding rate. https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/data-visualizations/data-spotlight/2022/12/who-experiences-scams-story-all-ages https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/data-visualizations/data-spo... https://time.com/6802011/gen-z-financial-scams-fraud/ https://time.com/6802011/gen-z-financial-scams-fraud/
- lupusreal 2y ago
  There is virtually no difference between a "parasocial relationship" and a confidence scam.
  - QuadmasterXLII 2y ago
    I am getting “parasocial relationship”/“confidence scammed” for currently $1.23 a month, which feels like a quantitative difference from the situation in the article if not a qualitative one
    - lupusreal 2y ago
      There are scams sized to fit everybody, big and small.
- RGamma 2y ago
  Is there no consumer protection and enforcement in the US? For years I've been reading about huge and abundant scams in the US. How the fuck does there not exist a massive immune system against this? If the respective agencies are overwhelmed with detection, try tapping into wisdom of the crowd via whistleblower programs.
  - rawgabbit 2y ago
    The US has CFPB which just survived the Supreme Court. https://www.reuters.com/legal/us-supreme-court-backs-consumer-finance-watchdog-agencys-funding-mechanism-2024-05-16/ https://www.reuters.com/legal/us-supreme-court-backs-consume...
interludead 2y ago
It's not necessarily about their brains not working but rather about lacking experience with online communication and fraud tactics! And it's not just old people
- lupusreal 2y ago
  It's old people particularly and most of it is being done over the phone; something they've used their whole lives. Cognitive decline with age is real, no sense in denying it.
  - Twistyfiasco 2y ago
    I think they’re just saying no one group is immune.
    - interludead 2y ago
      Yes, and thinking about it, I believe they choose specific tactics of deception or scams for each group

EnigmaFlare 2y ago

It doesn't even matter what the website looks like, that's what trips people up - thinking they have any capacity to judge how legitimate something is from what it looks like. Almost all scams follow this same pattern that everybody should learn: 1) Stranger approaches you 2) They tell you some things 3) They ask for money That process looks like a legitimate cold-calling salesman, but you can treat them the same way and not miss out. After step 2), assume everything they said is possibly a lie and go find the actual person/organization you already know and trust and contact them yourself to do whatever it is. If it's not somebody you already trust, as in this case, then abort.

teachrdan 2y ago
I would add a bit of nuance to this. I always say there are three parts of any scam: 1. Claim of authority (timeshare purchase agent in this case) 2. Call to action (send me just a bit of money to sell your timeshare) 3. Sense of urgency (buyer will go with someone else if you don't act now) You'd be surprised how often all three of these are present in a phishing attack of any variety.
- jbs789 2y ago
  Absolutely. Once had exposure to a sales course at a leading institution and biggest takeaway for me was learning the tactics, to then be able to recognise the tactics when used on me. And when these things all line up, I become deeply sceptical. Examples: Sense of urgency - limited time offer! Social proof - everyone else is doing it! Call to authority - #1 doctor recommended! For scammers, the way I think about it… there is no choice but to be exceptional at the sales process and understanding what drives people, because there is no product. It doesn’t necessarily indicate someone who is good at sales is a scammer, but seeing these tactics always shifts me into a sceptical mode.
  - EnigmaFlare 2y ago
    Looking for signs in the tealeaves is risky though. For example, my doctors sometimes sends me text messages saying something like "Hello enigmaflare, your XYZ Medical Center invoice for $83.00 is due in 7 days. Please pay to 01-2345-67890123-00." It's not using salesman tactics, but a scammer could replicate that and collect the money himself. Another example I experienced was a door-to-door salesman who say your home has been identified by the government to be eligible for a heavily discounted air conditioner installation. Our company is authorized to provide that. There's limited funding available so buy quick to avoid missing out. So it ticks all your boxes but it wasn't a scam and I did buy it and it really was a great deal. BUT I didn't trust a word the salesman said. I checked with the government myself, found their company from the list of authorized installers, and called them back through that channel to order it. That's that part people keep getting wrong. They don't go through another channel to re-contact them.