4 ms·

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

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

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