There is another side to be pondered in this business of telephone and internet scams.
What do we really know about the voices that come uninvited into our home at all times of the day and night, rousing us from a sound sleep or interfering with a lunch of soup and sandwich or supper of ham and scalloped potatoes?
Have we ever stopped to think about the men and women who certainly must have ear damage or a bruised ego from having the phone slammed down in their ears. And likely they have heard words and orders that are unfamiliar to their own vocabulary — but the meaning is clear — stop calling this number.
I have no idea of the individual circumstances through which these voices are living. Are they bothering perfect strangers with far-fetched stories because it is the only way they can make money with which to support their families? Are they lacking in the education to qualify them for better jobs or are they raising money to go to university or a trade school — maybe where they would learn how to repair my damaged Microsoft computer (which I don’t have.)
Are these invisible human beings thinking that if young students in our country can sell magazine subscriptions to earn funds to pay for university then why shouldn’t they try selling us something as well — shares in a gold mine perhaps as long as we send money so the claim can be filed. Do you really believe the claim of there being gold in “them thar hills?”
Are their mothers and fathers proud of their offspring who are going through life trying to scam grannies out of money to bail a relative out of jail. It turns out, of course, that the relative is not in jail or in any kind of trouble, but what granny wouldn’t consider helping out a grandchild?
Do these people work a 40-hour work week, do they work out of their homes, in large warehouses, or from their cars? How much money per hour do they earn?
How much money does each scammer get to take home from a really good day of hoping we will be gullible enough to send them money to stop the RCMP from stopping by because we ordered a parcel and haven’t paid the fees?
Should I wonder each time I firmly replace the telephone receiver whether I am depriving some child of a hearty breakfast or the opportunity to buy a new jacket for school?
I doubt I would wonder for very long, just long enough to remember we don’t have a VISA card, a Microsoft computer, an unpaid Amazon bill, we don’t owe the Canada Revenue Agency any ignored taxes, we don’t have any relatives in jail and we’d have to think twice about providing bail money. And I’m sorry they can’t get their inheritance unless they raise a few dollars from perfect strangers.
Maybe we could be friends someday if they would only stop calling so many times with the same tall tales. Or better yet, they could get a real job and put all this scamming talent to better use.
We’d all win. They wouldn’t be shunned for doing their jobs and we wouldn’t be bothered time and time again by so many imperfect strangers who don’t have the courtesy to answer after we say “hello.”
Joyce Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.
