Every time the telephone rings, there is the possibility the caller will be a scammer, someone with extra time on his or her hands to design schemes to part honest or naive individuals from their money.
In recent months this household has received calls about our VISA credit card being compromised, repairs required for our Microsoft computer, my social insurance number being compromised, a relative dying and money required for his/her burial, money owed to the tax collection agency, and a threatened visit by the RCMP for various misdeeds. They might not be scams but recently pollsters have been calling to ask our personal opinions on a number of topics.
To recap: we don’t have a VISA credit card nor a microsoft computer. My SIN number is on a card in my wallet and the other day it took several minutes for me to find it. So the thief doing the compromising must have the patience of a saint to complete the compromise. Both of us have paid our tax bills in full and so far no one in an RCMP uniform has paid us a visit.
According to reports from policing agencies, another scam is underway, one which so far has avoided our household. Apparently the caller has been watching too many police shows for this scam involves kidnappers and ransom demands.
The caller claims to have kidnapped a loved one in the recipient’s family. The family member being called is told to drive to a bank and await further instructions. I suspect the next instruction would be to withdraw money to hand over to the kidnapper. And I also suspect there would be the admonition “do not call the police” — orders straight from the latest episode of FBI.
As I listened to the reports of this latest scam I couldn’t help but think about what I would say if such a call were made to our house. Would I hang up or get the caller talking to extract as much information as possible?
I would first want to know the name of the victim: Housemate, sibling, nephews, nieces, cousins or friends believed to be family. Of course I would ask for proof of life before wasting a trip to the bank. I would ask for some distinct information that only the victim could provide, possibly a favourite saying, a family secret or even a voice recording asking me to give up a few dollars for this good cause.
If such a call came and Housemate answered, he would say nasty words before hanging up, or before ensuring I was safely at home and not tied up in someone’s dirty old cargo van.
If I answered, and was told Housemate had been captured, I would have to think twice whether I would pay to get him back. Of course I would be joking and would gladly take money from his half of our joint account to pay for his safe return. I would also have to question how they got him away from his computer or television without me being aware of the caper.
In the event of such a call, police have advised that recipients should immediately try to contact the supposed kidnapped person. If contact cannot be made, then a call to the police service is advised.
Of course I would follow such instructions but I can’t help but wonder just how much ransom would be demanded for either of us. The amount had better not interfere with our Christmas gift budget. Or maybe me paying his ransom could be considered a gift that Housemate might appreciate receiving.
My words to the scummy kidnappers: “Get a real job and leave Housemate alone.”
Joyce Walter can be reached at [email protected]
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.
