Here's something you might be interested in.
I was leaving the house today, and heard the newscaster say there was a story coming up on an old person that recently got scammed out of money.
Now, am I jerk, since I have no sympathy when this happens? Okay, I have a little sympathy. It's an old person that may have lost their savings.
But I remember as a child, my grandmother was living in Lakewood, and was mugged on two different occasions. This, angered me. But, an old person that walks out of the bank, and somebody says "I have this lottery ticket. You can see, it's won a million dollars. But I can't cash it, since I'm in the country illegally. So, I'll sell you the ticket for ten grand. Go get the money out of your bank." And they do it!!!! Should we feel bad for someone this stupid? And, don't tell me they are old, and that's an excuse for stupidity. If you are this old and stupid, and driving to the bank, well, you are more of a danger to others on the road. They are probably one of those old people that mistakes the brake for the gas, and runs over 10 people, and we wonder how it happened.
I've always said, when someone turns 70, their license should be revoked. And, the government could provide a service that takes them places. It's not worth the risk (and save your damn letters...I'm sure you all know a 90-year-old you think is a perfect driver...yeah, well tell me what happens when they have a stroke, or heart attack behind the wheel; that's happened and killed other drivers).
But I digest (I just finished a late dinner).
If you are old and that irresponsible, or stupid, when someone knocks on your door with some deal that is "to good to be true"; Or someone calls you with a good deal on stocks -- how about you call your kids, your attorney, or better yet, the police.
I remember the first day I got the email telling me there's a bank account in Scotland, and some king is giving me half of the money, if I simply give them some of my info. In fact, I think I got this email the day after my computer was set up. I deleted it.
I had sympathy for a teenager girl working at a gas station, that got scammed by a customer that found a diamond ring. As this customer was showing the clerk, a phone call came from a panicking, yelling customer...saying anyone that found it, would get a ten thousand dollar reward. This woman said, "I don't have time to wait, I'm leaving." The clerk said, "The person on the phone said they'd be here in 15 minutes to give you the reward. Well, if you have to leave, how about, I give you $5,000, and when she gets here, I'll give her the ring." The exchange was made, and guess what? The ring wasn't real. Nobody showed up, and five grand was just given out of a gas station register. Stupid, yeah, but it's a young kid working their first job, and not thinking fast on their toes. I have sympathy for something like that.
I dunno. Maybe this is bitterness from my grandmother sending me those birthday and Christmas cards over the years, with five bucks in them. Maybe five bucks was a lot of cash during the Depression. But I wanted to tell grandma it was the 80s, and that only paid for half of my Oingo Boingo cassette. But I knew it was the thought that counts.
But I have to admit...if she would've send me a card with five bucks, and given some stranger ten thousand dollars for a bogus lottery ticket, she wouldn't have passed away from the liver cancer. It would have been from being strangled by me.
I was leaving the house today, and heard the newscaster say there was a story coming up on an old person that recently got scammed out of money.
Now, am I jerk, since I have no sympathy when this happens? Okay, I have a little sympathy. It's an old person that may have lost their savings.
But I remember as a child, my grandmother was living in Lakewood, and was mugged on two different occasions. This, angered me. But, an old person that walks out of the bank, and somebody says "I have this lottery ticket. You can see, it's won a million dollars. But I can't cash it, since I'm in the country illegally. So, I'll sell you the ticket for ten grand. Go get the money out of your bank." And they do it!!!! Should we feel bad for someone this stupid? And, don't tell me they are old, and that's an excuse for stupidity. If you are this old and stupid, and driving to the bank, well, you are more of a danger to others on the road. They are probably one of those old people that mistakes the brake for the gas, and runs over 10 people, and we wonder how it happened.
I've always said, when someone turns 70, their license should be revoked. And, the government could provide a service that takes them places. It's not worth the risk (and save your damn letters...I'm sure you all know a 90-year-old you think is a perfect driver...yeah, well tell me what happens when they have a stroke, or heart attack behind the wheel; that's happened and killed other drivers).
But I digest (I just finished a late dinner).
If you are old and that irresponsible, or stupid, when someone knocks on your door with some deal that is "to good to be true"; Or someone calls you with a good deal on stocks -- how about you call your kids, your attorney, or better yet, the police.
I remember the first day I got the email telling me there's a bank account in Scotland, and some king is giving me half of the money, if I simply give them some of my info. In fact, I think I got this email the day after my computer was set up. I deleted it.
I had sympathy for a teenager girl working at a gas station, that got scammed by a customer that found a diamond ring. As this customer was showing the clerk, a phone call came from a panicking, yelling customer...saying anyone that found it, would get a ten thousand dollar reward. This woman said, "I don't have time to wait, I'm leaving." The clerk said, "The person on the phone said they'd be here in 15 minutes to give you the reward. Well, if you have to leave, how about, I give you $5,000, and when she gets here, I'll give her the ring." The exchange was made, and guess what? The ring wasn't real. Nobody showed up, and five grand was just given out of a gas station register. Stupid, yeah, but it's a young kid working their first job, and not thinking fast on their toes. I have sympathy for something like that.
I dunno. Maybe this is bitterness from my grandmother sending me those birthday and Christmas cards over the years, with five bucks in them. Maybe five bucks was a lot of cash during the Depression. But I wanted to tell grandma it was the 80s, and that only paid for half of my Oingo Boingo cassette. But I knew it was the thought that counts.
But I have to admit...if she would've send me a card with five bucks, and given some stranger ten thousand dollars for a bogus lottery ticket, she wouldn't have passed away from the liver cancer. It would have been from being strangled by me.