STRANGER CONTACT WARNING

We want to alert you to a a potential problem with people who comment on anti-scamScam A Scam is a confidence trick - a crime -  is an attempt to defraud a person or group after first gaining their trust through deception. Scams or confidence tricks exploit victims using their credulity, naïveté, compassion, vanity, irresponsibility, or greed and exploiting that. Researchers have defined confidence tricks as "a distinctive species of fraudulent conduct ... intending to further voluntary exchanges that are not mutually beneficial", as they "benefit con operators ('con men' - criminals) at the expense of their victims (the 'marks')". A scam is a crime even if no money was lost. pages & websites.

That person may be a MULEMule A money mule sometimes called a "smurfer," is a person who transfers money acquired illegally (e.g., stolen) in person, through a courier service, or electronically, on behalf of others (usually criminals that they are knowingly or unknowingly affiliated). Typically, the mule is paid for services with a small part of the money transferred - but not always. Mules may or may not be aware that they are performing these actions. Money mules are often dupes recruited online for what they think is legitimate employment, not aware that the money they are transferring is the product of crime. The money is transferred from the mule's account to the scam operator, typically in another country. Similar techniques are used to transfer illegal merchandise. Mules can be prosecuted for numerous crimes. or a SCAMMERScammer A Scammer or Fraudster is someone that engages in deception to obtain money or achieve another objective. They are criminals that attempt to deceive a victim into sending more or performing some other activity that benefits the scammer. recruiting.

There are victims who fall under a fairy tale told by scammers – that someone is going to help all of these victims, and wants their connections (mules) to go out and connect with victims so “He” can help them.

Warning them about a scammer when they are on a fake profile is one thing, this just involves leaving them a message that they are talking to a scammer.

However, when someone strikes up a conversation and tries to get the victims into private conversations away from prying eyes – this is something else.

This usually is a form of a follow up scam, after the victim has discovered the scam. The scammer comes back and then pretends to be a therapist or a counselor, and just wants to help victims. Sometimes they ask their MULES to do it. Either way, it is yet another way to track victims for another scam.

From time to time we see very aggressive people commenting on our pages and websites soliciting victims to contact them privately on appsApps Applications or Apps An application (software), commonly referred to as an ‘app’ is a program on a computer, tablet, mobile phone or device. Apps are designed for specific tasks, including checking the weather, accessing the internet, looking at photos, playing media, mobile banking, etc. Many apps can access the internet if needed and can be downloaded (used) either for a price or for free. Apps are a major point of vulnerability on all devices. Some are designed to be malicious, such as logging keystrokes or activity, and others can even transport malware. Always be careful about any app you are thinking about installing., Facebook messenger, by email, or on Google Hangouts. Of course this is a major red flag when a stranger contacts you like this.

There can be many reasons for this and all of them are dangerous to you.

1. A Victim with a Messiah Complex – a very angry victim who fundamentally believes that they are the only one that can save everybody. They want to gather you into their flock. They are not really so different from a cult leader.
2. A Scammer’s MULE – (even though they are well intentioned – most of the time) recruiting for a scammer (who is pretending to be a victims therapist or counselor on line. All they need to do is talk to a victim and then everything will be wonderful.
3. A Scammer – they will reach out after they have failed and try several other tactics to re-scam a victim, or other others. In the end they don’t care as long as the money flows.

This is why we are always careful when warning victims on a scammers page or profile. We do not want to be perceived as one of these.

Always beware of total strangers that just start up a conversation in comments where they want you to contact them privately.

Never Take The Bait!

Some can be overtly hostile when we explain our policy to prohibit that kind of contact for every victims’ safety. Some have to be banned from our pages and websites.

This happens a few times a month and we respond by explaining the situation, and if the person persists or takes their angerAnger Anger, also known as wrath or rage, is an intense emotional state involving a strong uncomfortable and non-cooperative response to a perceived provocation, trigger, hurt or threat. About one-third of scam victims become trapped in anger for extended periods of time following a scam. A person experiencing anger will often experience physical effects, such as increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure, and increased levels of adrenaline and noradrenaline. Some view anger as an emotion that triggers a part of the fight or flight response. Anger becomes the predominant feeling behaviorally, cognitively, and physiologically. Anger can have many physical and mental consequences. While most of those who experience anger explain its arousal as a result of "what has happened to them", psychologists point out that an angry person can very well be mistaken because anger causes a loss in self-monitoring capacity and objective observability. out on us is banned.

Just be aware that there is more than one way for scammers to reach out to you!

Be Smart Online!