The number that showed on caller ID had a Washington state area code, but the thick accent of the woman calling suggested she lived a lot farther away than the other side of the Juan de Fuca Strait.
Our computer was having problems with its Windows operating system, she said, and she had the solution. She was a bit perplexed when told none of our computers used Windows, but she kept trying anyway.
I wasn鈥檛 the one who took the call, but I wish I had been 鈥� those calls can be the source of much entertainment.
Such as the time, while being offered a business service that was quite obviously a scam, I interrupted the caller.
鈥淒on鈥檛 say anything, just listen,鈥� I whispered intensely. 鈥淢annie says the police are going to be there in six minutes. Wipe all the hard drives and shred everything!鈥�
It鈥檚 highly unlikely anyone at the other end followed my instruction, but I can have my little fantasy, can鈥檛 I?
You could try this one: 鈥淪orry 鈥� using the telephone is a violation of my parole.鈥�
Another response: 鈥淐areful what you say. This phone is tapped.鈥�
We were having a family discussion on responses to unsolicited phone calls, when my daughter-in-law said: 鈥淚 just hang up.鈥�
Where鈥檚 the fun in that?
But for many, telephone and computer scams are not funny. I can鈥檛 feel sorry for someone who loses out in trying to be part of a multimillion-dollar transfer from a Nigerian bank account 鈥� that鈥檚 the price you pay for being greedy 鈥� but for too many, the penalty comes from being trusting.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 exactly why scammers are so successful,鈥� says Mike Russell, spokesman for the Victoria Police Department. 鈥淭hey prey on people鈥檚 trust.鈥�
As Russell spoke of scams, he showed one that had just come in on his own cellphone. It was a message telling him to access an Internet address to remove restrictions on his bank account. He doesn鈥檛 have an account with the bank mentioned.
He was getting ready to publicize information about a scam involving rental properties in Victoria. A prospective renter answering an online ad is asked to send a money order for the property, after which someone will show up with a key. Which, of course, doesn鈥檛 happen.
Rental arrangements should usually be done face to face, says Russell, and a request for a money order is an almost certain clue that something shifty is afoot.
By all means, report a scam to the police, but most frauds done by phone or computer are done anonymously or from another country, and police can鈥檛 do much, except urge people to be wise.
鈥淒on鈥檛 get involved in the first place,鈥� said Russell.
The bushes are crawling with predators out to get your money. Some of the methods are laughably clumsy, but people still seem to fall for them. A former colleague told me her ex-husband fell for the money-transfer scam, draining the family bank account to send an up-front fee that would result in his receiving a huge payment for handling the transfer.
He got burned twice that way. It鈥檚 one of the reasons he鈥檚 her ex-husband.
As police and the public get wise to the fraudsters, the schemes get more sophisticated. Digital technology allows for convincing impersonations: police, banks, Internet service providers, government departments, charities, courier companies 鈥� Can you trust anyone anymore?
Maybe not. In the news business, there鈥檚 this advice about verifying information: 鈥淚f your mother says she loves you, check it out.鈥�
While that鈥檚 a trifle on the cynical side, it鈥檚 not far off the mark. If your grandson calls and says he鈥檚 stranded in London, or locked up in jail in San Francisco, or stuck at the airport in Toronto because someone has stolen his wallet, check it out. You would think people would recognize the voices of their grandchildren, but too many people fall for this ruse to the tune of thousands of dollars.
Be a little suspicious if someone wants to get some money from you. Be even more suspicious if someone wants to give you money.
When that wonderful offer shows up on your computer, delete it without opening it. When that unsolicited phone call comes, reeking of fraud, follow my daughter-in-law鈥檚 advice: just hang up.
It might not be much fun, but it鈥檚 the wisest thing to do.
