Maybe a scammer's paradise?

Wow, I was thinking, if this "Oh I'm dying or horribly sick maybe with sick kids and husband who's abandoned me and them or other reasons they really need money" posting pattern is so common, that folks like Flossy and notmycircus over on "Hyperinfection hospice" in the parasite threads can run thru it from beginning to end like that, there must be a ton of scammers here.

I know a real troll loves to hang around and keep stirring the pot, so to speak. I was a mod over on IRC for quite some time back in the day (I've got nearly 30 years of days in back, I just realized---when dial-up was the only option. *ack*)

Anyway, the real trolls I dealt with were arguers and obvious manipulators who posted annoying stuff that got people all riled up, but it wasn't a health site, so scamming for money wasn't as easy I'm sure. Although some of the 'Pathetic' folks who whimpered about car troubles, sick dad, or starving kids or what ever probably were some of these same types.

As a mod, I pretty much dealt with only the (probably) teenage flamer type, picking fights. It never occurred to me that those pathetic folks might be there under false pretenses too. But I never saw such obvious repeating behavior patterns like this sequence which so many folks here seem to recognize.

Usually the 'pathetic' folks just disappeared after a post or two---now I see why. And since it wasn't usually a touchy subject like health issues often are, there wasn't all the upset and insistence for validation of the problem.

I'm not, however, saying there aren't genuine folk who need help, there are, for sure! But I doubt they'd follow this pattern, and would be much more able to quickly and willingly verify and answer questions for as long as necessary.

So clearly, folks, your good-heartedness is making it way too easy for these scammers to live the good life, at your expense. I'd say be quite careful before you send anybody money.

Get real street addresses, not P.O. Boxes, or some other scam thing like 'suites'--that is something the box office rental places will do so it isn't so obviously a P.O. box--obviously to cater to those scammers. Heck even google the addresses--see the 'house' for yourself.

They're the ones most likely to rent a PO box--sure, there are other legit reasons too, but if you're a professional scammer, absolutely essential. The police can find a street address, but a PO box---well we all probably watch crime shows--I think it's hard to track, and all the scammer need do is change to a different company's box and off they go again.

Also press for verifiable details--maybe photos of those sick kids although that probably could br faked--but probably have to run to the hospital, or dig one off the internet which takes time..

In this day and age, try googling them even. A real person leaves some kind of footprint, if only their listing in the phone book.

Or make it a point to meet them in person, hand them the check in person (NEVER a money order) so bacically only help local folks--I know that has it's drawbacks since that gal who pretended cancer scammed her friends and family even, but it's one more layer they have to prepare for, and even maybe have to enlist friends for aka pay them to do--cutting into their profit..

So it'll take time--make sure to attend to how long they take to reply---if they can't or won't answer immediately about anything , take it to mean they're probably either researching or making arrangements.

But, always be on guard. There are a bunch of folks anymore who think this is a perfectly ok way to earn money (albeit they know they'll get thrown in jail if caught), In their own minds, they might even think of it as an acting job, that you're paying for, the proof being they're good enough to fool you.

If there are other things you can think of as ways to verify please feel free to add them--it'll help us all!

It is your money, your choice, of course, but my guess is you need it more than the scammer does. Tweet