Is someone trying to get into your computer or phone?
On Thursday, October 26th, Debbie Burke discussed text scams. Here’s the link to Debbie’s post. If you missed it, consider reading it now for the sake of your elderly loved ones.
I had already thought about using a tangent to this topic, appropriate punishment (or better, creative punishment), for today’s discussion. I almost axed the idea, but then I noticed how passionate some of you were with creative ideas for torture punishment for scammers. I decided that more of you may need to vent. So, here’s your chance.
I hope you’ll put on your unexpected-plot-twists writer’s hat, feel the emotion, and let it explode onto the page. Let it rip. Don’t hold back. We’re eager to see your creativity in dealing with the villain. And you’ll feel better if you do.
What creative punishment would you suggest for text scammers?
Good morning, Steve.
I have, alas, reached the age and station where my “elderly loved one” is…me. That said, now you got me started.
Short answer…I would put any exploitative waste of skin into an indentured servitude program where a hefty portion of their income from a legitimate job is deducted from their paycheck until 3x of the amount of the money they scammed from their victim is paid. Multiple victims? Gee, that’s what is known as tough shi…er, toenails. If it’s a punishment/deterrent, it’s supposed to be difficult.
Thanks for a terrific question, Steve. Have a great weekend.
Thanks, Joe. I like your idea.
With as many criminals as are involved in these crimes, we could put them all on human squirrel cages and generate electricity. More dependable than wind or solar, and no fossil fuel consumed.
If you run for office with your idea as part of your platform, you have my vote!
Have a great weekend!
The “Nigerian Letter” has been around a lot longer than email. Many years ago a man in Canada took out his frustrations with the Nigerian police with his deer rifle and the Nigerian ambassador.
Yes, the Nigerian letter. I’m still seeing variations on that one, sent by email.
The Canadian’s solution with his deer rifle is not what I would condone. How about something less violent and something that would give the scammer more time to reflect on his sins?
Thanks for participating, Alan. Any less vicious suggestions?
Thanks for following up on scammers, Steve. Great idea to have criminals generate electricity! I vote for that.
What gripes me is when people are harmed but nothing is done to make them whole again. There is zero accountability for the perpetrator and no justice for the victim.
Years ago in our small Montana town, a teen punk drove through an older lady’s yard, breaking fences and tearing up the shrubs and flowers. The judge sentenced him to not only pay for the damage but to make the repairs himself. He spent several weekends rebuilding fences, raking smooth the trenches his tires caused, replanting new bushes, flowers, and sod. When his buddies drove by, he no longer looked like a badass, on his hands and knees in the dirt.
I don’t know what later happened to him but at least restitution was made and a tiny bit of justice prevailed.
Now that’s a great one, Debbie. Thanks for the original post on text scammers. We need to spread the word to family and friends: Don’t be suckered into responding.
I love the sentence the judge gave the teen punk who tore up the elderly lady’s yard. That is appropriate. And that punishment may have turned that young man away from further delinquency. What our society needs more of now.
Thanks for sharing that story, and have a wonderful weekend!
A part of my real job is IT Security. One day Kevin Johnson received a letter from the hospital treating his daughter. Her information had been compromised in a data breach. His five year old was looking at a lifetime of impersonators with her SSN. He got mad. Very mad. He now hunts cyber criminals. https://www.secureideas.com/our-team
Great, Alan, a fantastic example of a creative solution to a serious crime. Thanks for the link. Very interesting.
Do you know what kind of punishment is handed down when cyber criminals are caught?
Thanks for your participation.
Every time I get a Nigerian Prince letter I forward it to Sue Coletta.
Hi, Garry. I’m sure that Sue will be happy to hear that you are including her in your solution. Unfortunately for you, Sue will probably get the last laugh as she has not responded yet. Thanks for ensuring that she responds today.
I’m always for delegating.
Have a great weekend!
“Let the punishment fit the crime.” After the scammer repays the victim the way Joe suggested, we could reprogram his cell phone so the only numbers he can text to belong to other scammers.
Or we could superglue his cell phone to his ear so he can’t use the keyboard, but every time a text comes in, it produces a loud alarm.
Ooh! The vicious side of Kay emerges.
Great ones. I love both of your solutions, especially the superglue. Since acetone is the solvent for superglue, you will need to prohibit him (or her) from buying anything with acetone in it.
And after the scammer has served his time, he should be forced to have a cell phone tattooed on his ear – kind of like the cattle rustlers who had a slot in their ear lobe.
Have a great weekend!
My daughter has on occasion answered a scammer’s call and pretended to be an old woman who can’t quite hear what the scammer is saying and when she does, she makes him explain it al over again. I’ve thought about doing that as well, although I wouldn’t have to pretend the old woman thingy.
After the past two weeks, I would sentence a scammer to a deadline with only half the deadline met…perpetually…
I told one from India that Kali would eat his thieving soul. He gasped.
Great idea, Marilynn. Wonderful.
Any ideas for scammers that have no morals and no religion?
Thanks for contributing!
Hi, Patricia. I like the deadline idea. Deadline half met, perpetually. Running on the treadmill and never catching up.
I’m no expert on current scam technology, but I’ve read somewhere that with AI our voice can be recorded and then used to prove that we agreed to something we didn’t. If you are going to talk to the scammer, disguise your voice to the extreme.
I hope you are getting caught up on your deadline quota.
Thanks for sharing your great idea!
I’ve spent most of this year dealing with the fall-out from a hacker to my bank account. I’m on my fourth bank card. I would like to be paid for my lost time spent calling and changing my CC at the rate of $250 an hour. I’d also sentence the hackers to community service — picking up trash along the roadways and removing graffiti.
Wow, Elaine. I’m sorry to hear of your problems with a hacker.
I think your proposed punishment is actually very generous.
I’ve been hacked twice by probable people inside a well-known investment and credit card company in Vegas. Each time it’s taken months to prove that I never had an account with them. (Someone had set up an account for a mortgage loan, then defaulted).
And what is really infuriating is the unwillingness of the authorities to do anything. In my case they had a home address, but wouldn’t give it to me or go after the criminal. I don’t understand.
I hope the hack is behind you, and you don’t ever have another one.
Thanks for sharing your story.
Great discussion, Steve.
Take all forms of communication away from the bums, except for the ankle bracelet.
Then, they must spend the rest of their lives working in nursing homes (for subsistence wages, of course), HELPING the elderly. Like . . . with bedpans, false teeth, and so forth.
🙂
Wow, Deb, you’re a tough judge. But I have to agree; scammers deserve the punishment you are handing down. A life sentence to caring for the elderly. Your reputation would precede you. The scammers would be standing before you shaking in their boots.
Judge Deb, the Draconian. Thanks for your ideas.
Have a great day!
Ugh. I got caught with the “Can you hear me?” scam. We have poor cell reception in our area, and it is often hard to hear callers. Also, I don’t have every business I call in my contacts, and some of their return calls pop up as unidentified. Even so, I was angry at myself for falling for the spam.
With this scam, if you answer, “Yes.”, they record your voice and will use it to subscribe to voice activated services or access your accounts, like your bank if you have the voice recognition option. I called the bank and opted out that and notified my phone company of the hack. Under their direction I used *73 to block them from using my phone number to forward calls and I have a hold on all service requests and purchases. So far, I’ve not had any fall out from it except increased spam calls until I discovered call screening from Google on my Android phone.
When a call comes in I don’t recognize, I can tap the Screen Call button and the caller will hear this: “Hi, the person you are calling is using a screening service from Google and will get a copy of this conversation. Go ahead and say your name and the reason you are calling.”
After reading their response, or in the case of my first spam caller after they hung up, you can choose from several options, including report the call as spam and block the number. If you don’t want the call and hit end call, the caller hears: “Could you please remove this number from your mailing and contact lists. Thank you and goodbye.”
I love it! Since that first call, my number of spam calls have dropped to almost none. Big Grin!
Great, Cecilia. This is wonderful information. Thanks for stopping by today and telling us your experience. I’m sure others will find this helpful. I know I’m going to study this and take notes.
I hope all your remedies work and the hackers stay away from you.
Have a weekend free of hackers and zero spam calls!
Thank you. My phone is blessedly silent except for my contacts, and other no issues. 😊
Wonderful!