'Jamaican lottery scam' bilking senior citizens out of millions

[malaise]

http://www.pressherald.com/news/jamaican-lottery-scam-bilking-senior-citizens-out-of-millions_2013-03-10.html
<snip>
WASHINGTON - It began with a series of reassuring calls and a request for a $500 fee -- not a back-breaking sum for a retired professional pilot -- in order to claim the prize.
click image to enlarge

By the time the nonstop calls were halted six month later, Kim Nichols' elderly father had lost his health, his trust and $85,000 to Jamaica-based scam artists who were as convincing as they were relentless. And worst of all, Nichols was told there was practically nothing anyone in the federal government -- not the FBI, not the attorney general, not customs officials -- could do about it.

There is a rising number of complaints from family members, phone company officials and local law enforcement that federal officials are not doing enough to address the so-called "Jamaican lottery scam" that has likely bilked millions of dollars from senior citizens in Maine and northern New England.

On Wednesday, the issue will get congressional attention during a hearing before the Senate Select Committee on Aging. The problem is national in scope but appears to be heavily focused on Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, three states with among the oldest populations in the country.
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Add Florida to the list - according to local news this morning.

[NightWatcher]

1. Crazy idea: don't give money to anyone who comes to you

If I want something I go out to get it. Girl Scout cookies are the only exception.

If they call or knock on the door I tell them to go away.

Why are seniors so gullible? They've lived longer than any of us and should have 60+ years of a functioning bull shit detector. Why are teens conned, they've only been around a bit. So the greatest generation beat Hitler, but thought it a good idea to give money away to a Jamaican over the phone?

[SharonAnn]

4. Cognitive and reasoning skills decline with age in most cases.

Exactly the capabilities that are needed to analyze and evaluate these scams are the ones that deteriorate. The seniors think they´re analyzing the issue, but they are not doing it effectively.

And, they´re often lonely. They´re likely home most of the day (no longer working) with little to do. These people are charming, they become your "friend", they call frequently and shower you with attention.

That´s how it works.

[malaise]

6. I often wonder how people believe they'e won something when they didn't

participate in some lottery or competition or whatever. Are humans just gullible or greedy?

[dixiegrrrrl]

2. worse yet, they are calling cell phones.

Local newspaper article in our lil town about a 70 y/o women here who got the call, on her cell phone.
She was smart enough not to fall for it, and reported the number to local authorities.
The paper reported the callers were in Africa...'course, our paper is notoriously confused.

[malaise]

7. They shut down Western Union in parts of Jamaica until they found a way

to identify everyone receiving and sending money.
Now the poor Post Offices are under siege.

[hobbit709]

3. I give all the scammers the same message.

"Please hold while I transfer your call to the FBI"

"click" and they never call again.

[malaise]

5. Well they do call locals and

most of us have a standard answer - deduct the costs and then send us the balance - they never call back

[dixiegrrrrl]

8. Tis so very sad to think of those poor Nigerians

stuck in their country, unable to extradite their millions, all because we would not help them get the money out.

[malaise]

9. It's not just Nigerians these days

I saw some of the seized ill gotten gains of the goons on the news here and I can tell you it appears to be a very profitable business - you should see the luxury homes and vehicles.