For over 40 years of consumer tips/news reports warning against scams, people fall for these scams over and over and over again. They lose all their money. Are they idiots?
2007-04-19 21:51:10 · 9 answers · asked by Kitty 3 in Social Science ➔ Sociology
People like to believe the best in people also they hear an offer that sounds great and they seem to come around at the right time.
Remember the con artist puts alot of effort and planning into these things so that you don't know they are scamming you, they are always coming up with new smoother ways to scam people.
I use to own my own business and we often got sent information about scams they just add to the rubbish bin.
2007-04-19 22:25:10 · answer #1 · answered by Lou 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because they don't think it's ever going to happen to themselves. They think that if they ever think it may happen to themselves they are being paranoid and ridiculous cuz it's never going to happen to themselves. And when it's actually happening to them they think, no, it's not actually happening cuz this stuff doesn't ever actually happens. Always someone else, never me. Deny, deny deny!
And things feel really different from the first -person perspective. The way it looked when it was someone else it was happening to is far removed from what it looks like when it's happening to you. That's why they say hindsight is 20/20. It's so clearly a scam once you look at it after the fact. But during it's really hard to tell.
2007-04-20 05:07:44 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Some of them are probably not too intelligent, but I think it takes some degree of intelligence to have enough money to be victimized to that extent in the first place. It's probably more likely that they're timid and don't want to question a person who comes across as an authority figure, and/or they're gullible and trusting.
2007-04-19 21:56:28 · answer #3 · answered by Mickey Mouse Spears 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no, the ones falling for the scams haven't seen news reports about how they fail. they are probably too dumb and bored to watch the news
2007-04-19 21:54:25 · answer #4 · answered by classical_maniac101 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They're not necessarily idiots. They just go with the mentality that "that's just overexaggerated information. It can never happen to me!" then it happens.
If you want to blame anyone, blame the media for blowing things out of proportion almost everyday.
2007-04-19 21:57:44 · answer #5 · answered by Master Strategist 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think you're missing the point here.
The ones "scamming" are able to put on a "sob story" convincing enough that those they take advantage of fall for it.
I think it's sad. Within every one of us is the desire to help our fellow man. And within every one of us is the ability to take advantage of that.
Sandy
2007-04-19 21:56:44 · answer #6 · answered by Sandy M 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The intriguing thing about common sense is that it's not all that common
2007-04-20 01:13:27 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its only common sense if you already know it ...
2007-04-19 21:58:58 · answer #8 · answered by kharmageddon74 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No greedy, they want something for nothing.
2007-04-19 21:54:42 · answer #9 · answered by lostinchicago 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋