OT: Why Do Scammers Scam?

[Leon]

The answer to "why" people do things is most likely "money."
.

[marzoumanian]

I agree that it's all about money. So why did I write the post at this particular time? I noticed that the word "scam" was appearing more often in the subject line of posts.
I just would like members to not let the desire for any item overrule critical thinking. Thanks to the internet, we're dealing with people we have never met AND never done business with. So, look for red flags and please don't ignore them. Don't be afraid to back out of a deal if you feel uncomfortable.
What was the big red flag with Bernie Madoff? As you might recall, his statements to clients NEVER showed losses and, as I recall, on average went up 12 percent EVERY year. Every year. That simply does not happen with the stock market. All those statements were fake and thousands of his clients accepted them.
Enough said. If your gut says, "Wait a minute. There's something fishy here," please listen to it and act accordingly. Peace.

[ullmandds]

It's all about the money!!!!!

Times I've been ripped off I remember:

c1981 was sold a fake mayo monte ward card

c mid 80's bought a 71 topps munson whose borders had been filled in with marker

c1989 bought a fake fro joy sheet at the LCS in newark, DE

2019ish bought reprint play balls on ebay...I returned them

2022 bought fake christy mathewson commemorative disc from facebook auction

There have been other occasions but I did recover my funds.

as values have increased...so have the scammers!

[Mungo Hungo]

Just to balance things out, sometimes people actually are very generous and will go out of their way to send hard-to-find cards to strangers.

A month or so ago, I had a want list of just two cards, and posted about one of them on another forum. Someone I'd never met and never corresponded with asked for my address in a private message -- and sent me the card. From another country. He even declined to give me his own address, so I had no ability to pay him or send him anything in return.

It wasn't really a high value card, but has a population of less than 50, and from the fact that I was posting about it, it was clear that I would have been willing to pay a fair amount for it. But the guy who sent the card is a collector, not an investor.

Now I'm certainly not saying to trust people blindly. I also got an obvious scam email in response to my post. But if I hadn't posted at all, or had ignored the private message, I wouldn't have received the card, and my want list still would be at two rather than one.

[rjackson44]

Theres one giving out a free macbook just now on bst lol

[G1911]

Originally Posted by rjackson44

Theres one giving out a free macbook just now on bst lol

Just have to clean off the blood stains.

[rjackson44]

She was hit by a running car ,,no the car was stopped omg lol