By Kuli Roberts – Full Circle
Go on and learn to say ‘No’ this festive season
So, I became a stat by being conned on Twitter earlier this week. I was minding my own business when some boy posted an e-mail about a pending job interview and asked for transport money.
Aware of the economic climate, I felt I had to help with the little I have – about R900 till the end of the month.
He promised me that he was not conning me, telling me some nonsense that God would strike him down if he lied to adults. Well, he did just that. He sent me an eWallet number, then immediately claimed it was an old number that he no longer had access to as he had lost that phone and asked that I send the money to an alternative number.
I am dim but got suspicious as it was like all crimes, happening so fast. I attempted to reverse the first transaction, but he had already withdrawn the cash while requesting the money be sent to another number. What a menace.
What is wrong with humans? Will they be forever vile? He was so young to be so crooked unless it was a way of life. My friend says that I am an idiot to have fallen for such a common scam. She tells me she was once promised clothes and a phone by an acquaintance and all she had to do was collect it from the airport and pay R3 000, which would give her the full contents of the case, which apparently also had euros inside. She tells me she ignored him as clearly he was out collecting R3 000 from unsuspecting greedy victims.
We are basically sitting ducks for these thieves, like the same woman who has been asking for donations on the streets of Rosebank for years, they have now moved to the cyber streets.
Enough is what I promised myself, I was never gonna help anyone again. Even if it was Mary and Joseph complaining about a draught in the barn or manger. Pickpockets are not confined to the streets of Hillbrow, they have found a home on cyber streets, so be careful before you are the next victim. Conning folk online is easy as it is fast, folk want to be acknowledged as being helpful and like attention so they probably deserve it, including myself. Public sympathy is what they seek on these platforms with the hope that you will be too embarrassed to decline small amount as they never ask for a grand, but a lot of R400 will ensure that his rent is paid.
So to you, I repeat, it’s close to the festive season and you are giving no one a cent from social media as they are probably lying. Rather be safe than conned by these lazy children who won’t work but have titles. Don’t encourage dependence or feel guilty, just ignore them, so they can go elsewhere or try and find employment or create their own. Don’t be embarrassed to decline or ignore as you don’t know them, and you have your own priorities. People need to be responsible for themselves and the days of being their ATMs are over. Do not give anyone any money, just offer them flour to learn to make bread or ignore as most are using you as their Xmas bonus. Send them a bread recipe and stop encouraging a country of entitled con artists who use expensive phones you can’t pronounce and drip in brands you paid for, which they can’t pronounce. Ignore any plea for assistance from social media even if accompanied with a fake affidavit. These people have more money than you and see you as a clown. Don’t make excuses or give reasons … ignore or say “No”. People hate being awkward in public.
Be awkward this festive season and give no one any assistance from social media. You might be called the Grinch, but at least you are not a fool like Kuli Roberts.
