People sometimes wonder why so many scam messages from deposed dictators and corrupt bank presidents continue to appear in their mailboxes. Surely these are such transparent frauds that no one could be taken in by them.
But people are taken in. The only reason the messages keep coming is that sometimes they work.
A news report from Cedarpines Park, California, this week tells of a woman who was successfully scammed by someone from Jamaica who told her she had won $1.5 million:
The fraud continued for approximately two months, according to records obtained from Twin Peaks detectives, before the woman realized she had been scammed.
The case documents show the woman sent about $30,000 before she contacted deputies. She turned over some evidence in the case, including a check for $5,000 sent by the male caller who reportedly made numerous phone contacts with the woman.
It went on for two months! The cost of sending junk email is close to zero. It doesn’t take many “hits” that bring in $30,000 to make the effort very worthwhile for the fraudsters.
