Have you ever wanted to believe something so much that you believed it even when it did not make logical sense?
In a way we are a society that wants something for nothing. That is why we play the lottery, go to Vegas or casinos, or bet on sporting events. We think that if we win a ton of money that our lives will be easier or better somehow and all our problems will go away, just solved by a pile of money. Forget the fact that nearly one-third of lottery winners eventually face bankruptcy. Forget the very tiny clause at the bottom of sports betting platform ads that say that you should seek help if you have a gambling problem while their revenue is over $15 billion annually.
Because we want to believe in getting things the easy way or having a need of ours met, we all have a tendency of wanting to believe what people tell us even when a part of us knows it is too good to be true.
It used to be that you could rely on a person’s handshake or their word. But with the technological advancements in generative artificial intelligence for deep fakes and voice cloning, it is possible to fabricate audio or video of someone saying things they never said or did. Chat boxes using artificial intelligence make it seem like you are having a conversation with someone, and you are not. And then, when it is judged by someone or something that you are emotionally invested enough in that (fake) relationship, they ask you to help them out, usually with money. Maybe they just need a plane ticket or food or money to pay bills. Whatever their story, their purpose is to separate you from your money. They are not your friends and are not who they say they are.
Scammers focus on the fact that you are looking for something, which may be only someone to talk to or to feel needed or important, and that is what they are trying to provide to you. But the cost to you can potentially be enormous.
So what can you do about this? One thing to do is to ask yourself if what you are hearing is rational and logical. Is there a particular desire that is fulfilled by whatever is occurring? Would a reasonable person believe what is being said or take the requested action? What would you advise a friend to do if they told you what was happening?
Would a celebrity or famous person have conversations with you on YouTube for hours on end or at all? I know people that agree that does not make sense, and still listen for hours to a YouTube feed thinking they are talking to a real person.
Authorities recommend that we be exceedingly careful and not be rushed in making financial decisions that involve giving money and/or personal/financial information to people you do not know. Confirm the business or government agency that is supposedly calling you by calling them back on a number you know. Many families have code words to convey whether they are talking to a real family member. Keep an eye on older people you know who may have a tendency to believe whatever they hear or are not technically savvy.
If we make decisions by using our minds and not emotions, we can avoid being in tough situations. Even so, scammers are getting cleverer every day. But they are using technology, so if you can avoid that, there is some protection.
We live in scary times and people may not be who they say they are. But there is a lot of giving and generosity and love in the world around us, if you look around and see it. You recognize it by seeing actions that are from a desire to help without expecting anything in return. As someone told me recently, the receiving is in the giving. And that is something you can believe in.
Finding the good in all things…
Celeste
Silver Lining Musings by Celeste 