I'm not a violent person, but these people make me angry enough to kill.

[Archae]

My Mom has been a widow now for 2 months, and the...VULTURES trying to scam her are just infuriating.

Trying to take her property, posing as me, trying to sell her "home improvements," fake charities, just about anything and everything.

Fortunately my Mom is an old hand at turnig away scammers.

But I still worry, especially when I read about banks using forged documents. :grr:

[Name removed]

1. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. My dear Archae...

I'm sure that she's doubly glad you're in her life, helping her now...

Try not to worry; just stay close and help.

Eventually those scammers will go away, I hope.

:hug:

[Archae]

4. That's just it, these guys must read the obituaries, like we would a shopping list.

When I was with Mom the last week of August, I actually met one.

Kept trying to tell Mom her basement was in danger from water damage.
Mom's house doesn't HAVE a basement, and is on top of a hill going to a lake.

I called the cops on the guy. Right in front of him.
He didn't hurry to his car, but he didn't waste time leaving either.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

5. Oh my god.

I hope you don't live too far away from her...

I'm sure they do read the obits. Scummy people.

You done good, calling the cops!

[Archae]

10. There's just so many of them.

I live about 120 miles from her, but she's going to "winter" here in Sheboygan.
Has a place picked out.

She'll have not just me, but most of the close relatives too, close by.

It's just that she's constantly targeted by charities, which I'm positive are phony, and by religious scams.
Especially those mega-church scams, who just about tell her my Dad will go to hell if she doesn't give.

Every so often though, she'll call me, asking about the latest pitch she got in the mail, or her e-mail, or over the phone.

I can't help but feel for the lonely people who don't have family like my Mom has, and get suckered into giving their life savings to a scammer.

[RKP5637]

24. This is the game of those that feel making money and cheating at any cost

is justifiable. These guys prey on easy targeted victims... others work the whole gamete into bilking people of huge amounts of money and life savings, and the corporate bloodsuckers are no exception for this type of behavior. IMO this is the tragedy of runaway capitalism. It often rewards people for the worst of human behavior. Your mother is so lucky to have you looking out for her interests.

IMO the religious scams are among the worst. Myself not being religious, I find most religions a scam.

[NuttyFluffers]

26. yeowza! that's some crazy pressure!

i guess when you turn of "a certain age" it's best to strictly live by the adage "charity begins at home." i'd be tempted to insist all my charitable giving goes to family, and only family. if the younger generation wants to donate to outsiders, well, they'll have a clearer head and more energy to make sure they are not being flimflammed.

but i'm still a few decades away from living my own advice, so what would i know about how to deal with this. talk is cheap, reality is tougher. i honestly don't know if i could be as resilient in the face of such pressure.

[awoke_in_2003]

29. "here in Sheboygan"

and all this time I thought that was just a mythical town mentioned in movies :)

[awoke_in_2003]

30. I must say...

I decided to google some images of your town- looks very charming.

[Archae]

31. I like it here.

Not a bad town to live in.

[awoke_in_2003]

33. it seems to have...

a good "small town" feel.

[old mark]

32. There is a whole group of fraudulant people waiting for things like this -

and yes, they do read the obits looking for new victims. The are terrible people, and you are doing well to keep them from your mom's money.

mark

[PDJane]

3. I'm sorry that this is a worry..........

And no, you're not a violent person....unless we all are. I've been that angry, too...and truthfully, most of us can be.

[pipi_k]

12. I know that under the right...or should I say, wrong...circumstances...

I can be that angry too.


For example, I really wanted to murder my child molesting brother in law when I found out he had sexually abused my daughter.

But some here would accuse me of being a "violent person". Whatever.

I'm human. I'm flawed.



People who never feel that angry, or even admit it...must be nice for them to be perfect. I, unworthy and flawed person that I am, kneel in the presence of their Sainthood.

[PDJane]

27. I would remind them

what happened to the last perfect person who entered this world.

[Canuckistanian]

6. You've GOT to stick together

Screen your calls. Throw OUT your mail unless you know who the sender is.

They've obviously detected your situation. And they're like vultures, waiting for any sign of weakness.

Let them know they're dealing with professionals in scam detection.

[pacalo]

7. The same thing happened to my mom after she was first widowed.

And, like yours, she made them sorry they put her name on their snake-oil lists.

[Bitwit1234]

8. As you all probably know I am recovering from cancer. Well

I get this phone call from an organization that say they are collecting for cancer. The phone is in my son's name but they ask for me. Then I said yes I would. And after that about three times a day I keep getting calls telling me to be sure that as soon as I get the envelope send it back. Don't wait send it back. Well it came and I got this feeling and didn't send it back right away. I was bombarded getting as many as four calls a day "reminding" as cancer patients need the money. I told the woman well I was a cancer patient how about me she just laughed and said goodbye and in the back ground you could hear many voices. Well I went to google and put in the phone number. Oh my goodness gracious was I surprised. It was a fake charity. The person who ran it had two VP his sons. And all together the three of them made about 1.5 million a year salary. Only 12 per cent went to the charity and the other went for salaries. There were about 100 postings telling everyone not to contribute. check they out they moved from place to place. When they got caught in one place they went to another. I only was going to give ten dollars but I am so glad I checked first. I was mad as hell and the next time they called I told the woman if she ever called me again I would report her to the FBI. Can you believe how they play on people, especially a cancer patient. And they had to know something because where would they get my name and not my son's. I still think I am going to send a letter to the AG of the state and report them.

[pacalo]

11. That's outrageous!

I'm so sorry that you went through that.

I hope all goes well with your illness. My 79-year-old mother had breast cancer ten years ago & she's in total remission now. Good luck, Bitwit1234.

:hug:

[RKP5637]

25. I would report them to the AG. I also user caller ID. I never p/u a call unless

I recognize the caller, and if it was someone that needed me I figure if they can't leave a VM on my machine, then the call wasn't worth it... Most of my snail mail also goes to my shredder. I always assume they are all scams anymore. I don't like being that way, but it was not me, it's this new society we now live in that we still call civilized.

I also don't know what you think about guns, but if I were living alone as the OP's mother, there would be a legal gun handy. I also see why so many want concealed weapons. I don't like the idea of it, but anymore I can sure see why... In my lifetime the creep count has gone way up IMO.

[Phentex]

9. It's a real shame...

they seem to be craftier the more desperate they are. I despise them, too.

I'm glad you are there for her!

[pipi_k]

13. Three strikes....

1. It's your mom they're screwing with
2. She's probably a Senior Citizen
3. Recently widowed.


I can see why you would feel that angry. Yes, I would want to strangle someone who preyed on my mom that way too.

[Rhiannon12866]

14. I am so sorry that you and your mom are going through all this

Especially because you're certainly still grieving. Your mother is so fortunate to have you and thanks for the heads-up for the rest of us... :hug:

[blaze]

15. I wonder why your mom is being targeted... sincerely

My Dad died almost a year ago and I don't remember my Mom going through this.

So I wonder, what are the differences....

I know my Mom (84) is very good at saying "no" and "i'm not interested" pretty quickly with unsolicited phone calls...

I don't think anyone tried to take her property and don't think anyone tried to pose as one of her children.

I'm horrified that she has had to deal with this, but encouraged to see you write that she is an old hand at turning away scammers.

Still. It leaves me wondering. Why did your Mom get targeted so heavily and mine didn't?

I'm glad you're there for her.

[Archae]

19. I have no idea why Mom keeps getting the pitches.

She is in her 70's, and was married for 50+ years.

She's going to take some time getting used to being alone, that is, when any of us aren't with her.

The scammers try to find emotional "marks."
Those who in grief, will fall for just about anything.
Mom isn't like that, so word will eventually get around.
"Lay off Archae's Mom, guys!"

And people will simply shut off their conscience, just to make a buck.

People say to scammers who get caught, "How can you sleep at night?"
They sleep very well, thankyewverymuch.

Religious scammers are to me the worst.

[Dappleganger]

22. My father was targeted by multiple groups and people.

They must be a part of the same vulture network.

[The Wielding Truth]

16. I had to read more. When my Dad was recovering from a massive

stroke a gas driller salesman came in when my brother was upstairs and got my dad to sign over our farm land gas rights. Yep. Yet I would never resort to harming anyone.

[blaze]

18. damn n/t

[Odin2005]

17. I hate these fucking bastards!

:grr:

[lib2DaBone]

20. Every day..50% of the people get up... and figure out how to get money from the other 50%.

This is Trickle down.... Wall Street... cut-throat capitalism.

In the mean time... our roads, schools, water plants and electric grid crumble.

Thank Ronnie Regan and Fox News... more crumble is on the way....

[Dappleganger]

21. These people are fucking vultures.

I know what you mean, since my dad has been scammed a couple of times already and was the victim of a well-organized home burglary ring and ended up having to go to court. They were regularly backing up their pickup into his yard and taking stuff out of his barn and house every time he went on an errand. Two are in prison right now but when they get out we have no doubt they'll go looking for my father. We put the house on the market and now everything is in my sister's name, so hopefully he'll be difficult to find and harass.

When we found out what was going on it was very hard to not completely blow a gasket. Even though we don't get along I get real possessive when anyone messes with my family, especially those who can't defend themselves.

[mysuzuki2]

23. Good Grief!

People on this board will argue about anything.

[applegrove]

28. That is just sick. When my sister's father in law died some freak broke into her house

and stole jewelry...and left a beer on her counter. I don't even want to talk about what happened at their farm. Just sick, sick, sick what monsters will do to vulnerable people.