[Sixstrings]

More and more lately, I find myself googling any new product or service I'm interested in, and adding the tag "scam." And invariably, it's a darn scam.

Now gardeners, don't laugh at me, but yes my interest was piqued by the "tomatogiant.com" commercial. I know zip on gardening, and here they promise ready to go plants that will be 8 feet within 90 days. Their website is slick as all get-out.

So I google it. Sure enough, the only comments I find are from folks complaining it tood 3-6 weeks just to get some regular seeds in the mail.

And then there was the fruit salad tree. A friend told me about this, said he saw it at walmart. Googled it.. at best, it's a sickly graft of several trees.

And then there was a real estate website I was interested in, which purportedly connects buyers with distressed sellers. I knew something was up when I called and got the hard sell to authorize "just one dollar" on my card. Well, I googled it. Sure enough, folks complained about difficulty canceling the $24 recurring monthly fee after the 3-day $1 membership, and I also saw posts about how their low-price "take over the mortgage" ads are all scams.

I know I'm ranting here, and this isn't anything that anyone doesn't know -- that our culture is up to its eyeballs in BS. It just seems more pervasive, the constant scamming everywhere you turn.

[gt1370a]

It is the natural outcome of everybody trying to get something for nothing, scammed and scammers alike.

[dinopello]

Fruit Salad Tree?



What's next, the Fruit Cake Bush ?

[pedalling_faster]

I know I'm ranting here, and this isn't anything that anyone doesn't know -- that our culture is up to its eyeballs in BS. It just seems more pervasive, the constant scamming everywhere you turn.

Scamerica.

Scam Diego.

At this point, the prudent assumption is that guys like Madoff & Stanford are not the exception, but more an example of the "rule" in American business practices.

[rdberg1957]

It's ok to kavetch, but this is nothing new. Scam artists are part of the American tradition. Remember the Wizard of Oz? Selling of patent medicines? Faith healing? It goes back a long way.

[Sixstrings]

It's ok to kavetch, but this is nothing new. Scam artists are part of the American tradition. Remember the Wizard of Oz? Selling of patent medicines? Faith healing? It goes back a long way.

Thanks everyone for indulging my little rant. It's funny you mention patent medicine, that occurred to me after I hit the "post" button -- back then, they didn't even have the internet as a counterbalance, nor any consumer regulations. And then there's Ralph Nader, forcing the car companies to put in seat belts and improve safety.

So I certainly grant that we've come a long way, from an historical view.

I think I just hit a brick wall today with this salesman crap, some limit got reached where I'd had enough. The "bezzle," as Denninger over at Tickerforum calls it, is just friggin everywhere these days. The Bezzle is insidious, right down to those stupid discount cards every grocery store and drug store pushes on you now (what a crock, in exchange for the same old sales you're giving the store your personal info linked to what you buy, which is sold to God knows who).

Back to the brick wall. For the first time in my life, after so many years dealing with salesmen, I just wanted to come out and say "don't you realize everyone knows your full of sh*t?"

It's like the BS in this country has reached critical mass, and now it's become some kind of kabuki dance we do with one another.

Ok I said my peace, I'll shut up now and go back to consuming.

[JJ]

please do...I'm about to lose my mind listening to the constant babble at work over the intercom (I work in a grocery store) how we are the best store, how we're saving your family money, etc. I work in produce. One ear of corn is 89 cents. A three pack (was a four-pack last month) is now 4.99. We're the only game in town. We certainly have a captive audience. (Unless people want to drive awhile) And yet, even as prices continue to rise (not so slowly) people are just going nuts buying stuff.

a customer asked me today if we were having trouble getting stuff, as it seems that there is less stuff on the shelves, and the last four times she has been in the store we have been out of four of her favorite items.

had another customer go nuts because we don't have her favorite type of salad dressing. I explained to her that we only carry what the vendors decide to put on the shelf. They are paying to rent the space. She went nuts, told me that she was from Minneasota (sp) and she understood fully well how a grocery store worked and at her old store, the manager ordered whatever she wanted. My co-worker quiped "she's not going to make it...."

[ReverseEngineer]

You missed the original scam. The one that Isaac Newton, the Rothschilds and the Bank of England sold Western Civilization 300 years ago. The scam that the Fiat Money banksters issue is really worth anything, and the scam you can have perpetual growth through Capitalism. All the rest of the scams like the Stock Market, Social Security and Trees that Grow Money are just derivative scams. You bought the scam for your entire life. You just got a Wake Up call.

Reverse Engineer

[Denny]

Scamming is an interactive event.

Often the scammee starts with the presumption that there is an easy ride, a shortcut to wealth or health.

It think that is the trait that ultimately leads to victimization. And, no, I am not immune to that trait either. Over the years I have learned to suppress it, stay patient and dig into the details and keep common sense as my paramount defense.

[TWilliam]

Scamming is an interactive event.

Often the scammee starts with the presumption that there is an easy ride, a shortcut to wealth or health.

It think that is the trait that ultimately leads to victimization. And, no, I am not immune to that trait either. Over the years I have learned to suppress it, stay patient and dig into the details and keep common sense as my paramount defense.

As the saying goes, "You can't cheat an honest man". Scams only flourish where greed is rampant...

[Aaron]

Scamming is an interactive event.

Often the scammee starts with the presumption that there is an easy ride, a shortcut to wealth or health.

It think that is the trait that ultimately leads to victimization. And, no, I am not immune to that trait either. Over the years I have learned to suppress it, stay patient and dig into the details and keep common sense as my paramount defense.

As the saying goes, "You can't cheat an honest man". Scams only flourish where greed is rampant...

+1

[ReverseEngineer]

As the saying goes, "You can't cheat an honest man". Scams only flourish where greed is rampant...

Therein lies the KEY to my success in life You CAN'T cheat an Honest Man.

Reverse Engineer

[MarkJ]

We've seen thousands of honest people get scammed by contractors, tradesmen, mechanics, used car dealers, service techs, service contract sales, extended warranty sales and high pressure salesmen since they're trusting or they lack knowledge.

A good looking smooth talking salesman can make a fortune taking advantage of trust, fear or lack of knowledge.

[Dreamtwister]

Washington, United States.
Attention: The President/CEO

Dear Sir,

Confidential Business Proposal

Having consulted with my colleagues and based on the information gathered from the American Chambers Of Commerce And Industry, I have the privilege to request your assistance to transfer the sum of $47,500,000.00 (forty seven million, five hundred thousand United States dollars) into your accounts. The above sum resulted from an over-invoiced contract, executed, commissioned and paid for about five years (5) ago by a foreign contractor. This action was however intentional and since then the fund has been in a suspense account at The Federal Reserve Bank Of America.

We are now ready to transfer the fund overseas and that is where you come in. It is important to inform you that as civil servants, we are forbidden to operate a foreign account; that is why we require your assistance. The total sum will be shared as follows: 70% for us, 25% for you and 5% for local and international expenses incidental to the transfer.

The transfer is risk free on both sides. I am an accountant with the American ExxonMobil Corporation (XOM). If you find this proposal acceptable, we shall require the following documents:

(a) your banker's name, telephone, account and fax numbers.

(b) your private telephone and fax numbers —for confidentiality and easy communication.

(c) your letter-headed paper stamped and signed.

Alternatively we will furnish you with the text of what to type into your letter-headed paper, along with a breakdown explaining, comprehensively what we require of you. The business will take us thirty (30) working days to accomplish.

Please reply urgently.

Best regards

Sleazy P. Martini,
Chief Financial Officer
ExxonMobil Corporation

[rangerone314]

It's ok to kavetch, but this is nothing new. Scam artists are part of the American tradition. Remember the Wizard of Oz? Selling of patent medicines? Faith healing? It goes back a long way.

Thanks everyone for indulging my little rant. It's funny you mention patent medicine, that occurred to me after I hit the "post" button -- back then, they didn't even have the internet as a counterbalance, nor any consumer regulations. And then there's Ralph Nader, forcing the car companies to put in seat belts and improve safety.

So I certainly grant that we've come a long way, from an historical view.

I think I just hit a brick wall today with this salesman crap, some limit got reached where I'd had enough. The "bezzle," as Denninger over at Tickerforum calls it, is just friggin everywhere these days. The Bezzle is insidious, right down to those stupid discount cards every grocery store and drug store pushes on you now (what a crock, in exchange for the same old sales you're giving the store your personal info linked to what you buy, which is sold to God knows who).

Back to the brick wall. For the first time in my life, after so many years dealing with salesmen, I just wanted to come out and say "don't you realize everyone knows your full of sh*t?"

It's like the BS in this country has reached critical mass, and now it's become some kind of kabuki dance we do with one another.

Ok I said my peace, I'll shut up now and go back to consuming.

Most corporations are scam artists... that is why when I finally had to get a cell phone, I got one with the least features & the smallest commitment on my part, with no cancelation issues (Virgin Mobile).

I try to minimize my purchases of anything, outside of groceries... to avoid wasting money in scams.

[MD]

Sham-WOW!

Just call now and we'll show you how to buy homes for no money down while working from home losing belly fat without exercising, and the whole time your dick will grow to three times its normal size!

Just call now!!

God help us americans must be stupid as a f-in chicken with its head cut off.

[JoeW]

"Capitalism" is just a nice word for scam-ism. You buy something for $10 and sell it for $11. You just scammed someone out of a dollar. That's what capitalism is all about.
Realtors
Car dealers
Mortgage brokers
Stock brokers
All of these middle-men are legalized scammers. If you could take all of the ridiculous middle-man fees out of everything, it probably would effectively double the purchasing power of you income.

[Pretorian]

"Capitalism" is just a nice word for scam-ism. You buy something for $10 and sell it for $11. You just scammed someone out of a dollar. That's what capitalism is all about.
Realtors
Car dealers
Mortgage brokers
Stock brokers
All of these middle-men are legalized scammers. If you could take all of the ridiculous middle-man fees out of everything, it probably would effectively double the purchasing power of you income.

What do you do for a living again?

[Pretorian]

"Capitalism" is just a nice word for scam-ism. You buy something for $10 and sell it for $11. You just scammed someone out of a dollar. That's what capitalism is all about.
Realtors
Car dealers
Mortgage brokers
Stock brokers
All of these middle-men are legalized scammers. If you could take all of the ridiculous middle-man fees out of everything, it probably would effectively double the purchasing power of you income.

What do you do for a living again?

[Narz]

America - have we become a culture of scams and con-artists?

My new e-book (only $19.99, free "shipping!) will tell you why that is not so.