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.
PeakOil is You
America - have we become a culture of scams and con-artists?
America - have we become a culture of scams and con-artists?
by Sixstrings » Sun 05 Apr 2009, 15:21:46
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Re: America - have we become a culture of scams and con-artists?
by gt1370a » Sun 05 Apr 2009, 20:22:03
It is the natural outcome of everybody trying to get something for nothing, scammed and scammers alike.
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Re: America - have we become a culture of scams and con-artists?
by dinopello » Sun 05 Apr 2009, 20:33:10
Fruit Salad Tree? 
What's next, the Fruit Cake Bush ?
What's next, the Fruit Cake Bush ?
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Re: America - have we become a culture of scams and con-artists?
by pedalling_faster » Sun 05 Apr 2009, 20:37:17
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Sixstrings', '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.
http://www.LASIK-Flap.com/ ~ Health Warning about LASIK Eye Surgery
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Re: America - have we become a culture of scams and con-artists?
by rdberg1957 » Sun 05 Apr 2009, 20:40:45
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.
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Re: America - have we become a culture of scams and con-artists?
by Sixstrings » Sun 05 Apr 2009, 21:37:17
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('rdberg1957', 'I')t'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.
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Re: America - have we become a culture of scams and con-artists?
by JJ » Sun 05 Apr 2009, 22:04:17
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...."
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...."
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Re: America - have we become a culture of scams and con-artists?
by ReverseEngineer » Sun 05 Apr 2009, 22:09:15
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
Reverse Engineer
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Re: America - have we become a culture of scams and con-artists?
by Denny » Sun 05 Apr 2009, 22:18:32
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.
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.
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Re: America - have we become a culture of scams and con-artists?
by TWilliam » Sun 05 Apr 2009, 22:31:21
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Denny', 'S')camming 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.
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...
"It means buckle your seatbelt, Dorothy, because Kansas? Is goin' bye-bye... "
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Re: America - have we become a culture of scams and con-artists?
by Aaron » Sun 05 Apr 2009, 22:51:37
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('TWilliam', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Denny', 'S')camming 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.
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
The problem is, of course, that not only is economics bankrupt, but it has always been nothing more than politics in disguise... economics is a form of brain damage.
Hazel Henderson
Hazel Henderson
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You CAN'T cheat an Honest Man.
