Or “Why Do They Think I’m So Gullible?”

WordPress announced my first “Like” for my revitalised blog, so naturally I was curious. Of course, I should have known that it wasn’t going to be from anyone interesting, but with a grim inevitability it was actually from someone touting a Get Rick Quick(ly) scheme. So, no interest in the blog, but plenty of interest in parting me from my money.

The Internet is packed with these people. At one end of the scale it’s a Nigerian Prince who needs you to send him $200 so that he can release $8,000,000 into your bank account (he’ll need those details of course), to the almost plausible ads where they quote returns and show grateful people’s testimony. The one thing that links all of these unsolicited fishing expeditions is that they require you to send them money. I don’t know about you, but I think that is the biggest red flag there is.

There will lots of these scam merchants out there who will tell me I’m missing out of a free fortune, all for the want of sending a stranger some money. The thing is, I can’t think of a single documented case where Joe Blow has sent off $200 to a stranger and made themselves a fortune. It doesn’t happen. I’ve seen the effects of some of these schemes first hand and the results for the unwitting are, to say the least painful.

I was wondering why people think I’d be so gullible as to fall for these scams. I’d imagine, though, that they wouldn’t waste their time if they didn’t get something from all the feelers they put out. It’s quite sad that people can be so desperate as to believe the lies these people spin, all in the chase for a quick and easy buck. There’s the rub, isn’t it? Quick and easy.

I’m quite content to continue ignoring all such approaches, not just in WordPress but pretty much all social media. At least when I get Twitter (Never to be called X) followers I can have a good laugh at all these nubile young women promising me not only fast and easy money, but love as well.

It’s my cynicism that keeps me healthy.