I’m old. ‘Splain me this.

[Spiky Bugger]

My SIL, mother of the now-deceased sex offender, ALWAYS posts stuff on her FB page that, to me, scream “SCAM!” The ones that really confound me are the ones promising to give away something expensive, like a car or a tiny house. This week, all you have to do is like that post, like another page and share the post. And the original poster will give away five tiny houses. FIVE. You’d think that after entering those giveaways forEVER and never winning a thing or hearing, from a reliable source, about anyone else winning a thing, she‘d consider going to Snopes or someplace. https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/tiny-house-giveaway/
But she does not.

So now, tell me please, what is the point of those scam posts? Snopes SAYS: “Facebook users enmired in like and share fake giveaways not only unwittingly help spammers litter the social network with scams, they may also risk being exposed to malware, clickjacking, or other unpleasantries (such as finding their names and identities endorsing a scam, hate page, or other undesirable activity).”

But isn’t that a lot of work when all they are getting is likes and shares? They aren’t asking people to complete an entry form or provide much more than the FB page they already had.

Being old is confusing.

 

[JackieOnLine]

facebook seems to me to be potentially evil, much like a casino. in theory you can hang out there and not have it make your life worse....

but I don't think I can.

I keep going back, though. to facebook, I mean. I gave up casinos.

 

[Munchkin]

How long has it been since PCH came and gave you a big check? Same thing.

I remember a great cartoon from decades ago. An older man sitting at a kitchen table writing in a journal. It went something like this. September 11th. No money. Running low on pop tarts. No word from Publishers Clearing House.

A long time ago a Mormon friend told me it was easy to scam a Mormon and that it happened all the time. Many believe if they live good lives, they should be successful financially. They keep looking for their bit of luck to arrive. I told them Mormons weren't the only ones!

 

[Spiky Bugger]

How long has it been since PCH came and gave you a big check? Same thing.

I remember a great cartoon from decades ago. An older man sitting at a kitchen table writing in a journal. It went something like this. September 11th. No money. Running low on pop tarts. No word from Publishers Clearing House.

A long time ago a Mormon friend told me it was easy to scam a Mormon and that it happened all the time. Many believe if they live good lives, they should be successful financially. They keep looking for their bit of luck to arrive. I told them Mormons weren't the only ones!

To me, it’s an “external locus of control” vs “internal locus of control” thing.

Almost everything in her life has a “passive voice” explanation…like “the glass fell and broke,” never, “I knocked the glass onto the floor and it broke.” Everything happens for a reason. Who’s reason? God’s reason. My son died because God wanted him home…I don’t understand, but God has his reasons. (Not because he was playing on a website on his iPhone as it says on the accident report.) Years ago, it was a tough market for people looking for a job. (Not mentioning that it’s even tougher when you drop out of school at 16 and have no salable skills.)

Anyway, there’s a STRONG correlation between more controlling religions (LDS?) and external locus of control.

None of us are 100% either, but here’s a test:

https://my-personality-test.com/locus-of-control


ETA: but how do the scammers profit?

 

[k9ophile]

ETA: but how do the scammers profit?

Maybe by selling mined data? I am not a skilled or savvy web surfer so I don't know exactly where some of stuff that pops up comes from. I just know that one click can generate dozens of semi(?) related popup or posts. Such as clicking on a picture of a pretty horse. Next comes horse charities, horse riding lessons, dude ranch ads, etc.

So much of it is tied to IP addresses no matter who is using the site. Amazon will send me emails about something my husband has browsed. I can say with 100% accuracy I have never thought of buying an eighty piece socket wrench set, but I know he recently mentioned a need for a specific socket wrench. While most of it is irksome, he has received emails about something I was looking at or vice versa. Cue the, "Gee, honey! How did you ever think to get me a pretty blue cell phone* cover. It's just like the purple one I just bought."

Yet somehow, I still cling to a notion of my privacy being secure.

*Speaking of cell phones, my DH is being dragged against his will to upgrade to a 5G phone. He's even more of a Luddite than I am. He's also a bit more careless. I found a very simple Tracfone for $5.00. I bought several to replace the ones he has lost or driven over. He is verklempt over this change in his status quo. He's chosen his replacement phone and I have ordered a case with belt loops and a carabiner clip.

 

[Munchkin]

To me, it’s an “external locus of control” vs “internal locus of control” thing.

Almost everything in her life has a “passive voice” explanation…like “the glass fell and broke,” never, “I knocked the glass onto the floor and it broke.” Everything happens for a reason. Who’s reason? God’s reason. My son died because God wanted him home…I don’t understand, but God has his reasons. (Not because he was playing on a website on his iPhone as it says on the accident report.) Years ago, it was a tough market for people looking for a job. (Not mentioning that it’s even tougher when you drop out of school at 16 and have no salable skills.)

Anyway, there’s a STRONG correlation between more controlling religions (LDS?) and external locus of control.

None of us are 100% either, but here’s a test:

https://my-personality-test.com/locus-of-control


ETA: but how do the scammers profit?

I always theorized that PCH made 0 selling magazines. They made all their money selling their mailing lists!