Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Simple Quirk in the Law Enables Anyone to Become a Con Man

--How the Everyday Man-on-the-Street Consumer Can Become a Con Man

With only your credit card your cup runneth over. A new career as a con man awaits you.

Sure. Who? Anybody, including you.

How? Why? What enables such good fortune? It's credit card law, much to the benefit of the con man Now, you have only to take your credit card and find a new, simple use for it. (Everything works better if you plug it in.)

In many countries internet sales and mail order sales are governed by the same laws. This includes the U.S. So, what's the similarity in sales that invites this sameness of regulation? In both internet and mail order sales the customer is absent from the POP (point-of-purchase). thus,, no signature appears, assuring that delivery has occurred. (These last words are important. So, read them again: no signature appears, assuring that delivery has occurred. This is the can opener that opens this Can of Worms. More detail in the wrap-up phase of this article.)

As a result, customers are presented with several options, which, in effect, would clearly complete the transaction. Usually, within 30 days, they can claim:

1) The item was not delivered as promised.

2) The item did not meet expectations.

3) The transaction was the result of a lost or stolen credit card.

Of course, the merchant is offered an opportunity to contest the chargeback. But--and, here's the big but--without a signature to verify delivery,there is most often little--or nothing--the merchant can do. You have only to follow a basic con man remedy: When your victim is down, kick him..

So, what's the best option for the every-day- consumer-turned-con-man? Certainly, that's easy enough to figure. Number 1, naturally. If the product was not signed for when delivered (more than 95% of all cases), the burden is on the merchant to either deliver a second time, or refund the purchase price. Opportunity for illicit customer profit? Should be obvious. A truly con man-prone situation If you have set low personal standards for yourself, then consistently failed to meet them, you will be "up" to such an underhanded endeavor.

To make this kind of crime work you'd have to become a whining complainer.. And, it's said that the more you complain, the longer God makes you live. A negative?

Consequently, if pangs of conscience emerge, and you become a guilt-ridden whacko because of this new career, then what? It's introspection time.. Remember, the only cure for insomnia is to get more sleep.

If, In addition to moral reasons, you reconsider the whole thing and, rather, opt to stay on the "straight and narrow," as a means to claiming your just deserts in the Hereafter, ask yourself, which came first, karma or dogma? Remember, the hardness of the butter is always directly proportional to the softness of the bread.

Also remember Alley's Axiom: Justice always prevails--3 times out of 7. But, as shocking as it was to Dorothy and her dog, Toto, to get dumped out of the Land of Oz back into Kansas, look no further for guidance on the proper path to take. They adjusted, and to the bright side.

Stick with the old hokeyism, "honesty is the best policy," to insure your reservation--a front row seat in that Hereafter.

He who dies with the most toys still dies.

37 comments:

Anonymous said...

With a credit card as the only tool needed, it is sad to think that in this era of national financial collapse it should be so easy to scam. Everybody has a credit card...woe is us.

Anonymous said...

So most of the developed countries of the world took the easy way and laid down the same laws for the internet as for mail order sales, huh? I guess that figures. It's easier than thinking out an innovative new set of governing laws. Nothing like making it simple for just anybody to scam the system.

Anonymous said...

Ironic, isn't it? At a time like this when everybody is so fearful of their financial futures we learn of an easy way anybody can defraud anybody. The system gets very discouraging at times.

Anonymous said...

Hmmm... and here I thought the only thing my credit card was good was unlocking the door when I forgot my key!

Until I bent it that is...

The things you learn reading blogs. I am glad I stopped by today, and learned something that may help me with my business, and how to prevent being ripped off! Thanks Jack!
~K

Techno News said...

I honour u. You r best. I don't know my future..... hope ur success...

Anonymous said...

Yes, when you don't sign for something its easy to say product was not delivered - whether it was delivered or not. Business scams made easy - this seems to be the order of the day. In this terrible economic climate this is nothing more than a crying shame.

Anonymous said...

Which came first, karma or dogma. I'll have to remember that one.

Jack Payne said...

I once tracked a con man doing this--and, and, as far as I could tell, this alone--several years ago. He would change names and credit cards about once every 3 months. His life was one long spending spree, without spending any money. He would order, order, order. And then deny, deny, deny receiving anything. Soft life, full of material goodies. As far as I could tell he never did get caught.

Anonymous said...

Ho, ho. Do you mean, Jack, that the only weapon this con man ever used was a single credit card?

Jack Payne said...

That's right, Earl, only a single credit card (one at a time; he changed them every 3 months). Word had it that he had such a surplus of merchandise that he would leave the overhang of TV sets and computers--most in their original shipping cartons--on consignment at yard sales and flea markets.

Anonymous said...

Your last line is a shot of wisdom, Jack. He who dies with the most toys stilll dies.

Swubird said...

Con Man:

Speaking of cons, stop by my site and read about A Christmas Mystery.

Happy trails.

Anonymous said...

This con man put this stuff up at yard sales in their original shipping cartons?...wouldn't the invoices, paper, and such give him away?

Jack Payne said...

I'll check it out, Swu, as soon as I can locate your site.

I assumed, Carl, that the con man had opened the cartons and removed packing slips and all identification paper, before putting it up for sale.

Anonymous said...

My favourite is "Alley's Axiom: Justice always prevails--3 times out of 7."

With those odds the con man will live forever changing only to new and improved.

Sure they'll die but they'll pass on their skills and maybe even their toys to admirers. First there was Ponzi and then there was .....Madoff. Lots more in between and lots more to come.

Anonymous said...

I wonder how many of these people actually become guilt-ridden whackos.

HEALTH NUT WANNABEE MOM said...

This is awful but you made me laugh and laugh at the way you wrote it. Get more sleep! You have the best sense of humor and ability to draw me in when you write!

Anonymous said...

With all the misery out there in the market place right now, with so many people being laid off and not being ablel to afford things, it is hard to believe such skull-duggery is going on...but (sigh) I guess it is.

Anonymous said...

I think I could become a whining complainer without becoming a guilt-ridden whacko. But, this whole thought just leaves me so sick to my stomach that I don't think I'll even try.

Anonymous said...

Wow! Now I understand why this one particular company I have placed several large orders inundates me with phone calls before they will release my order. I get so irritated and now I realize I probably shouldn't be so angry.

Swubird said...

Con Man:

Okay, I get it. Buy those nice speakers on the Internet, and then claim that they were never delivered to me. That's clear, and I see the logic - sans a good conscience, of course. But what are some of the ways the long arm of the law can catch up to the perpetrator of this kind of crime?

Another great lesson on consumer economics.

Merry Christmas, and...

Happy trails

Anonymous said...

The hardness of the butter is always directly proportional to the softness of the bread - is a great line. I don't exactly know what it means, but its a great line.

Anonymous said...

I sell some items on Ebay, mostly a bunch of junk I want out of my closet and attic.

When I buy or sell on Ebay, I always mail out to my customers via USPS Insured mail.

If the customer claims that they never received the package, Paypal can then refund the customer my money if I fail to provide proof via a tracking number that I mailed out the package.

Also if the item happens to be lost or stolen, I can always fill out a USPS insurance claim and receive my loss if Paypal decides in the customer's favor.

It is just good business to protect yourself and the customer in case something should go wrong with the mailing out of goods.

On the other hand, I have had many Ebay sellers who claimed to have mailed out my packages but failed to provide me or Paypal proof that they mailed it out.

If the seller cannot provide a tracking number, usually I receive my money back right away from Paypal when the seller refuses to cooperate.

I can't tell you how many times I have had some transactions from China, Japan, Europe or even here in the USA where the seller wanted to take my money and run.

Usually Paypal is very good at tracking them down and going after them, while refunding me for the attempted thief.

Great post Jack and have a wonderful coming New Year.

Anonymous said...

Not only can some people find a glitch in the system and claim that they never received the product, the post office is filled to the rim with insurance claims and there are no employees to help process the insurance claims.

I have inside information that the Post office cut employees hours and have laid off a great deal of employees and the insurance claims are piling up high.

Imagine paying for insurance and when your package is lost or stolen, there is no one available in the Post office to process the claim, you just wasted your money paying for insurance.

Try getting someone to speak to on the Post Office 1 800 # and you will be holding online for hours.

Anonymous said...

Jeunelle is right. I've seen the same thing happen with the Post Office.

Jack Payne said...

Madoff has to be the King of all Con Men, Dee.

Thanks, Heidi. I try very hard to draw you in.

Yes, Maria, a lot of companies doing business via the internet, are getting very antsy about their vulnerability.

Jack Payne said...

Swu, the way they catch these people is by tracing their repetition of scams. This is why this guy changes his card every 3 months. This is about the only way they can do it.

Jack Payne said...

Tracking numbers have been resorted to by any number of firms trying to defend themelves from delivery fraud. Somethimes it works, other times it does not. Guess they figure they gotta do something--this kind of fraud is so wide spread.

Anonymous said...

I like the basic con man remedy: when the victim is down, kick him.

Anonymous said...

If you have set low standards for yourself, then failed to meet them...

I like that line too, Jack. I can't help myself, I keep going over your posts and flushing out those little pieces of wisdom that I think need attention called to them.

Anonymous said...

Merry Christmas!

roentare said...

Your article really brightens up my day! Glad to read your sophisticated writing and the contents are definitely better than the daily three newspapers I read

Me-Me King said...

I worked in banking for many years. Identity theft and credit card fraud has grown to epic proportions - and we wonder why our interest rates and bank fees are so high.

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Anonymous said...

In our country this is often

Anonymous said...

In our country this is often.Law for the use of credit cards less run.

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