When we were kids, the telephone was a "toy" we used to harass people by making crank calls. We'd ask a question like "Is your refrigerator running? " and if the person said yes, we'd say "then you better catch it" and hang up. Or, we'd say we had a prize for them if they could answer "who is buried in Grant's Tomb" and hang up. With no Caller-ID we were pretty safe, and rarely, if ever, got into trouble. We thought it was harmless fun.
These days, the cell phone is a constant vehicle for robo calls, spam, people telling you they are the IRS or that your Social Security Number has been compromised; car warranty scams, requests for charitable and disaster donations, people wanting us to take a survey or get a debit card if we will just answer a question; you are being sued, or your Apple account has just been charged for a $1299 purchase, and on and on. And then there is the guy who is constantly wanting to speak to Eugenia.
It's tiring to receive such calls, and unfortunately some people fall prey to the "hook" and have their identity compromised or get taken for a bunch of money. It's scary to think how easily we can be duped and potentially be wiped out financially. Too much of our personal information is "out there" for someone to get hold of and with more and more people doing their shopping, banking, bill paying and communicating on the phone we are targets of those who are far more tech savvy then we are.
Strange how same of our pranks from long ago, are becoming so much more sophisticated and serious as we navigate through a life more complicated and dangerous than it ever has been. It used to be "buyer beware", but it has become so much more than that now. The world has changed................
Sent from my iPad
No comments:
Post a Comment