If I only had the power to banish
scammers and saboteurs and stealers to another planet, or preferably another
universe.
From time to time I pull up one of my
five (count ‘em) five email addresses, and discover “a scam on my spam.” (My
terminology).
I got one today from the “Behr Group.”
FINAL BILLING
$2,345.23, $1,457.17, $453.23
For additional information related to
this account click on this link
Behrgroup.wmcd1428
Well, my friend, I can tell you it
will be a cold day in “you know where” before I click on THAT link. I ain’t
doing it. They are either attempting to convince me I owe money to a
non-existent company, want to steal my personal information, or would simply love
to fry my hard drive.
My favorite (and least favorite) scam
of all time originated in Africa; (presumably in a Nigerian internet café).
“Dear Sir, I noticed your name on a
social media site, and strangely enough you, and I have the same surname. (While
my mother was African, my father was Scottish). After I looked at your photos,
and realized what a good, honest man you must be, I decided to ask you for help.
Sadly, my father died last year, and
my three brothers, and I are named in his will. However, since I am a woman,
and due to the way our legal system treats women, I have been excluded from
receiving what my father left for me. ($164,000 American funds).
If you would please forward $3,500 to
my account (account number is included) so that I may hire an attorney, I would
be happy to share half of the moneys due me at the successful conclusion of my
lawsuit.
I trust you will be able to help me. I
honestly have no one else to turn to.”
My Best Regards,
Oweiba McDonald
It suddenly occurs to me that the last line of
the lady’s plea sounds a lot like Princess Leia and her…
Hmmm, what was Obi-Wan’s email
address? I'd like to introduce him to someone.
Pt. 2
Speaking of frying my hard drive, I
once clicked on a Windows 10 icon on my start-up screen, and the darned thing
committed suicide. I kid you not. Quicker than ‘HAL’ in the movie, “2001: A
Space Odyssey.” To be sure, there was none of HAL’s singing, and slurring, and
“carrying on.” It was just ‘blip’ and the deed was done.
To say I was p_ _ _ _ d would be the
understatement of 2017, (or whatever year the thing actually self-destructed).
I was not a happy camper.
Sometimes, when I have nothing else to
wonder about, I wonder what joy computer saboteurs derive from transmitting
so-called viruses across the web. I mean, I understand why Kim Jung Un 김정은 (or Lung Un Kim, or Ho Van Bull, or
whatever his strange and wonderful name happens to be) employs hundreds of
computer hackers to surveil and/or sabotage the computers of freedom-loving
governments around the world. But why oh why would anyone arbitrarily, and
without reason forward a destructive weblink to a decent, common, unsuspecting
fellow citizen of the earth?
As
a result, a whole new industry has arisen among us. Computer Security. God help
the private citizen or business or government which hasn’t taken measures to
protect himself, herself, or itself from computer hackers and saboteurs who
would do us harm.
A
few years ago, I contracted with a lawn service company to maintain my yard.
They would send out a service person each quarter to spray my yard for weeds
and insects. However, I was never altogether impressed with the company’s ability
to prevent miscellaneous weeds from overwhelming my grass, and I, ultimately,
discontinued my contract with this company. Lo and behold, shortly after I “sent
them packing” I discovered a host of chinch bugs in my yard. (And if you know
anything about this particular insect, you know they have the wherewithal to
destroy a half acre of grass in a couple of days). Needless to say, I have
surmised that my former yardman may have purposely set those nasty six-legged
critters loose in my grass.
All
this to say that, not unlike the antics to which I have previously referred, I
have often wondered whether web security companies may secretly employ their
own host of computer saboteurs. It would definitely assure the longevity of
their trade.
Pt.
3
And
then there are the “package picker-uppers.”
I
worked for “The Tightest Ship in the Shipping Business” for twenty years, (and
I detested every minute of it). Be that as it may, a couple decades hence the
powers that be at United Parcel Service made a decision to drop packages at
residential addresses, (and discontinued the requirement for a customer
autograph).
The
package thieves seem to come out of the woodwork during the holiday season. No
doubt, because there are more tempestuous goodies left next to a myriad of front
doors across the nation. Perhaps they fancy themselves modern-day Santa’s, and
the packages their proverbial milk and cookies. Of course, they leave little
behind but dismay, disgust and a sense of having been violated.
As
often, as not these days homeowners have installed video cameras, and it is not
unusual for local and national news organizations to run film footage of these
modern day “Robin Hood’s.” You know, “Take from the rich, and give to the
poor.” (The ‘poor’ being themselves). And amazingly, it seems most of these
conscience-seared perpetrators saunter up to the door without so much as a Lone
Ranger mask.
Recently,
I was watching one of these videos, and as the package thief mounted the front
steps, and while staring intently into the camera, he presented the
one-fingered salute with both hands.
Scammers,
Stealers & Saboteurs.
As
if the rest of us owed them something.
This know also, that in the last
days perilous times shall come.
For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters,
proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers,
incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
Traitors, heady, high minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers
of God
2nd
Timothy 3:1-4
(Mc)Donald's Daily Diary. Vol. 75. By William McDonald, PhD. Copyright pending.
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