# This is a scam, right? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 24, 2009, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-a-scam-right/504120 "2009-07-24T14:03:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Recliner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a88e57/32.png) [@Recliner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Recliner)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2009, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-a-scam-right/504120/21 "2009-07-26T13:33:45Z")
> [@kittenblue](#): > > The thing is, she can’t really afford to lose any money over this. they are trying very hard to pull themselves out of debt…she sees Make $1500!! and thinks Salvation! > > T Here’s an odd piece of advice (coming from me) – has she ever listened to Dave Ramsey? I’ll probably be smacked down and find out he’s crooked himself somewhere down, but your sister strikes me as someone who might go for his advice (which basically amounts to "Get out of debt. " with a touch of – yes – Christianity thrown in). In an odd way, although some of the people he deals with are the easily-taken-in, I’ve been moderately impressed with his angle. Man, I hope I’m not recommending a charlatan. Or offending someone about religion. Or…\ ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2009, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-a-scam-right/504120/22 "2009-07-26T14:21:12Z")
> [@Bacon\_Salt](#): > > No advice, but I feel for ya, **kittenblue**. I too know what it’s like to watch a family member allow their wallet to get sucked dry through bullshit money schemes time after time. I agree with this, and suggest _strongly_ that you tell them that if they go this route you will not aid them when they fail yet again. Do not get sucked into their financial ruin-if you refuse to contribute they might get upset, but if you _do_ help out both parties will be broke and upset with each other. ---
**Author:** ![Picard\_Kills\_Kirk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/dec6dc/32.png) [@Picard\_Kills\_Kirk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Picard_Kills_Kirk)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2009, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-a-scam-right/504120/23 "2009-07-26T14:29:29Z")
If she absolutely has to try this, tell her to buy a prepaid visa gift card. This way if it turns out to be a scam, they are limited as to how much they can definitely get. If it turns out to be real, she can buy another prepaid card and keep doing so until she is done with their campaign. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2009, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-a-scam-right/504120/24 "2009-07-26T14:47:00Z")
> [@Picard\_Kills\_Kirk](#): > > If she absolutely has to try this, tell her to buy a prepaid visa gift card. This way if it turns out to be a scam, they are limited as to how much they can definitely get. If it turns out to be real, she can buy another prepaid card and keep doing so until she is done with their campaign. It won’t turn out to be real because its not, giving them 5 dollars might not be as bad as giving them 5000 but its still a bad idea. ---
**Author:** ![Picard\_Kills\_Kirk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/dec6dc/32.png) [@Picard\_Kills\_Kirk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Picard_Kills_Kirk)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2009, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-a-scam-right/504120/25 "2009-07-26T14:59:33Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > It won’t turn out to be real because its not, giving them 5 dollars might not be as bad as giving them 5000 but its still a bad idea. I agree, I think its a scam, but if she’s going to do it regardless of what anyone tells her, this way will make it much easier for her to back out of it without having to cancel cards, file disputes, etc. ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2009, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-a-scam-right/504120/26 "2009-07-27T14:53:25Z")
> [@Recliner](#): > > Here’s an odd piece of advice (coming from me) – has she ever listened to Dave Ramsey? I’ll probably be smacked down and find out he’s crooked himself somewhere down, but your sister strikes me as someone who might go for his advice (which basically amounts to "Get out of debt. " with a touch of – yes – Christianity thrown in). In an odd way, although some of the people he deals with are the easily-taken-in, I’ve been moderately impressed with his angle. > > Man, I hope I’m not recommending a charlatan. Or offending someone about religion. Or…\ ;Actually, I recommended that she read Dave’s book, and she has decided to follow his advice. Getting her husband to get on board is harder, though she thinks he may have looked at the book. Hubby just doesn’t want to feel deprived. He wants to be out of debt, he just doesn’t want to be the one cutting back. I think he wants to be rescued, again…a few years back, his very rich sister paid off all their bills for them…I think he thinks that’s going to happen again. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-a-scam-right/504120/27 "2009-07-28T02:19:11Z")
Sounds like they both suffer from some sort of “Shop-a-holic” syndrome. I come close to that when I’m in a computer store. So far I always flee with my credit card intact but I could honestly see going into a computer store and buying $10,000 worth of stuff I COULD use but don’t don’t really need. So I can see why things like this happen. Just remember they can’t throw you in jail for being in debt, she’ll just have to learn to avoid the bill collectors in the future [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-a-scam-right/504120.md?page=1)