# What kind of scam is this?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-scam-is-this/781867>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 10, 2017, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-scam-is-this/781867 "2017-03-10T15:01:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\
**Post date:** [March 11, 2017, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-scam-is-this/781867/21 "2017-03-11T14:54:54Z")

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> [@ftg](#):
>
> I hate that phrase. My mother is incredibly honest. Thinks by default everyone else is honest, too. She gets cheated all the time.
> 
> The people conning the elderly aren’t making money off of dishonest old people.

Nothing about the phrase implies it covers all the possibilities. The vast majority of people who get cheated in a deal are indeed being dishonest on some level, and that selfishness and avarice is what leads them to trouble.

Preying on the confused or uninformed is another kettle of fish entirely, and something that should be handled by summary curbside executions, in my book.

Although… at the root of many elder scams is a variation of that same dishonesty stemming from different roots - e.g. the scammer plays on the common belief that once you’ve paid your dues, you’re entitled to loopholes and tax breaks and special treatment. An honest person would know that just being 70 doesn’t mean you get to, say, stop applying for and paying for building permits. or have “secret” access to low cost insurance plans or guaranteed off-the-books investment opportunities. It may be very genteel and well-intended, but it’s still a case of someone looking to get something they know they’re not entitled to, and getting rooked.

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**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:** [March 13, 2017, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-scam-is-this/781867/22 "2017-03-13T12:12:09Z")

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> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#):
>
> Although… at the root of many elder scams is a variation of that same dishonesty stemming from different roots - e.g. the scammer plays on the common belief that once you’ve paid your dues, you’re entitled to loopholes and tax breaks and special treatment. An honest person would know that just being 70 doesn’t mean you get to, say, stop applying for and paying for building permits. or have “secret” access to low cost insurance plans or guaranteed off-the-books investment opportunities. It may be very genteel and well-intended, but it’s still a case of someone looking to get something they know they’re not entitled to, and getting rooked.

You are still looking for a way to blame the victim. A lot of these schemes are designed and promoted to make people believe that they _are_ entitled to the supposed proceeds-indeed, they can be(and often are) convinced that others who oppose these schemes are the greedy ones trying to keep these “secrets” from the public. We are talking about trained and skilled conmen vs. an uninformed public.

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**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2017, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-scam-is-this/781867/23 "2017-03-13T13:09:22Z")

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> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#):
>
> Nothing about the phrase implies it covers all the possibilities.

The inclusion of the word “can’t” certainly makes the statement appear absolute. (As well as just being incorrect).

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