I am going to wrap up this discussion with just a simple observation: it has long been known by observers of human behavior that the further someone goes down a road, the more difficult it is to turn back. This is, of course, to what Dr. Sagan was alluding in his quote. People who try and help those who are victims of fraud sometimes react in amazement at just how far "down the rabbit hole" a victim has descended. Some victims, even after losing everything to a fraud scam, continue to believe in the light at the end of the tunnel.
I have seen this myself in victims of the infamous Nigerian 419 scams (referenced earlier in this Blog). Even after the victim has sent thousands, sometimes tens of thousands of dollars to the "Nigerian Prince," still more money is sent. There is always that faint hope among victims, tragic as it is, that this has not all been for nothing, that somewhere there will be the payoff. For those who are not involved in the fraud, it seems unbelievable. But, this mentality persists among victims and is taken advantage of by the fraudsters.
Throughout this Blog, I always make reference to the fact that fraudsters are con men, they are confidence men. This means not only that they take advantage of the victim's confidence in the fraudster, but the fraudster himself projects an unwavering belief in himself, a self-confidence which appears to the victim and is believed by the victim. This unwavering confidence in the fraudster, even if the fraudster is only a series of emails, is what separates fraud from all other types of crime. This ability to take a victim down the road to where there appears no turning back is an ability which fraudsters possess, even if onlookers not involved in the process cannot understand it.
I have seen this myself in victims of the infamous Nigerian 419 scams (referenced earlier in this Blog). Even after the victim has sent thousands, sometimes tens of thousands of dollars to the "Nigerian Prince," still more money is sent. There is always that faint hope among victims, tragic as it is, that this has not all been for nothing, that somewhere there will be the payoff. For those who are not involved in the fraud, it seems unbelievable. But, this mentality persists among victims and is taken advantage of by the fraudsters.
Throughout this Blog, I always make reference to the fact that fraudsters are con men, they are confidence men. This means not only that they take advantage of the victim's confidence in the fraudster, but the fraudster himself projects an unwavering belief in himself, a self-confidence which appears to the victim and is believed by the victim. This unwavering confidence in the fraudster, even if the fraudster is only a series of emails, is what separates fraud from all other types of crime. This ability to take a victim down the road to where there appears no turning back is an ability which fraudsters possess, even if onlookers not involved in the process cannot understand it.
NOTE: THE INFORMATION IN THIS BLOG IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE NOR
IS IT INTENDED TO BE LEGAL ADVICE. IF
THE READER HAS ANY LEGAL QUESTIONS, PLEASE REFER TO AN ATTORNEY.
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tausk
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