How to Not Get Scammed
Whose timeline are you working with? Yours or theirs? Asking yourself this simple question can save you a lot of stress.
You would think that as a Nigerian, I should be used to what looks like a scam call or an email but honestly I am not.
However, I have escaped a lot of scam attempts and this wasn’t because I recognised from the onset what was going on but because I felt they were getting me to work on a timeline that wasn’t my own.
And that is one thing that is common in all scams , they need you to act quickly
If you were to take a little bit more time to verify what was being asked, you would discover that it was a scam.
I got a call from my son’s school some time back and the man said he was a school staff and there was going to a PTA meeting that evening and he needed me to check the message they had sent and verify the link or send them a code right away.
I was cooking by the way and had stepped out of the kitchen to take this call and I felt like why would they disrupt what I was doing at that moment for a code, how urgent/important was it, that I had to act right away?
Like why would I allow my plantains to burn for a PTA meeting code? Hello, nobody is dying, they could afford to wait.
In retrospect, I think my plantains saved the day
Anyway, I proceed to tell him that right away was inconvenient and when I had a break, I would sit down, take my time and check the message and reply to them in the same way that they had sent the code — at that point in time he says okay and the call ends.
A few minutes later, I get an email and a text from the school warning parents that there are several numbers calling parents to confirm a PTA meeting and that they haven’t called for any meeting and to ignore any such calls.
Well, I check and voila, the number that called me is among the blacklisted telephone numbers.
One way to recognize a scam is that their timing is always hurried.
They promise returns and gains in a very short period. They need you to beat a certain dealine and stuff.
There is always some element of hurriedness in their way of operating.
You could want to help a prince whose kingdom is being taken away from him or you might want to help someone who is dying of cancer but you can do it on your own terms.
You can do it after verifying that this indeed is the best way to help them.
My dad introduced me to the British TV series called Hustle, which gives viewers a glimpse into the operations of elite con artists. The Nigerian princes you could come across do not have half the wits employed in this series. The entire series is an eye opener and I recommend this to anyone looking to get some street smarts.
In life generally, you should learn to work on your own timelines. Don’t buy everything offered to you in the market. Learn to do things when you want to do things. Learn to be assertive in saying, okay, I wont do it or I will do it but when I’m chanced.
Anytime you have doubts, stop and verify. Anytime you feel like this is a deviation from your plan for your resources, give it a rethink.
And remember you are allowed to change your mind anytime you do not feel like partaking in any venture.
Cheers and May we not get scammed 😉
Hi, I’m Nguper. I write about relationships, life lessons, poetry and health issues. To see my stories in your feed, I’d love for you to follow me (Terngu)
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