By Jelita McLeod
When it comes to self-absorption, Americans have no equal. We pour our hearts out on talk shows. We create blogs to share minute details of our personal lives. We elevate dieting to a primetime spectator sport (see “The Biggest Loser”) and post status updates on what we’re having for lunch. Through stickers on our cars, signs on our lawns, slogans on our shirts, we publicize our political, educational, social, and religious affiliations.
Broadcasting this information is perceived as an extension of our freedoms—the freedom of speech, of expression and choice. The tell-all society, in which no detail goes unshared, shuns anonymity. What we forget is that information can be a valuable asset to criminals.
A skilled con artist can ascertain a lot based on simply looking at someone. From an individual’s age, clothing, gender, comportment, and other characteristics, general assumptions can be made about how he or she will behave. Imagine then what a scammer can do with the vast amounts of information we willingly provide.
Cons differ from other crimes in that they are theft with a twist, stealing with a storyline. Scammers use stories to lure their victims in, and every piece of personal information provided can help them craft their pitch to make it more credible and appealing.
How does this work?
Miranda is the working mother of three. Her youngest, Robbie, plays trumpet in his middle school band. While the band was out of town at a regional competition, she received a phone call from someone claiming to represent the event sponsor. Miranda was told that Robbie had filled out a form to buy tickets for the awards banquet but had failed to provide a credit card number. Could she help?
The caller chatted with Miranda, discussing the band’s chances and the challenges of being a band parent. Without hesitating, Martha gave the caller her credit card number. It wasn’t until Robbie returned two days later and had no idea what she was talking about that Miranda became concerned. By then, her credit card had been used to buy thousands of dollars of electronics.
But how had the caller known about Robbie? The band? And the trip? Everywhere around her, there are clues. The band maintains a web site and a public Facebook page listing concerts and trips. Robbie appears in photos on the page, tagged with Martha’s name. Her car sports a window decal identifying her son as a member of the school band. By the front door is a yard sign with the band’s logo, and Robbie’s name and instrument.
There’s nothing wrong with being proud of our accomplishments or wanting to share news of our lives. But we should be aware that once information goes into the public domain, we no longer have control over it. Exercise caution and limit your audience. Consider this your Miranda warning that anything you say…may be used against you.
For more information on scams, see Jelita McLeod’s book The Con: How Scams Work, Why You’re Vulnerable, and How to Protect Yourself, co-authored with identity theft speaker and deception expert James Munton.
Jelita McLeod is an award-winning writer who has worked in marketing, advocacy and public relations for more than a decade. Her work has appeared in numerous publications, including The Washington Post, The Baltimore Sun, International Educator, The College Board Review and Vital Speeches of the Day. Her commentary has aired on the National Public Radio program All Things Considered. Currently a freelance writer, she has served as a full-time speechwriter and as director of external relations at the Fulbright Association. She previously worked at the British Embassy in Washington, D.C., at Georgetown University, and overseas in England and Japan.
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