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Garpal Gumnut

Garpal Gumnut

Ross Island Hotel
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Herewith Tracey Skeates, a 63 year old disability pensioner who was scammed by a lady with big boobs from the USA. Tracey's lack of proper financial management skills and discernment has led him to being scammed of $40,000, losing his accomodation, moving in to a tent and having to sell his parrot.

Why is life so cruel ? It is imperative that the Federal Government set up a Royal Commission to assist in protecting victims such as Tracey. This could happen to anyone. Urgent action is needed.

He is still sending her money.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Aussie is swindled in romance scam

Tracey Skeates, 63, from Caboolture, in Queensland, met 'Charlotte' through Instagram.
www.dailymail.co.uk www.dailymail.co.uk

gg
 
Tough isn't it GG ? I mean when you have to use the Daily Mail as a source of intelligence to have a free kick at romance scam bunnies. :cautious:

It does look like a sad stupid situation when outlined as per the Daily Mail. Having said that, from different personal experiences (from friends) as well as many online stories the craft and effectiveness of romance scams, investment scams, share scams, product scams and political scams is very, very good.

A Royal Commission into protecting Tracey ? Nah. A really close, incisive look at how to get on top of scams across many areas wouldn't go astray.
 
This doesn't directly relate to the Romance part of the scam. However..

Regulator sues HSBC Australia over scam response​

Jonathan_Barrett.png

Jonathan Barrett
The corporate regulator is suing HSBC Australia over allegations it failed to adequately protect customers from being scammed out of millions of dollars.

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (Asic) alleges in a new federal court action that the bank “let its customers down when they needed their help the most” after taking an average of 145 days to investigate customers’ reports that they had been scammed.

Between January 2020 and August 2024, HSBC customers lost about $23m, with the majority of scam losses incurred during a six-month period amid an escalation in activity, according to the court claim.

The escalation occurred after scammers obtained access to accounts by impersonating HSBC Australia staff.

Some customers lost more than $90,000, while HSBC Australia “compounded the problem” by failing to comply with its various obligations, according to the regulator.

3058.jpg

HSBC signage in Sydney. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP
Asic’s deputy chair, Sarah Court, said:

We allege HSBC Australia’s failings were widespread and systemic, and the bank failed to protect its customers.
Click to expand...
An HSBC Australia spokesperson said the bank acknowledged the Asic claim.

We are considering the matters raised and will continue to cooperate and work constructively with ASIC. Protecting our customers from scammers remains a top priority. We continue to make significant investments in our fraud and scam prevention, detection, and response.
 
Garpal Gumnut said:
Herewith Tracey Skeates, a 63 year old disability pensioner who was scammed by a lady with big boobs from the USA. Tracey's lack of proper financial management skills and discernment has led him to being scammed of $40,000, losing his accomodation, moving in to a tent and having to sell his parrot.

Why is life so cruel ? It is imperative that the Federal Government set up a Royal Commission to assist in protecting victims such as Tracey. This could happen to anyone. Urgent action is needed.

He is still sending her money.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Aussie is swindled in romance scam

Tracey Skeates, 63, from Caboolture, in Queensland, met 'Charlotte' through Instagram.
www.dailymail.co.uk www.dailymail.co.uk

gg
Click to expand...
@Garpal Gumnut If Tracey is still sending money to the scammer then he deserves what he gets, Definitely a slow learner.
 
basilio said:
Tough isn't it GG ? I mean when you have to use the Daily Mail as a source of intelligence to have a free kick at romance scam bunnies. :cautious:

It does look like a sad stupid situation when outlined as per the Daily Mail. Having said that, from different personal experiences (from friends) as well as many online stories the craft and effectiveness of romance scams, investment scams, share scams, product scams and political scams is very, very good.

A Royal Commission into protecting Tracey ? Nah. A really close, incisive look at how to get on top of scams across many areas wouldn't go astray.
Click to expand...
Thanks @basilio . I used the Daily Mail as it had not been printed in The Grauniad to enable you to read it for free. :joyful: There is an account in The Courier Mail which is a Murdoch rag out of Brisbane to which one of the Mrs Gumnuts subscribes but it is behind a paywall and where I first read it. But I agree, the Daily Mail is not "cricket".

I fully agree that it is a very sad situation and much more complex than that to which I and you have alluded. You have outlined the wider implications and the toilet block in which all scammers sit, particularly the political ones. I did read an article in the Financial Times ( :unsure: ) some weeks ago where some modern day slaves had been found imprisoned in a compound on the Thai/Lao border doing scam work, so it is quite an intricate map of misery once one delves in to it.

I don't believe it will be possible ever to get on top of scams from romance to politics. Unfortunately the trope "there is one born every minute" which particularly applies to the former is best applied. As usual, the liberal minded will attempt to medicalise or pathologise the behaviour of the victims, set up government funded entities to "treat" or give people the "skills" to avoid scammery but many such as this chappie still keep on sending money to the scammer even though their delusion has been explained to them.

The Royal Commision remark was a bit tongue in cheek but I do believe that the entitled University educated middle class will milk this for all it is worth to skew work away from private enterprise work such as mining or oil to government funded jobs in the health and social welfare sector to attempt to prevent scams.

gg
 
I agree broadly with most of your post GG. But I think there are a number of areas around scamming government should/MUST take control
1) For far too long Banks and financial institutions have enabled scammers to move funds very quickly through the current financial systems. I'm thinking more about the myriad phishing scams that plague our emails and phones. There are ways to slow/intercept suspicious transaction. It is only recently , theoretically, that banks have been brought to the party. And I still don't think they are doing enough.

2) How in gods name do the massive online media companies get away with being conduits for the promotion of the myriad scams we see all the time ? We know the crypto cons using big names as bait are still flying. I just wonder how serious the media players are in running these to ground versus happily pocketing the advertising revenue they get from them ?

3) Will Governments ever get proactive in actively chasing these crooks rather than reactive in responding ? I just remember a story about a couple of individuals who, off their own bat, are able to identify and find scammers. So I ask myself why can't they and a few others be actively employed to make a dent in this industry.

I suggest the kick against " the entitled university educated middle class to milk this for all it is worth" is missing the point. The point is the prevalence of a very sophisticated range of internet based scamming and the need for a wholistic, full blooded response to
1) Help protect the interests of citizens/taxpayers
2) Put teeth into a criminal justice system.

Or perhaps we could ask for Elon Musks advice ?
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/elon...6oCxB3OMFiRsPGGjWoboiCTXTieRA4Ozz2lXTXKxVsANk
 
basilio said:
I agree broadly with most of your post GG. But I think there are a number of areas around scamming government should/MUST take control
1) For far too long Banks and financial institutions have enabled scammers to move funds very quickly through the current financial systems. I'm thinking more about the myriad phishing scams that plague our emails and phones. There are ways to slow/intercept suspicious transaction. It is only recently , theoretically, that banks have been brought to the party. And I still don't think they are doing enough.

2) How in gods name do the massive online media companies get away with being conduits for the promotion of the myriad scams we see all the time ? We know the crypto cons using big names as bait are still flying. I just wonder how serious the media players are in running these to ground versus happily pocketing the advertising revenue they get from them ?

3) Will Governments ever get proactive in actively chasing these crooks rather than reactive in responding ? I just remember a story about a couple of individuals who, off their own bat, are able to identify and find scammers. So I ask myself why can't they and a few others be actively employed to make a dent in this industry.

I suggest the kick against " the entitled university educated middle class to milk this for all it is worth" is missing the point. The point is the prevalence of a very sophisticated range of internet based scamming and the need for a wholistic, full blooded response to
1) Help protect the interests of citizens/taxpayers
2) Put teeth into a criminal justice system.

Or perhaps we could ask for Elon Musks advice ?
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/elon...6oCxB3OMFiRsPGGjWoboiCTXTieRA4Ozz2lXTXKxVsANk
Click to expand...
We are in agreement I believe except for the " the entitled university educated middle class to milk this for all it is worth" who divert resources for their own benefit from tackling real world problems affecting the vulnerable and workers. No more "studies". No more additions to the social curricula in our uni's etc. Direct action I agree is needed.

Banks, internet companies and media need to be held to account.

gg
 
Garpal Gumnut said:
We are in agreement I believe except for the " the entitled university educated middle class to milk this for all it is worth" who divert resources for their own benefit from tackling real world problems affecting the vulnerable and workers. No more "studies". No more additions to the social curricula in our uni's etc. Direct action I agree is needed.

Banks, internet companies and media need to be held to account.

gg
Click to expand...
sadly, Direct Action was the name of the rag by one of the Marxist Leninist schism subsets ; whether it's still pumped out, these days, i don't know, nor care. They never had a sense of humour, I found.
 
Interesting to see one of the responses by the Singapore government to scams and in particular helping people who refuse to believe they have been conned and want to keep forking over money. Clearly they think it is a very big problem.

Worth a read and a think.

Singapore police could restrict scam victims from accessing bank accounts under proposed law​

Wed 11 DecWednesday 11 December
2&cropW=3185&xPos=1015&yPos=0&width=862&height=485.jpg

The proposed bill would allow police to restrict scam victims from withdrawing their money at ATMs and through online banking. (Reuters: Caroline Chia)

In short:​

Singapore's Ministry of Home Affairs has introduced a bill to grant police the power to temporarily restrict the banking transactions of people who refuse to believe they are being scammed.
If the bill passes, police will be able to restrict money transfers including ATM withdrawals of individuals who are "reasonably believed" to be the victims of a scam.

What's next?​

The Protection from Scams Bill will be heard for the second time in January.

www.abc.net.au

Singapore's radical solution to global scam epidemic

Scam victims in Singapore could lose access to their own money as the country ramps up efforts to curb hundreds of millions of dollars lost to scams.
www.abc.net.au www.abc.net.au
 
This sounds like great idea to protect the vulnerable who have no insight in to the scam by denying access to their bank account. It would have no chance of being adopted by an Australian parliament. Personal freedom will always be prioritised over public good @basilio

Just look at the kerfuffle over public health measures taken during Covid now. Everyone is an expert in hindsight. Anything that would protect those scammed is ok imo. If I were in power Australia would not have as many lawyers.

gg
 
Garpal Gumnut said:
This sounds like great idea to protect the vulnerable who have no insight in to the scam by denying access to their bank account. It would have no chance of being adopted by an Australian parliament. Personal freedom will always be prioritised over public good @basilio

Just look at the kerfuffle over public health measures taken during Covid now. Everyone is an expert in hindsight. Anything that would protect those scammed is ok imo. If I were in power Australia would not have as many lawyers.

gg
Click to expand...

What parameters are used to determine the level of dumbness though? I'm not being facetious about it. We may consider someone who falls for these scams silly but it's their emotions at play and those can be very powerful for some, especially when it comes to loneliness.

My wife died nearly 15 years ago and a few people have suggested the dating scene but I've totally rejected it. However, whose to say that if I did I wouldn't fall for a scam?

A difficult subject.
 
Bellcose said:
What parameters are used to determine the level of dumbness though? I'm not being facetious about it. We may consider someone who falls for these scams silly but it's their emotions at play and those can be very powerful for some, especially when it comes to loneliness.

My wife died nearly 15 years ago and a few people have suggested the dating scene but I've totally rejected it. However, whose to say that if I did I wouldn't fall for a scam?

A difficult subject.
Click to expand...
@Bellcose Sorry about your loss.
Sometimes your own company is the best company.
 
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