Cat fishing and monetary damages...

christine24t

My mom and I are watching Dr. Phil. The lady on the show has been catfished and paid her catfish over 100,000 that he claimed he needed (not sure for what).

Now the argument we are having.

My mom thinks that the catfish should pay the woman back the money he stole since he "scammed" her. I say that the lady wasn't coerced and she knew what she was doing. It wasn't like she was investing money in a ponzi-like scheme and was lied to. Yes the catfish lied but I think he's not entirely at fault as she was gullible.

Thoughts??

AnnaPixie

I agree with your Mum. As a person that was scammed (copped on before I parted with any money) before I have to say that they are good!! Very good!! It's not a case of being gullible. They suck you in and get you at your most vulnerable. They are callous ba*tards. They get to know you and latch on to your weaknesses. They say exactly what you want to hear........

In fact, I think they ought to be locked up!! As well as pay your money back........:grumble:

flimflamfloz

Now the argument we are having.
My mom thinks that the catfish should pay the woman back the money he stole since he "scammed" her. I say that the lady wasn't coerced and she knew what she was doing. It wasn't like she was investing money in a ponzi-like scheme and was lied to. Yes the catfish lied but I think he's not entirely at fault as she was gullible.

Malicious sects/cults, scammers and catfishes prey on weak people.
Now, saying that "it's her fault" and that she shouldn't be protected against "mental/emotional aggression" because she was too gullible or depressed is essentially the same as saying she shouldn't be protected against "physical aggression" because she was just not physically strong enough to defend herself.
But in the interests of society (a community of individuals with different strengths and weaknesses), it should be the role of the strong to defend the weak - instead of what we see these days, where the strong are also preying and hating on the weak for their own interest (which sometimes happen to align with the interests of society).

In this world people talk about free will and freedom of choice, but the truth is that some people don't have a choice under some circumstances (being born in a poor country) or (and this is worse probably) don't have the tools, knowledge or capability to make the better choices. The latter is worse than the former because they should be able to make a better choice but don't do so.

Another interesting question is: where do you draw the line with mental manipulation and when does it become an acceptable business practice?

TL;DR: She has been manipulated into a scam. People will be stronger or weaker at different times of their life, and people come with different qualities of choice.

MissingMinnesota

The catfisher should actually be charged with fraud. They knownly prettended to be something they weren't for the financial gain at the expenses of others.

Moe4572

I agree that the cat fisher should have to pay money back...........but the whole idea behind a "scam" is that you never are able to get the person responsible......it sucks.

I, too, saw a Dr. Phil show on this and of course the man was in Nigeria, and the woman had given ALL her money to him, and even sold her grandmothers engagement ring to give to him--it was very sad that she was so taken, and even after all that and he agreed to go on Dr. Phil, then cancelled...........she still believed everything he told her. She was gullible, but I don't think that is her fault..........

jesusHchris

Side note: Do we believe what is on Doctor Phil? I don't know, I don't watch it. Is it real or more like Springer where they pay the guests to say what they think is entertaining?

Prahasaurus

TIL: Catfish is someone who assumes a false identify on social media.

And interestingly enough, it can apparently be used as a verb.

--P

kimad

While I totally believe it is fraud and that person should have to pay back this money, I still can't believe in this day and age that people are being scammed like this. Whether it be cat-fishing, a phone scam, or whatever. This is in the news SO SO SO much that people should know better by now. I do understand these people are slick and prey on your weaknesses, but sometimes people just seem a little no naïve, sorry.

meshashesha2012

yeah it's fraud in the sense that the scammer lied, but i think unless the "victim" has mental issues, ultimately she's responsible for her money. sometimes things are a case of people wanting to be put in a position of being victimised, that's just my opinion.

The catfisher should actually be charged with fraud. They knownly prettended to be something they weren't for the financial gain at the expenses of others.

so then when is the line drawn? is a free dinner/movie for first date an acceptable loss for having been scammed by someone online not being who they said they were or appearing how they presented themselves.

I do understand these people are slick and prey on your weaknesses, but sometimes people just seem a little no naïve, sorry.

. word. if you know you're weak, then it's your responsibility to make yourself stronger, not the world's responsibility to be extra gentle around you.

MissingMinnesota

yeah it's fraud in the sense that the scammer lied, but i think unless the "victim" has mental issues, ultimately she's responsible for her money. sometimes things are a case of people wanting to be put in a position of being victimised, that's just my opinion.

The catfisher should actually be charged with fraud. They knownly prettended to be something they weren't for the financial gain at the expenses of others.

so then when is the line drawn? is a free dinner/movie for first date an acceptable loss for having been scammed by someone online not being who they said they were or appearing how they presented themselves.

I do understand these people are slick and prey on your weaknesses, but sometimes people just seem a little no naïve, sorry.

. word. if you know you're weak, then it's your responsibility to make yourself stronger, not the world's responsibility to be extra gentle around you.

I actually think if you look at the law there is a line that is drawn on when some thing becomes fraud just like there is a line between a misdomeaner crime and a felony.

farmers_daughter

Its fraud yes. Charge them respectively.

She herself needs mucho therapy to fix whatever in the hell made her give up $100 grand.

I will never in my life see $100 grand. I guess I'm biased to say there's something VERY wrong with her, and giving her her money back won't fix it. It will only enable her to do it again.

meshashesha2012

yeah it's fraud in the sense that the scammer lied, but i think unless the "victim" has mental issues, ultimately she's responsible for her money. sometimes things are a case of people wanting to be put in a position of being victimised, that's just my opinion.

The catfisher should actually be charged with fraud. They knownly prettended to be something they weren't for the financial gain at the expenses of others.

so then when is the line drawn? is a free dinner/movie for first date an acceptable loss for having been scammed by someone online not being who they said they were or appearing how they presented themselves.

I do understand these people are slick and prey on your weaknesses, but sometimes people just seem a little no naïve, sorry.

. word. if you know you're weak, then it's your responsibility to make yourself stronger, not the world's responsibility to be extra gentle around you.

I actually think if you look at the law there is a line that is drawn on when some thing becomes fraud just like there is a line between a misdomeaner crime and a felony.

but if the scammer and the scammee are in different countries, how exactly would the law work? is there actually 1 global law? does 1 country have the final say of what the law should be?

unless the scammer is doing some julian assange level of internet tomfoolery i really cant see anything legal happening.

i think at this point, if the scammee wants to get her money back she'd have a better chance of doing so by just going to nigeria and swiping someone's purse and hoping they have that amount. but really she should count herself lucky that something worse didnt happen to her. money can be replaced (especially if you have it to be giving it out to strangers LIKE THAT) but personal safety can't

JanieJack

yeah it's fraud in the sense that the scammer lied, but i think unless the "victim" has mental issues, ultimately she's responsible for her money. sometimes things are a case of people wanting to be put in a position of being victimised, that's just my opinion.

Old thread but interesting...

I had a student once who did emotional intelligence research. He did an EI inventory on me, and one of the questions was "Some people were made to be taken advantage of." I took issue with that statement and he told me that my answer, which was "never true of me" indicated that I was naive, foolish, gullible, etc because some people ARE put on this earth to be taken advantage of and when you meet someone like that you're a fool if you don't take advantage of them!

I sure hope he was just trying to stir me up, but I know there are quite a few folks that feel that way.