#judt like. read the paperwork use your thinking

[softness-and-shattering]

Some general advice re avoiding scams. I havent finished the article but I can see she keeps making the same mistakes.

1. Youre not too smart, privileged whatever to fall for a scam. Believing you are makes you more susceptible.

2. Verify. Eg they said theres a warrant out for her arrest. She googled it and nothing came up but she didnt know if that was public information. Honestly I dont know that either. But, you ask a lawyer, call a police station maybe, look for a legal aid organisation. Dont say its for yourself. Say youve been told about an arrest warrant and youre trying to verify it.

Eg they pointed her to a gov websige and then 'called her from that number'. That can be spoofed. You put down the phone, and from your device call the official number, tell them youve been contacted, and if its legit, youve called the org you indeoendently found their number. This lady, rhey keep giving her numbers to call and telling her whos on the other end with no evidence. A string of numbers a visual id doesnt mean anything alone, it exists as verification so you need to verify it. Anyone can give you q string of numbers and call it a case number.

Basically dont let them coordinate communication and verification. Put down the phone and contact the agencies they claim to represent with information they have not given you.

Also worth pointing out their general manipulation, cant trust anyone, we know about your kid, you have to listen or you'll be arrested. Keeping them om thr phome at all times. They mightve sent someone to follow her down the street to further scare her. Its designed to make you panic so you stop thinking logically and just obey them. You always have to stop and think.

Like I get texts demanding I clarify my address for mail that hasnt been correctly addressed. If I regularly bought stuff online I might qssume it was something I ordered, but I almost never do so I know I dont have a package stuck. Someone just wants me to give them my address, theyre probably sending texts to randomly generated nunvers and seeing if anyone responds.

"A car in texas w drugs registered in your name" contact the dmv and check whats registered in your name. Independently verify everything.

really important financial advice: if a bank employee hands you a printout on scam and fraud tactics because you made a big withdrawal from your savings suddenly then you should maybe consider listening to your bank and question if you're being scammed by someone

related observation: idk maybe if your bank says "make sure this isn't fraud you're being pressured into!! Here's what to look out for!!!" And you go "hm. well that's not important," and then go right ahead to hand over $50,000 in a shoebox to someone you were told is an undercover CIA agent

—then maybe you shouldn't be considered qualified to write a financial advice column.