Yes. I kept getting these calls on my landline (yes I still have a landline, it’s easier for 911 calls to find your house.) These calls start with someone saying, “We are calling you about your recent stay at a resort.” I don’t stay at resorts, ever. They babble on so fast you can’t get a word in, so I just slam the phone and block the #.
We had this one caller who kept calling saying they were the IRS and we are being audited. The IRS does not make phone calls to your house. I got really pissed thinking about my mom answering this call and giving out personal information (she has done this before). By the time the next call came in I was ready. I screamed an earth shattering scream in the guys ear, and I chewed him out before slamming down the phone. Immature, maybe. Did it feel good?…Definitely.
In this day and age where there are sadly so many phone/email scams around? Yes. I can spot them a mile away. It’s sad that scammers are still able to trick some people, but then again, that’s why they keep trying, because eventually they get someone that will bite.
It’s too bad that these do not call registries are so limited in their abilities.
I have been exposed to mostly “send me your money” scams. These usually promise large monetary prize winnings, gifted monies, a threat of an IRS audit with jail time if you fail to comply, or a virus on my computer that will cause irreversible damage and will compromise all of my data. Most of the time I end their calls with, “You’re an idiot. Goodbye.”
Uh yeah, cause I work in computer security for twenty years, and even the two decades before that had a big interest in wide range of security topics — coupled with a very specific and deep interest in “confidence”, and human perception, which means I not only have spent years researching topics like hypnosis, but also confidence games.
Oh, and part of my initial training as a young man was via working in home improvement sales. What is called being a “tin man”. As well as other direct sales and telemarketing. So, also heavily studied for a good time about twenty five years ago marketing and sales.
I also have communications, in general, as a core focus, so that all ties together.
I read a lot, and pretty well memorize everything I read in a way I can also pretty well put into practice. If I wanted, say, to become a doctor, tomorrow, I would have no difficulty either rushing through college and medical school, or simply memorizing all the books and falsifying the documentation. Albeit the later I do not do. As I am not a psychopath, I am not high on the glib scale, but I can be extremely persuasive and charming. (Normally, however, I am deeply introverted.)
So, where to begin.
Just past few months alone I have been binge watching American Greed and have finished about seventy episodes probably so far.
Scams of all kinds are everywhere, all the time. In everything. Even in the best of people, there will be scamming behavior due to innate human trait of over valuing confidence they have on inaccurate information.
You, for instance, constantly try and scam me on atheism, even though I am far more read (and experienced) in atheism then you. I was a default atheist in my teens. I read Darwin’s origin of the species when I was thirteen and remember it today.
I did have miracles happen before that, but little explanation or knowledge on what happened, and miracles/magic do not disprove atheism. (I am sure you would disagree, and would, as usual, be deeply wrong and entirely unstudied and unprepared.)
You also scam people on Christianity, ironically, though an enormous number of people do this, including people I am sure are bonafide christians. This is pretty typical of atheists and Christians, and anyone who has strong BELIEFS about christianity in general, however. Richard Dawkins, for instance, has a terrible understanding of scripture. (So did Carl Sagan, as in his book on the subject of the supernatural.)
You seem otherwise smart, and not intentionally this way, but on the other hand, on the above matters I do not think I have ever met anyone more unreasonable or narrow minded. (No doubt due at least partially to have been terribly “trained”.)
My conclusion is you are gaming me for some reason. But, hypothetically, otherwise, I lean towards thinking you would score very high on the psychopath rating, and likely have some sort of brain damage which impairs some sorts of brain processing. IMO you really should get checked out by a neurologist, as even if you are psychopathic, you can work with those strengths and against those weaknesses. (As far as I know, you do not engage in much criminal activity, but many psychopaths do not. It is a brain disorder, it is not a moral failing, per se. Even though a small percentage have severe social problems and an even smaller percentage comprise the very worst of criminals ever, such as sadistic sexual motivated series killers.)
Scamming is, that is, simply any behavior ultimately where someone is placing high confidence on information that they have when that information is deeply lacking.
You told me you literally “believe nothing”, which at the very worst of the spectrum would mean that you are catatonic schizophrenic or in a coma. Because without the capacity to have any sort of internal confidence rating, people literally do not know what they know and what they do not know.
If it is true that you genuinely have this condition, it is very serious, akin to being unable to feel physical pain (which invariably causes people with that very rare condition to get seriously physically hurt). Psychopaths of a very high scoring sort have extraordinary problems with handling confidence rating internally. So, they are extremely impulsive and have significant problems learning.
All that said, as everyone is a hypocrite, as you have stated you do understand, everyone has limited knowledge, as we are not God and we are even as “mere infants” compared to those who live beyond a hundred.
Did you hear about the scams that call your phone (home or cell) claiming to be from microsoft and your computer is infected that’s one. Even viruses / malware in a sense is a “scam” if you’re tricked into downloading it willingly.
In terms of being a psychopath… no. They are charming. That’s the opposite of me. I could care less about charm. It’s artificial. I couldn’t charm anyone for any reason whatsoever if my life depended on it. I am very truthful if asked a question outright most of the time (99%), but detail oriented is one thing I am not for anything except my own articles, which is why it seems I’m scatterbrained (or evasive) with my responses at times. I’ve never gotten in any legal trouble. EVER. Nor do I plan to do so.
What I AM is extremely stressed due to the fact that I don’t have a job that can support me to the point where I can live on my own, and at this point also realize I will probably have to struggle by on minimum wage jobs (or maybe slightly above) the rest of my life as I can’t get anything else. There’s a wide variety of things that extreme amounts of stress/ anxiety can do, among which is have people make (more) mistakes… among other things.
Ah. my mistake then, on your responses in some situations. (Your response here *is* charming, but I will take you at your word, your response appears to be sincere, and you do seem sincere in your posting generally, if not always.)
On getting a job, I did notice your linkedin was very bare. Taking that you are probably about forty, if “77” was your birthdate, there must be a severe, mitigating circumstance. A misunderstanding I had was that you were paraplegic.
Which would explain why you have had such a difficult time obtaining a job.
I have put in some hours working with adults with cereberal palsy, and reality is, getting a good job for them tends to be extremely difficult, unfortunately.
So, if not that, then what?
Do you have a degree? Maybe you are younger then your “77” would seem to indicate? Are you willing to intern? Or, do something like work blue collar?
FYI, I just have a GED. I was heavily institutionalized in my later teens, and later, briefly, in my early twenties. (I stole a car and went on a high speed police chase. I thought God told me to. More accurately, what God told me was this was possibly my car and that I maybe should just try and start something, as it was clear that I had some kind of mission.)
He did not order me to do that or anything.
At the time, I had all the hair shaved off my body. So, I was quite a sight.
I took a rock and broke out the window, but no keys in it, so I called a locksmith. After he got it started, I simply got into it and drove down Guadalupe St (in Austin), I think the name of the street was. My favorite song at the time had just started playing on the radio, so I was heavily revved up. “Who Do You Love”.
I was saying, kind of I love God or the church or something.
There was no planning nor evil intentions, I totally did not even think about just taking the car. I may have paid the keymaker, or maybe not, I do not recall.
Anyway, I just floored it straight down the street, even though this meant driving right by the texas department of state police.
I had a pretty large line of cops following me pretty quickly.
They clocked me at 135mph. It was a Buick. I was informed in jail later that this is entirely impossible for a Buick.
It totally is.
Yet, it was part of the police record. Funny. And there is a miracle right there, though you probably would have to chalk that up as their laser guns just missing firing. All of them.
That is impossible.
But, miracles don’t happen even if they are testified to by police and police laser guns. :-)
I crashed out when I got on the highway, I took a shortcut the car could not handle.
Reality of these things is I really was temporarily insane.
Anyway, charges dropped. My dad knew the judge. The investigating detective gave me a two second interview which consisted of him asking me if I believed God told me to take the car. I said I did. He was clearly not pleased by that and walked away in a huff.
One charge stayed, but was set aside or whatever they call it. So, I do not have it on my public record, though it can be found in a more extensive search. Joyriding was that charge. That was set aside on the condition I got psychiatric help, which I did.
When the arresting officer came to get me, he didn’t bother with asking me to get out of the car. He just went ahead and broke the window with his gun. I was calm, and calmly got out. No eyebrows and bald head and all.
My picture was maligned in the photo they took, as I hit my head on the steering wheel, which caused my brow to swell. Which really made me look like trouble.
But, also means that if that ever entered into any database, it wouldn’t register right via facial recognition. Go figure.
(Though, when I once put all my family photos online, they were all messed up. Someone altered all of our appearances. Across decades. High School photos of my fellow students even, in the yearbook. Crazy stuff.)
In my teens, when I was diagnosed, it was either “schizo-affective disorder” (basically, non-paranoid schizophrenia) and, by a different psychiatrist, “paranoid schizophrenia”).
Point being, I was able to find jobs even back then, and eventually was able to have a real career, though I ended up working mostly blue collar until my late twenties. When I worked at all, which was rare for a few years then. I went celibate for a good number of years there, too. Did not even have sexual fantasies or masturbate.
Can be noted, I could have gone to college (well, I went some, but just left). I could have entered into much better paying jobs, instead of usually just menial labor. I have an extremely high IQ, an insane level of perseverance, I am an extremely fast reader, had read a lot of books, a long track record of quickly learning new areas of study like calculus, and an extremely good memory.
Points being, what is keeping you back.
I will note that in two different cases I started in areas of field low paying. In my early twenties, in pizza delivery, then pizza oriented telemarkting and direct sales. I did advance in salary substantially.
In later 20s, I started out with a 7 dollar or so hour job, at a company that made computers. Then, 9 dollars an hour at a company that data processed specifications of computer and computer related parts and software. That job ended up putting me on commission, and as I literally did the work of nine people that jumped my salary up to what would have been a good six figures. But, I ran them out of business. Personally.
Luckily, during this time I was working on free projects. I started a free security website. I created a free open source software product. I got a marketing gig with a friend in the field, selling his software product. Then, right as I got let go from the other company, I got hired from the prestige of this other, free work I had been doing. (I had also by then got invited to join the most prestigious security group and work on a major product and team as a founder, that was what led to this next job. Which paid 75K.)
I also did free bug finding work, finding some security bugs in major products, which got my resume a lot of attention from potential employers.
Finally, and after some considerable trying, I got a job at the leading security firm. Pay was not so great, but it ended up as the core foundation of my now twenty year career.
Don’t know if that story helps you at all, but maybe it will.
I could give specific advice on job finding, if you provided specific details.
What is the problem? Do you have a physical or mental impairment? You do seem very sharp, but there are a very wide varieties of impairments.
Or, do you just not know where to begin maybe? Maybe you just have had very bad luck in attempts to try. That is, maybe you got the wrong advice somewhere, and it just is a rut you are stuck in. And need to change tactics. Maybe you just have some mental quirk where you are doing or saying something that is turning off employers. Some people get nervous or have some learned behavior which can do that.
A lot of mental impairments these days are treatable. Not a few a person may have no idea they have, because maybe otherwise they are entirely fine. Could be just one quirk. Could be brain damage in a minor area which can be found and worked on or trained around. But, unless identified, there may be no progress.
The later I am just getting out of the way, because you seem to think you have a social issue in turning people off. That could be symptomatic of something.
“Did you hear about the scams that call your phone (home or cell) claiming to be from microsoft and your computer is infected that’s one. Even viruses / malware in a sense is a “scam” if you’re tricked into downloading it willingly.”
Part of my job past twenty years. I don’t do that personally, but work with the team that does. So, I follow the news on the matters all the time.
I mean, there are so many variations, our company, past companies I have worked at, we are all flooded all the time with “social engineering” attacks.
Guys like me, btw, we can hack any system, anywhere. Just reality is it takes an enormous amount of time. I believe God is always watching me, and God does not greenlight such things, lol. Frankly, though, I am not about to spend months finding “zero day” just to do some hacking. I work in the field, so last thing I want to do is spend all my free time doing the same sort of thing I do at work. When I was starting out, I worked all the time, till four in the morning. I still do, but these days, I am back to focusing on stuff like what I call “philosophy”.
Likewise, martial arts. While I will downplay my behavior, and such, so I can earn the free attack, if anything came to that, my primary studies were in iron fist training, tae kwon do, muay thai, bjj, tai chi, and such.
Knife and gun work, also. Frankly. I know artery routes, and I have put in probably tens of thousands of hours in pistol work. Virtual work, but that is better, as you can hyperfocus on tactical “instinctive shooting” that is close quarters magic.
The most serious time I was scammed, I was a kid starting out, working a register. Some guy did this con job on me, getting from me money from the till. Finally, another time, same job, a guy scammed me for a free pizza by convincing me his “code 9” check writing was in error (or not to check, as I normally would have).
That was going to come out of my paycheck, as the other scam did, too. So, after that, I quit.
That was what put me on the path to studying that sort of thing.
Ironically (not really, God led me), the very same – almost first job – started three major trends for me: hypnosis and nlp and other deep level communications training (due to a good argument from a coworker and direct recommendation for books), studying confidence tricks, and finally, studying sales (as the job forced me into sales and put the idea into my head).
As I am introverted/extroverted but naturally extremely not a sales type, that really strengthened a major personal weakness I had.
Previous to that, my second twenty something job, (I had worked at my dad’s office mailroom ages 12, 13 or so before)… my first job after the mailroom gig was at a sandwich shop. ALMOST got scammed there, as the night manager was working with her ex-felon bf stealing money, and they were looking like they were going to try and set me up as the fall guy for their crap. So, I got scared and quit that job for that very reason.
If you were wondering, God ran all of that on me, specifically to get me into these areas.
All of these areas helped me understanding many of the secrets years later.
I am as old as 77 would indicate, unfortunately. I went from HS to a local Mc’D’s while i was getting in shape to go into the army (a few months before I turned 18). Unfortunately, I was there for only 3 months 19 days. I found out I was partially colorblind. I’ll pass the test for green-red colorblindness, but it shows up in real life. things that look green to others appear a beige to me and forget it to to see a popup target in 3 seconds. After that I was unemployed for 9 months and got a job working at another fast food restaurant for a year and a half, and quit, having given not notice because i thought i was hired elsewhere. I was unemployed another 9 months before I obtained a job working at a siding, windows, fascia company for a year. That company was closed down and I was unemployed for another half a year and then I went to college while working for a local grocery store for about 3 years. It took me about 7 years to be able to get through college due to needing to take remedial math courses. I was out of work 2 or so years, before the person I was just working for had me come up to help him with his housing program. then the next business and the next after that. We tried different businesses for about 6 years. Thereafter I went to work for a local newspaper for 3 years and went back to him for the last 3. Which brings us back to present day where I obtained a job working for a pet store.
I need to find something else tho– or maybe an additional job besides, but it’s a start — and lots better than working for a person who doesn’t pay me (room and board I got for many years is NOT pay). If that requires me to work ridiculous hours, days so be it. Being able to pay for a place of my own is my top priority. Anything else, EVERYTHING else, takes a backseat. Why? The lack of money is not fun, and quite dangerous besides. And I’ve been dealing with it for basically (excluding the chump change I got from working the newspapers and writing articles/ papers for schoolkids here and there) for 20+ years as no one wants to hire me at least not at a level that I can be independent because pretty soon my parents are going to be dead, and if i can’t support myself now, how will i do so then. Bottom line is i won’t. So i need to do what i must… and forget the rest
“I need to find something else tho– or maybe an additional job besides, but it’s a start — and lots better than working for a person who doesn’t pay me (room and board I got for many years is NOT pay). If that requires me to work ridiculous hours, days so be it. Being able to pay for a place of my own is my top priority. Anything else, EVERYTHING else, takes a backseat. Why? The lack of money is not fun, and quite dangerous besides. And I’ve been dealing with it for basically (excluding the chump change I got from working the newspapers and writing articles/ papers for schoolkids here and there) for 20+ years as no one wants to hire me at least not at a level that I can be independent because pretty soon my parents are going to be dead, and if i can’t support myself now, how will i do so then. Bottom line is i won’t. So i need to do what i must… and forget the rest”
“In regards to math problems, I use a calculator to do any math i need to do.”
As does everyone…
“My degree was in Professional & Technical communications”
That sounds really good, and not too far from a lot of stuff I have worked in, though my literal “day job” is more about securing communications. And most persuasive communications I do is more about persuading people on security.
Not sure if I even have advice I can give here, though.
If you said you are willing to do sales, (or was it the opposite), there are a lot of those jobs…
If not, well, maybe do that?
I can recommend sales books and areas of study, methodologies, and such.
I would definitely remove all barriers to getting a job. For instance, in my area, I get often approaches due to being in a niche that is secure (one thing to aim for)… but, I have to say “no” to 99% because they want relocate. I have the luxury to say “no”, today. But, when I am out of a job, that becomes a “yes”, right away.
I have lost opportunities being choosy before. And I learned to take it even if it meant being across state for months. (Which I did end up doing.)
I can’t sell. Period. This is not a thing of not wanting to do so. This isn’t a thing of not wanting to do so. This is a thing of not being able to survive doing so. If I did sell, what’d end up happening is that I’d spend time and $ going to work and when payday came along, i’d get nothing. Commission sales is about hunger to get the sale. I could care less about whether i sell anything or not. Why? The product or service isn’t what it’s cracked up to be. (I could EASILY say that last selfsame statement regarding life in Christ/ an identity as a Christian). Also, i HATE being advertised/ sold to – as do most people, unless it’s something that they happen to need at this moment. And sometimes not even then. Before you say it, yes i know ALL jobs boil down to sales. But keep in mind that some sales are simply doing your job correctly and not messing up. But there’s MANY jobs out there that don’t require someone to buy a product or service from you!
In regards to your statement, i happen to know what i have. 1) Asperger’s syndrome 2) Extreme stress, which leads to derealization/ depersonalization (look it up, it’s a thing if you don’t believe me) 3) perhaps a more than a touch of depression due to lack of traction and a combination of the above. I was being treated for it through counseling before I had to move back home, to help my mom out.
But the problem with continuing to stay in the last situation, living with my “friend” and business partner is he and I constantly were arguing and he was insulting me for making stupid mistakes. Yet if he had more help other than me, he wouldn’t have had so much problems. Added to that he didn’t help as much as he should have. Many times he’d fall asleep in the middle of the day instead of working with me AND insisting on working odd hours at night.
Oh my goodness, I wish you would have said more soon, of course, that is what it is, asperger’s syndrome!
No, you can not sell. I would suggest getting into programming then, can you? Have you tried? Folks with asperger’s syndrome tend to be very good dealing with such situations. Also, you probably want to be more upfront about this when interviewing, stating that you have this, and noting it has pros and cons. The pros are actually substantial.
I DO a bit of programing in terms of HTML/ CSS. Anything more complicated tho I don’t want to mess with as it gets math heavy pretty quickly, not to mention it can be pretty tricky to get the program to do what you want it to do.
My skills lie in writing. Articles. PowerPoint Presentations (I also present). Blogs. Rules books. Websites. Newsletters. Stories. It’s too bad that writing is not a particularly valued (paying) skill.
“I DO a bit of programing in terms of HTML/ CSS. Anything more complicated tho I don’t want to mess with as it gets math heavy pretty quickly, not to mention it can be pretty tricky to get the program to do what you want it to do.
My skills lie in writing. Articles. PowerPoint Presentations (I also present). Blogs. Rules books. Websites. Newsletters. Stories. It’s too bad that writing is not a particularly valued (paying) skill.”
Listen me, you need to seek job counseling which is asperger’s syndrome focused. That is the reason you are having problems with getting better jobs. There are certainly books and online free groups where you can get specific advice for handling this.
End of story.
You are very fortunate because the condition is well understood, there is the internet, today, and there are many others with your condition who have learned to live with it.
Also, as far as mental conditions go, it actually does tend to give some who suffer from it higher capabilities which you do have.
Though I am not a trump supporter, I am starting to understand the political machinations that caused it. It was the investigation into clinton that shifted… or should I say distracted public opinion from the problems of the trump campaign. Whether the person who instigated the clinton investigation knew this would be the outcome of the investigation, I have no idea. But if the investigation was not (re)opened, I would bet almost anything that clinton would be president today
Yes. There was the one that said my electricity was going to be turned off in 20 minutes if I did not pay my bill over the phone with a credit card. Since I pay my bills before they are due, I knew that I was not in error. I told them that I will contact my electric company and straighten it out with them. What was weird was that the amount they said I owed is exactly what I already paid. I don’t know how they knew that amount. I hung up and called “Edison” and they said I was paid up-to-date. ——– This same scam called my Aunt and in a panic she gave them the number of her ATM card. —— Her bank account was emptied of quite a few thousand dollars.
Most scams are attempted by obviously Middle Eastern persons. They say they are from the American _________________(fill in a phony company or department) and I won money, or owe money. I stop them and tell them to send me the check for my winnings. I don’t give out information. I tell them that I know they are scamming people and they tell me to “Fuck Off”.
I get that IRS call now and then, but I never call the number they give. The real IRS will never call you. They would notify you by mail. And, I don’t owe the IRS. I pay my taxes.
Then there is that guy from Pakistan that tells me he is from Windows and that my Windows have been hacked. I almost fell for that, but only once. I followed the instructions until he had control of my computer and he loaded a program on it. I backed out of it when he said it would cost nearly $100.00 to remove that program. I would not give him a credit card number. I hung up. I went into the list of programs and removed the program he had installed.
The next time the guy from Pakistan called to tell me my windows had been hacked, I pretended to run around my house checking my house windows. He commanded me to turn on my computer. “My what?”, I asked him. “Turn on your machine!!!”, he insisted. I told him that I had my machine on. I could not type in the URL he gave me, because my machine only had numbers and no letters on it. He asked what kind of a computer I had and I told him it was a hand-held calculator. He got so angry with me that HE hung up!!!
The next time the guy from Pakistan called to tell me my Windows had been hacked, I pretended to run around my car checking the windows, headlights, break lights, and signal lights. I told him I was living in my car and my phone is working, but my computer is a laptop and the battery was dead. Then, we had a long talk about why I was living in my car and I gave him a sob story that made him say he was worried about me. I told him that I was going to drive across the desert to Arizona. He wished me luck.
The next time the guy from Pakistan called to tell me my Windows had been hacked, I recognized his number and handed the phone to Immortal Pirate. Immortal Pirate was acting surprised that there could be a computer in the car he found in the middle of the desert —– with a really nice computer in the trunk, but the battery was dead. The man wanted to answer any questions Immortal Pirate might have. So, Immortal Pirate asked him what he thought he should do with the dead body of the woman who had been driving the car. Should he just push the dead body out on the road? Or, should he drag it out to the desert and bury it. He didn’t have a shovel, maybe just leave the woman’s body and wild animals will eat it. Immortal Pirate said that he really liked the dead woman’s phone and he was going to take the car. The guy from Pakistan was very upset and worried that the woman living in her car had died. Now the car was being stolen by some old guy that was taking advantage of the situation. ——– the next day, I cancelled that phone number, because I have a new phone with another phone carrier company. So, the next time the guy from Pakistan calls that number, it has been turned off and is no longer working.
19 responses to “can you spot a scam?”
Yes. I kept getting these calls on my landline (yes I still have a landline, it’s easier for 911 calls to find your house.) These calls start with someone saying, “We are calling you about your recent stay at a resort.” I don’t stay at resorts, ever. They babble on so fast you can’t get a word in, so I just slam the phone and block the #.
We had this one caller who kept calling saying they were the IRS and we are being audited. The IRS does not make phone calls to your house. I got really pissed thinking about my mom answering this call and giving out personal information (she has done this before). By the time the next call came in I was ready. I screamed an earth shattering scream in the guys ear, and I chewed him out before slamming down the phone. Immature, maybe. Did it feel good?…Definitely.
In this day and age where there are sadly so many phone/email scams around? Yes. I can spot them a mile away. It’s sad that scammers are still able to trick some people, but then again, that’s why they keep trying, because eventually they get someone that will bite.
It’s too bad that these do not call registries are so limited in their abilities.
I have been exposed to mostly “send me your money” scams. These usually promise large monetary prize winnings, gifted monies, a threat of an IRS audit with jail time if you fail to comply, or a virus on my computer that will cause irreversible damage and will compromise all of my data. Most of the time I end their calls with, “You’re an idiot. Goodbye.”
Uh yeah, cause I work in computer security for twenty years, and even the two decades before that had a big interest in wide range of security topics — coupled with a very specific and deep interest in “confidence”, and human perception, which means I not only have spent years researching topics like hypnosis, but also confidence games.
Oh, and part of my initial training as a young man was via working in home improvement sales. What is called being a “tin man”. As well as other direct sales and telemarketing. So, also heavily studied for a good time about twenty five years ago marketing and sales.
I also have communications, in general, as a core focus, so that all ties together.
I read a lot, and pretty well memorize everything I read in a way I can also pretty well put into practice. If I wanted, say, to become a doctor, tomorrow, I would have no difficulty either rushing through college and medical school, or simply memorizing all the books and falsifying the documentation. Albeit the later I do not do. As I am not a psychopath, I am not high on the glib scale, but I can be extremely persuasive and charming. (Normally, however, I am deeply introverted.)
So, where to begin.
Just past few months alone I have been binge watching American Greed and have finished about seventy episodes probably so far.
Scams of all kinds are everywhere, all the time. In everything. Even in the best of people, there will be scamming behavior due to innate human trait of over valuing confidence they have on inaccurate information.
You, for instance, constantly try and scam me on atheism, even though I am far more read (and experienced) in atheism then you. I was a default atheist in my teens. I read Darwin’s origin of the species when I was thirteen and remember it today.
I did have miracles happen before that, but little explanation or knowledge on what happened, and miracles/magic do not disprove atheism. (I am sure you would disagree, and would, as usual, be deeply wrong and entirely unstudied and unprepared.)
You also scam people on Christianity, ironically, though an enormous number of people do this, including people I am sure are bonafide christians. This is pretty typical of atheists and Christians, and anyone who has strong BELIEFS about christianity in general, however. Richard Dawkins, for instance, has a terrible understanding of scripture. (So did Carl Sagan, as in his book on the subject of the supernatural.)
You seem otherwise smart, and not intentionally this way, but on the other hand, on the above matters I do not think I have ever met anyone more unreasonable or narrow minded. (No doubt due at least partially to have been terribly “trained”.)
My conclusion is you are gaming me for some reason. But, hypothetically, otherwise, I lean towards thinking you would score very high on the psychopath rating, and likely have some sort of brain damage which impairs some sorts of brain processing. IMO you really should get checked out by a neurologist, as even if you are psychopathic, you can work with those strengths and against those weaknesses. (As far as I know, you do not engage in much criminal activity, but many psychopaths do not. It is a brain disorder, it is not a moral failing, per se. Even though a small percentage have severe social problems and an even smaller percentage comprise the very worst of criminals ever, such as sadistic sexual motivated series killers.)
Scamming is, that is, simply any behavior ultimately where someone is placing high confidence on information that they have when that information is deeply lacking.
You told me you literally “believe nothing”, which at the very worst of the spectrum would mean that you are catatonic schizophrenic or in a coma. Because without the capacity to have any sort of internal confidence rating, people literally do not know what they know and what they do not know.
If it is true that you genuinely have this condition, it is very serious, akin to being unable to feel physical pain (which invariably causes people with that very rare condition to get seriously physically hurt). Psychopaths of a very high scoring sort have extraordinary problems with handling confidence rating internally. So, they are extremely impulsive and have significant problems learning.
All that said, as everyone is a hypocrite, as you have stated you do understand, everyone has limited knowledge, as we are not God and we are even as “mere infants” compared to those who live beyond a hundred.
A few things:
Did you hear about the scams that call your phone (home or cell) claiming to be from microsoft and your computer is infected that’s one. Even viruses / malware in a sense is a “scam” if you’re tricked into downloading it willingly.
In terms of being a psychopath… no. They are charming. That’s the opposite of me. I could care less about charm. It’s artificial. I couldn’t charm anyone for any reason whatsoever if my life depended on it. I am very truthful if asked a question outright most of the time (99%), but detail oriented is one thing I am not for anything except my own articles, which is why it seems I’m scatterbrained (or evasive) with my responses at times. I’ve never gotten in any legal trouble. EVER. Nor do I plan to do so.
What I AM is extremely stressed due to the fact that I don’t have a job that can support me to the point where I can live on my own, and at this point also realize I will probably have to struggle by on minimum wage jobs (or maybe slightly above) the rest of my life as I can’t get anything else. There’s a wide variety of things that extreme amounts of stress/ anxiety can do, among which is have people make (more) mistakes… among other things.
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Ah. my mistake then, on your responses in some situations. (Your response here *is* charming, but I will take you at your word, your response appears to be sincere, and you do seem sincere in your posting generally, if not always.)
On getting a job, I did notice your linkedin was very bare. Taking that you are probably about forty, if “77” was your birthdate, there must be a severe, mitigating circumstance. A misunderstanding I had was that you were paraplegic.
Which would explain why you have had such a difficult time obtaining a job.
I have put in some hours working with adults with cereberal palsy, and reality is, getting a good job for them tends to be extremely difficult, unfortunately.
So, if not that, then what?
Do you have a degree? Maybe you are younger then your “77” would seem to indicate? Are you willing to intern? Or, do something like work blue collar?
FYI, I just have a GED. I was heavily institutionalized in my later teens, and later, briefly, in my early twenties. (I stole a car and went on a high speed police chase. I thought God told me to. More accurately, what God told me was this was possibly my car and that I maybe should just try and start something, as it was clear that I had some kind of mission.)
He did not order me to do that or anything.
At the time, I had all the hair shaved off my body. So, I was quite a sight.
I took a rock and broke out the window, but no keys in it, so I called a locksmith. After he got it started, I simply got into it and drove down Guadalupe St (in Austin), I think the name of the street was. My favorite song at the time had just started playing on the radio, so I was heavily revved up. “Who Do You Love”.
I was saying, kind of I love God or the church or something.
There was no planning nor evil intentions, I totally did not even think about just taking the car. I may have paid the keymaker, or maybe not, I do not recall.
Anyway, I just floored it straight down the street, even though this meant driving right by the texas department of state police.
I had a pretty large line of cops following me pretty quickly.
They clocked me at 135mph. It was a Buick. I was informed in jail later that this is entirely impossible for a Buick.
It totally is.
Yet, it was part of the police record. Funny. And there is a miracle right there, though you probably would have to chalk that up as their laser guns just missing firing. All of them.
That is impossible.
But, miracles don’t happen even if they are testified to by police and police laser guns. :-)
I crashed out when I got on the highway, I took a shortcut the car could not handle.
Reality of these things is I really was temporarily insane.
Anyway, charges dropped. My dad knew the judge. The investigating detective gave me a two second interview which consisted of him asking me if I believed God told me to take the car. I said I did. He was clearly not pleased by that and walked away in a huff.
One charge stayed, but was set aside or whatever they call it. So, I do not have it on my public record, though it can be found in a more extensive search. Joyriding was that charge. That was set aside on the condition I got psychiatric help, which I did.
When the arresting officer came to get me, he didn’t bother with asking me to get out of the car. He just went ahead and broke the window with his gun. I was calm, and calmly got out. No eyebrows and bald head and all.
My picture was maligned in the photo they took, as I hit my head on the steering wheel, which caused my brow to swell. Which really made me look like trouble.
But, also means that if that ever entered into any database, it wouldn’t register right via facial recognition. Go figure.
(Though, when I once put all my family photos online, they were all messed up. Someone altered all of our appearances. Across decades. High School photos of my fellow students even, in the yearbook. Crazy stuff.)
In my teens, when I was diagnosed, it was either “schizo-affective disorder” (basically, non-paranoid schizophrenia) and, by a different psychiatrist, “paranoid schizophrenia”).
Point being, I was able to find jobs even back then, and eventually was able to have a real career, though I ended up working mostly blue collar until my late twenties. When I worked at all, which was rare for a few years then. I went celibate for a good number of years there, too. Did not even have sexual fantasies or masturbate.
Can be noted, I could have gone to college (well, I went some, but just left). I could have entered into much better paying jobs, instead of usually just menial labor. I have an extremely high IQ, an insane level of perseverance, I am an extremely fast reader, had read a lot of books, a long track record of quickly learning new areas of study like calculus, and an extremely good memory.
Points being, what is keeping you back.
I will note that in two different cases I started in areas of field low paying. In my early twenties, in pizza delivery, then pizza oriented telemarkting and direct sales. I did advance in salary substantially.
In later 20s, I started out with a 7 dollar or so hour job, at a company that made computers. Then, 9 dollars an hour at a company that data processed specifications of computer and computer related parts and software. That job ended up putting me on commission, and as I literally did the work of nine people that jumped my salary up to what would have been a good six figures. But, I ran them out of business. Personally.
Luckily, during this time I was working on free projects. I started a free security website. I created a free open source software product. I got a marketing gig with a friend in the field, selling his software product. Then, right as I got let go from the other company, I got hired from the prestige of this other, free work I had been doing. (I had also by then got invited to join the most prestigious security group and work on a major product and team as a founder, that was what led to this next job. Which paid 75K.)
I also did free bug finding work, finding some security bugs in major products, which got my resume a lot of attention from potential employers.
Finally, and after some considerable trying, I got a job at the leading security firm. Pay was not so great, but it ended up as the core foundation of my now twenty year career.
Don’t know if that story helps you at all, but maybe it will.
I could give specific advice on job finding, if you provided specific details.
What is the problem? Do you have a physical or mental impairment? You do seem very sharp, but there are a very wide varieties of impairments.
Or, do you just not know where to begin maybe? Maybe you just have had very bad luck in attempts to try. That is, maybe you got the wrong advice somewhere, and it just is a rut you are stuck in. And need to change tactics. Maybe you just have some mental quirk where you are doing or saying something that is turning off employers. Some people get nervous or have some learned behavior which can do that.
A lot of mental impairments these days are treatable. Not a few a person may have no idea they have, because maybe otherwise they are entirely fine. Could be just one quirk. Could be brain damage in a minor area which can be found and worked on or trained around. But, unless identified, there may be no progress.
The later I am just getting out of the way, because you seem to think you have a social issue in turning people off. That could be symptomatic of something.
“Did you hear about the scams that call your phone (home or cell) claiming to be from microsoft and your computer is infected that’s one. Even viruses / malware in a sense is a “scam” if you’re tricked into downloading it willingly.”
Part of my job past twenty years. I don’t do that personally, but work with the team that does. So, I follow the news on the matters all the time.
I mean, there are so many variations, our company, past companies I have worked at, we are all flooded all the time with “social engineering” attacks.
Guys like me, btw, we can hack any system, anywhere. Just reality is it takes an enormous amount of time. I believe God is always watching me, and God does not greenlight such things, lol. Frankly, though, I am not about to spend months finding “zero day” just to do some hacking. I work in the field, so last thing I want to do is spend all my free time doing the same sort of thing I do at work. When I was starting out, I worked all the time, till four in the morning. I still do, but these days, I am back to focusing on stuff like what I call “philosophy”.
Likewise, martial arts. While I will downplay my behavior, and such, so I can earn the free attack, if anything came to that, my primary studies were in iron fist training, tae kwon do, muay thai, bjj, tai chi, and such.
Knife and gun work, also. Frankly. I know artery routes, and I have put in probably tens of thousands of hours in pistol work. Virtual work, but that is better, as you can hyperfocus on tactical “instinctive shooting” that is close quarters magic.
The most serious time I was scammed, I was a kid starting out, working a register. Some guy did this con job on me, getting from me money from the till. Finally, another time, same job, a guy scammed me for a free pizza by convincing me his “code 9” check writing was in error (or not to check, as I normally would have).
That was going to come out of my paycheck, as the other scam did, too. So, after that, I quit.
That was what put me on the path to studying that sort of thing.
Ironically (not really, God led me), the very same – almost first job – started three major trends for me: hypnosis and nlp and other deep level communications training (due to a good argument from a coworker and direct recommendation for books), studying confidence tricks, and finally, studying sales (as the job forced me into sales and put the idea into my head).
As I am introverted/extroverted but naturally extremely not a sales type, that really strengthened a major personal weakness I had.
Previous to that, my second twenty something job, (I had worked at my dad’s office mailroom ages 12, 13 or so before)… my first job after the mailroom gig was at a sandwich shop. ALMOST got scammed there, as the night manager was working with her ex-felon bf stealing money, and they were looking like they were going to try and set me up as the fall guy for their crap. So, I got scared and quit that job for that very reason.
If you were wondering, God ran all of that on me, specifically to get me into these areas.
All of these areas helped me understanding many of the secrets years later.
I am as old as 77 would indicate, unfortunately. I went from HS to a local Mc’D’s while i was getting in shape to go into the army (a few months before I turned 18). Unfortunately, I was there for only 3 months 19 days. I found out I was partially colorblind. I’ll pass the test for green-red colorblindness, but it shows up in real life. things that look green to others appear a beige to me and forget it to to see a popup target in 3 seconds. After that I was unemployed for 9 months and got a job working at another fast food restaurant for a year and a half, and quit, having given not notice because i thought i was hired elsewhere. I was unemployed another 9 months before I obtained a job working at a siding, windows, fascia company for a year. That company was closed down and I was unemployed for another half a year and then I went to college while working for a local grocery store for about 3 years. It took me about 7 years to be able to get through college due to needing to take remedial math courses. I was out of work 2 or so years, before the person I was just working for had me come up to help him with his housing program. then the next business and the next after that. We tried different businesses for about 6 years. Thereafter I went to work for a local newspaper for 3 years and went back to him for the last 3. Which brings us back to present day where I obtained a job working for a pet store.
I need to find something else tho– or maybe an additional job besides, but it’s a start — and lots better than working for a person who doesn’t pay me (room and board I got for many years is NOT pay). If that requires me to work ridiculous hours, days so be it. Being able to pay for a place of my own is my top priority. Anything else, EVERYTHING else, takes a backseat. Why? The lack of money is not fun, and quite dangerous besides. And I’ve been dealing with it for basically (excluding the chump change I got from working the newspapers and writing articles/ papers for schoolkids here and there) for 20+ years as no one wants to hire me at least not at a level that I can be independent because pretty soon my parents are going to be dead, and if i can’t support myself now, how will i do so then. Bottom line is i won’t. So i need to do what i must… and forget the rest
“I need to find something else tho– or maybe an additional job besides, but it’s a start — and lots better than working for a person who doesn’t pay me (room and board I got for many years is NOT pay). If that requires me to work ridiculous hours, days so be it. Being able to pay for a place of my own is my top priority. Anything else, EVERYTHING else, takes a backseat. Why? The lack of money is not fun, and quite dangerous besides. And I’ve been dealing with it for basically (excluding the chump change I got from working the newspapers and writing articles/ papers for schoolkids here and there) for 20+ years as no one wants to hire me at least not at a level that I can be independent because pretty soon my parents are going to be dead, and if i can’t support myself now, how will i do so then. Bottom line is i won’t. So i need to do what i must… and forget the rest”
What is your college degree in?
Do you still have problems with math?
My degree was in Professional & Technical communications
In regards to math problems, I use a calculator to do any math i need to do.
“In regards to math problems, I use a calculator to do any math i need to do.”
As does everyone…
“My degree was in Professional & Technical communications”
That sounds really good, and not too far from a lot of stuff I have worked in, though my literal “day job” is more about securing communications. And most persuasive communications I do is more about persuading people on security.
Not sure if I even have advice I can give here, though.
If you said you are willing to do sales, (or was it the opposite), there are a lot of those jobs…
If not, well, maybe do that?
I can recommend sales books and areas of study, methodologies, and such.
I would definitely remove all barriers to getting a job. For instance, in my area, I get often approaches due to being in a niche that is secure (one thing to aim for)… but, I have to say “no” to 99% because they want relocate. I have the luxury to say “no”, today. But, when I am out of a job, that becomes a “yes”, right away.
I have lost opportunities being choosy before. And I learned to take it even if it meant being across state for months. (Which I did end up doing.)
I can’t sell. Period. This is not a thing of not wanting to do so. This isn’t a thing of not wanting to do so. This is a thing of not being able to survive doing so. If I did sell, what’d end up happening is that I’d spend time and $ going to work and when payday came along, i’d get nothing. Commission sales is about hunger to get the sale. I could care less about whether i sell anything or not. Why? The product or service isn’t what it’s cracked up to be. (I could EASILY say that last selfsame statement regarding life in Christ/ an identity as a Christian). Also, i HATE being advertised/ sold to – as do most people, unless it’s something that they happen to need at this moment. And sometimes not even then. Before you say it, yes i know ALL jobs boil down to sales. But keep in mind that some sales are simply doing your job correctly and not messing up. But there’s MANY jobs out there that don’t require someone to buy a product or service from you!
In regards to your statement, i happen to know what i have. 1) Asperger’s syndrome 2) Extreme stress, which leads to derealization/ depersonalization (look it up, it’s a thing if you don’t believe me) 3) perhaps a more than a touch of depression due to lack of traction and a combination of the above. I was being treated for it through counseling before I had to move back home, to help my mom out.
But the problem with continuing to stay in the last situation, living with my “friend” and business partner is he and I constantly were arguing and he was insulting me for making stupid mistakes. Yet if he had more help other than me, he wouldn’t have had so much problems. Added to that he didn’t help as much as he should have. Many times he’d fall asleep in the middle of the day instead of working with me AND insisting on working odd hours at night.
Oh my goodness, I wish you would have said more soon, of course, that is what it is, asperger’s syndrome!
No, you can not sell. I would suggest getting into programming then, can you? Have you tried? Folks with asperger’s syndrome tend to be very good dealing with such situations. Also, you probably want to be more upfront about this when interviewing, stating that you have this, and noting it has pros and cons. The pros are actually substantial.
I DO a bit of programing in terms of HTML/ CSS. Anything more complicated tho I don’t want to mess with as it gets math heavy pretty quickly, not to mention it can be pretty tricky to get the program to do what you want it to do.
My skills lie in writing. Articles. PowerPoint Presentations (I also present). Blogs. Rules books. Websites. Newsletters. Stories. It’s too bad that writing is not a particularly valued (paying) skill.
“I DO a bit of programing in terms of HTML/ CSS. Anything more complicated tho I don’t want to mess with as it gets math heavy pretty quickly, not to mention it can be pretty tricky to get the program to do what you want it to do.
My skills lie in writing. Articles. PowerPoint Presentations (I also present). Blogs. Rules books. Websites. Newsletters. Stories. It’s too bad that writing is not a particularly valued (paying) skill.”
Listen me, you need to seek job counseling which is asperger’s syndrome focused. That is the reason you are having problems with getting better jobs. There are certainly books and online free groups where you can get specific advice for handling this.
End of story.
You are very fortunate because the condition is well understood, there is the internet, today, and there are many others with your condition who have learned to live with it.
Also, as far as mental conditions go, it actually does tend to give some who suffer from it higher capabilities which you do have.
2016 United States Presidential Election
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mic drop
Though I am not a trump supporter, I am starting to understand the political machinations that caused it. It was the investigation into clinton that shifted… or should I say distracted public opinion from the problems of the trump campaign. Whether the person who instigated the clinton investigation knew this would be the outcome of the investigation, I have no idea. But if the investigation was not (re)opened, I would bet almost anything that clinton would be president today
Yes. There was the one that said my electricity was going to be turned off in 20 minutes if I did not pay my bill over the phone with a credit card. Since I pay my bills before they are due, I knew that I was not in error. I told them that I will contact my electric company and straighten it out with them. What was weird was that the amount they said I owed is exactly what I already paid. I don’t know how they knew that amount. I hung up and called “Edison” and they said I was paid up-to-date. ——– This same scam called my Aunt and in a panic she gave them the number of her ATM card. —— Her bank account was emptied of quite a few thousand dollars.
Most scams are attempted by obviously Middle Eastern persons. They say they are from the American _________________(fill in a phony company or department) and I won money, or owe money. I stop them and tell them to send me the check for my winnings. I don’t give out information. I tell them that I know they are scamming people and they tell me to “Fuck Off”.
I get that IRS call now and then, but I never call the number they give. The real IRS will never call you. They would notify you by mail. And, I don’t owe the IRS. I pay my taxes.
Then there is that guy from Pakistan that tells me he is from Windows and that my Windows have been hacked. I almost fell for that, but only once. I followed the instructions until he had control of my computer and he loaded a program on it. I backed out of it when he said it would cost nearly $100.00 to remove that program. I would not give him a credit card number. I hung up. I went into the list of programs and removed the program he had installed.
The next time the guy from Pakistan called to tell me my windows had been hacked, I pretended to run around my house checking my house windows. He commanded me to turn on my computer. “My what?”, I asked him. “Turn on your machine!!!”, he insisted. I told him that I had my machine on. I could not type in the URL he gave me, because my machine only had numbers and no letters on it. He asked what kind of a computer I had and I told him it was a hand-held calculator. He got so angry with me that HE hung up!!!
The next time the guy from Pakistan called to tell me my Windows had been hacked, I pretended to run around my car checking the windows, headlights, break lights, and signal lights. I told him I was living in my car and my phone is working, but my computer is a laptop and the battery was dead. Then, we had a long talk about why I was living in my car and I gave him a sob story that made him say he was worried about me. I told him that I was going to drive across the desert to Arizona. He wished me luck.
The next time the guy from Pakistan called to tell me my Windows had been hacked, I recognized his number and handed the phone to Immortal Pirate. Immortal Pirate was acting surprised that there could be a computer in the car he found in the middle of the desert —– with a really nice computer in the trunk, but the battery was dead. The man wanted to answer any questions Immortal Pirate might have. So, Immortal Pirate asked him what he thought he should do with the dead body of the woman who had been driving the car. Should he just push the dead body out on the road? Or, should he drag it out to the desert and bury it. He didn’t have a shovel, maybe just leave the woman’s body and wild animals will eat it. Immortal Pirate said that he really liked the dead woman’s phone and he was going to take the car. The guy from Pakistan was very upset and worried that the woman living in her car had died. Now the car was being stolen by some old guy that was taking advantage of the situation. ——– the next day, I cancelled that phone number, because I have a new phone with another phone carrier company. So, the next time the guy from Pakistan calls that number, it has been turned off and is no longer working.
Here is a link to a website where you can investigate and report the phone numbers of scammers.
http://www.whitepages.com/?sem_account_id=B001YYTJ&sem_campaign_id=264011471&sem_ad_group_id=4171405830&sem_device_type=c&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=+Reverse%20+Telephone&sem_target_id=kwd-25544377907&sem_keyword=+Reverse%20+Telephone&sem_matchtype=e&sem_ad_id=13803436436
Not really. I’m naive as hell. So I distrust pretty much everything.