The Government Will Not Pay Your Utility Bills

When the utility bills are piling up, air conditioners are running at full power, and people are short of cash, it is easy to to be tempted to grasp at every offer of help that comes along, especially if that help is supposed to be from either the President of the United States or the federal government.  Unfortunately, scammers are well aware of how vulnerable people can be when they are worried about money and feel desperate.  Without any guilt at all, these criminals spring into action and take advantage of as many people as they can.

A New Scam

A new scam is sweeping the nation, and thousands of people have already fallen victim to it.  According to an Associated Press news release dated August 13, 2012, people are receiving automated phone calls, text messages, and even flyers informing them that there is a new government untility program that will pay for up to $1,000 worth of your personal utility bills, whether it is your electricity, gas, water, cable or phone.  All you have to do is contact this organization, and provide your Social Security number and other personal information to confirm your identity.  Some of the personal information they ask for can include your credit card and checking account numbers. 

Once you have turned over your personal information, you will be given a bank routing number and checking account number that you can use to pay your utility bills.  The numbers initially work, so the victims believe they have benefited from a government program.  Unfortunately, after the payments are processed a few hours or days later, the payment does not go through and the swindle becomes evident.  The victims still owe money to the utility companies, but the swindlers now have your Social Security number and other personal information that they can use however they want.  It's unbelievable that there are so many different swindles out there, but there are!

Thousands Have Been Tricked by this Scam

How many people have been affected by this scam?  Initial reports are that about 10,000 New Jersey customers of Public Service Electric and Gas were scammed; so were 2,000 people in Louisiana and Texas, 2,000 in the Tampa, Florida area; 1,500 in the Carolinas, and 300 people in Mississippi.  The scam continues to spread across the United States.

Often, the phone call or text message begins by saying that "Obama wants to pay your utility bills."  It can also use other approaches such as, "You qualify for a new government program to help with your utility bills," or even "You may qualify to receive help on your utility bills."  Any messages along these lines are a complete hoax.  There is no such federal program.

How To Get Legitimate Assistance With Your Bills

If you truly have a low income, and you are having trouble paying for essential utilities, such as electricity or gas, many utility companies have special charitable programs that can help you.  Occasionally these programs are mentioned on your utility bills, or on flyers that come in the envelope with your bill. You need to contact them, however, at the phone numbers listed on your bills.  The utility companies will not send out mass texts to everyone in your city announcing the assistance they have available.

How to Avoid Being the Victim of a Hoax 

The Better Business Bureau consistently warns people to never give out your personal information to someone who calls you, unless you have made the initial contact and you are absolutely certain that you know the person or company to whom you are talking.  If you are worried about a business, check them out with the Better Business Bureau to make sure they are legitimate and do not have an unusual number of complaints against them.  Be suspicious of anyone who asks you to give them your personal information.

Finally, one more word of warning.  There is no federal program that will pay your utility bills, nor are there plans for one.  Anyone who sends you an e-mail or text, or leaves a message on your phone, is only running a scam.

Source of AP Report:  http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/07/thousands_fall_victim_to_utili.html

You are reading from the blog:  http://lies-and-liars.blogspot.com/

Photo courtesy of http://www.morguefile.com/

Jerry Sandusky and Penn State

As a blogger about lies and liars, today's FBI report on the Jerry Sandusky sexual abuse case at Penn State requires a prominent spot in this series.  Jerry Sandusky was convicted a few weeks ago of abusing a number of young boys while working as a football coach at Penn State University.  Today, the FBI released an exhaustive report about the case.

People who commit crimes such as child abuse typically lie without hesitation about their behavior.  Not only do they lie to others, but it appears they even lie to themselves, and often convince themselves that they are not doing anything wrong.  Either they think society is too up-tight, or they convice themselves that the children were behaving in seductive ways toward them, rather than the other way around.  Whatever they believe in order to justify their behavior, they protect themselves by creating a smokescreen of lies.

What is much more surprising is that other people often lie in order to cover up cases of child sexual abuse.  Unfortunately in this case, it appears that Jerry Sandusky was not the only one telling lies about what was going on at Penn State.  When FBI Director Louis Freeh released his report today, July 12, 2012, he indicated that everyone from the college adminstrators to the school's janitors kept Sandusky's behavior a secret, often because they feared the power of the football program and the coaching staff.

The FBI did not come to this conclusion lightly.  They interviewed 430 witnesses and read 3.5 million emails and other documents before releasing today's report.  In one quote, the FBI report says, "In order to avoid the consequences of bad publicity, the most powerful leaders at the university -- Spanier, Schultz, Paterno and Curley -- repeatedly concealed critical facts relating to Sandusky's child abuse."

Regretably, even though there had been several complaints made to the coaching staff and college administrators about possible incidents of child abuse and inappropriate behavior by Jerry Sandusky, nothing was done.  In fact, at the FBI news conference for the release of the report, FBI Director Freeh commented about the "total disregard for the safety and welfare of Sandusky's child victims by the most senior leaders at Penn State."

Parents continually instruct their children to tell someone if they are ever touched inappropriately.  Teachers and others who work with children are required by law to report any incident of suspected child abuse.  At Penn State, even when reports were made to those who were in authority, the complaints were ignored.

Source for quotes and factual information: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/12/freeh-report-penn-state-coverup-joe-paterno-jerry-sandusky_n_1667727.html?ir=College

Your comments are welcome.

You are reading from the blog:  http://lies-and-liars.blogspot.com/

Photo of Penn State courtesy of www.wikipedia.com/commons

You Can Avoid Online Used Car Scams

This may come as a surprise to a few of you, but people who sell used cars do not always tell the truth about those vehicles!  Shocking, I know.  We have often heard jokes about used car salesmen, and surveys have frequently listed them near the bottom of lists of trustworthy individuals.  Many of us are cautious when we approach a used car lot.

However, this post is not about the people who try to sell you a car on a neighborhood lot, where you can kick the tires, look under the hood, and take the car for a test drive.  This post is about that wonderful market for trading goods and services ... the internet.

According to the article "Buyer Beware" in the July/August 2012 issue of AAA Westways Magazine, online transactions involving automobiles are increasingly becoming a problem.  Between 2008 and 2010, 14,000 complaints were filed with the Internet Crime Complaint Center about online car selling scams.  This complaint center is a partnership between the National White Collar Crime Center and the FBI.  According to FBI estimates, the victims of of online used car scams lost $44.5 million during that same three year period of 2008 - 2010.

Examples of Online Used Car Scams

There are many different approaches scammers take in trying to trick people into sending money to a fraudulent website.  Here are a few examples.

The buyer bids on a car, and afterwards receives an e-mail saying that they had the highest bid.  They are then given instructions on how to wire the funds to the seller, who turns out to be a foreign criminal.  There is no car, and no refund.

The buyer purchases a car and then is instructed to send the money to an "escrow service" that will transfer the money once the car has been received by the buyer.  Unfortunately, it is not an escrow service, and the owners of the website simply keep the money and never ship the car.

A phony auto dealer has a website that advertises cars.  Buyers are told to send deposits to hold the car they want.  The dealership doesn't exist.  Once again, no car and no refund.

Other Problems With Online Car Sales

Even if the seller is not a criminal who is planning a complete fraud, the online buyer of a used car can end up disappointed.  Sellers are not always completely honest, and the car could have dents or other problems that are not disclosed to the buyer.  If you think that the car of your dreams can only be found online, you may want to take a few steps to protect yourself.

How to Avoid Problems Buying Cars Online

If you really want to buy a car online, there are a few precautions you can take that may save you from problems.

1.  Purchase a manufacturer-certified preowned car from a new car franchise.  For example, you should be able to buy a pre-owned BMW, Mercedes, Volkswagen or similar car from a distant dealer and have few problems.  However, you do need to remember that the cars are used, and will not be in perfect condition.  On the other hand, at least you will know that the car really does exist!

2.  You can buy the car through eBay and use their Buyers' Vehicle Purchase Protection plan.  However, this is only designed to protect you from major fraud.  It doesn't make up for the fact that you are not seeing the car in person, and it could have undisclosed dents or similar problems.

3.  You can pay $125 to a company called Inspect My Ride.  They will go and look at the car for you.  However, they do not do a complete inspection to confirm that the car is in excellent working condition, and you are not guaranteed that the car will live up to your expectations.  All you will really know is that the car actually exists, and is not a complete wreck.

4.  Finally, you can follow the advice written on the Craigslist website.  They suggest that you "deal locally with folks you can meet in person."  According to them, this will eliminate 99% of scam attempts.  It is certainly something to think about!

To stay informed on a regular basis about other lies, scams and hoaxes, follow this blog at: http://lies-and-lairs.blogspot.com/

Photo courtesy of http://www.morguefile.com/

The Lies Teens Tell Their Parents

Like millions of other parents around the world, I have raised teens, and I know I have been lied to.  In fact, I would be very foolish to think that I could possibly raise children to adulthood without having them lie to me from time to time.  Fortunately, none of their lies turned out to be dangerous or life threatening, and they all seem to have grown up to be open and honest adults (at least as far as I can tell).  Accepting that teens lie to their parents is just being realistic.

If you want to find out the common lies that teens are telling, sign up for a Twitter account.  If you are unfamiliar with Twitter, you are able to pull up Tweets about a certain subject by putting a hashtag (#) in front of a word.  For example, if you wanted to read all the Tweets about candy, you would just put #candy in your Tweet, and you could get a list of recent Tweets about candy.  However, if you want to hear about teen lies, the hashtag parents really want to use is this one: #LiesIveToldMyParents.  That's right ... it says Lies I've Told My Parents.  Teens are using this hashtag and phrase in Tweets about actual lies they have told.  Wow!  They are just making it so easy for us to learn more about them than we really want to!

According to a 2008 New York Times article that is quoted by the Huffington Post in their July 5, 2012 article, "Teens Lying To Parents: Kids Share Common Lies On Twitter," there are several topics that teens are most likely to lie about.  Here's a quick list:

What they spent their allowance on
Whether they have started dating
What clothes they put on after they leave the house
What movie they went to, and who they were with
Alcohol and drug use
Hanging out with friends their parents don't like
What they do after school when their parents are still at work
Whether or not a party was chaperoned
Whether they have ever ridden in a car with a drunk driver

I work at a high school, and I can vouch for the fact that kids show up at our school every day dressed in clothes that would horrify their parents.  I've seen girls pop into a school restroom, and come out dressed in a totally different and much more risque outfit!  However, my 81 year old mother has told me that in the 1940's her own mother would not allow her to wear blue jeans.  Despite that strict rule, my mother bought the tightest boys' jeans she could squeeze into, and then put them on the minute she was away from the house.  Sometimes she would even wear the jeans with the legs rolled up under her mid-calf length full skirt.  Then, she just pulled the skirt off the second she was out of site of her mother. Things haven't changed much in 70 years!

I also hear the high school kids talk a lot about drug and alcohol use, and I am sure their parents don't know what they are doing.  I am also certain that this has been going on for many years, too.

Recently, an anti-drug group has been running an ad on television here in California.  In the ad, a teenager who is obviously using drugs makes the statement, "My mom is addicted to denial."  I think a lot of us parents are addicted to denial.  In fact, perhaps that is the only way we can survive the teen years!  However, doesn't that mean we are just living with a lie?

Many lies you can continue to overlook.  As parents, we all know that we have to pick our battles carefully.  Is it really the end of the world if your kids spend their allowance on junk food or some wasteful trinket?  However, even if you choose to overlook many of the lies you hear, you should still be aware that your teens are lying.  Maybe a young teen is just embarrassed to tell you they have a boyfriend or girlfriend; maybe they are afraid of disappointing you; perhaps they are trying to prove that they are independent and grown-up.  Whatever the reason for the lies, watch for trends.  If they lie constantly about their friends and where they are spending their time, it could be a sign of a more serious problem.  You can't live in denial forever ... even if all of us would like to!

You are reading from the blog http://lies-and-liars.blogspot.com/

Photo courtesy of http://www.photoxpress.com/

Common Lies Women Tell Men

Recently, I wrote another blog post called "Common Lies Men Tell Women."  Within a day it was my most popular post, ever, on this blog.  At the time, I promised to write another one about the lies women tell men; well, I didn't want to be caught in a lie, so I thought I better not postpone it too long!

When I did an internet search on the lies that women tell men, I was startled (let's say shocked) by all the lists that are out there.  I certainly had plenty of suggestions to work with, a few written by women, but most written by men.  Here are some of my favorites, along with my comments:

My List of Lies Women Tell Men

It was on sale (I put this on top, because I've used it myself)
I'll be ready in a minute (or two, or three or ...)
I weigh ___ (Even my husband of 41 years doesn't know!)
Last night was the best ever (Maybe its the truth; maybe not)
That was delicious (If you cooked it, she's telling you how she actually feels!)
I'm not mad at you (If you think she is, she probably is.  Find out why.)
I'm just not ready for a boyfriend right now. (She's not interested.  Move on.)
I don't mind going Dutch treat. (Yes, she does. If you want her, you better pay.)
I love your friends / family.  (She's too insecure to tell you what she really thinks.)
I'm fine.  (If you think there is a problem, there is.  She doesn't want to talk, yet.)

Most Frequently Mentioned Lies

Of these, there were two items that came up over and over again.

The first one was "I'm just not ready for a boyfriend right now."  If a woman tells you that she is not ready for a boyfriend right now, she probably just isn't interested in you.  There's no point in pushing yourself on her, because it is going to push her away even more.  As one of the articles said, "Move on, Dude."

The second lie that was mentioned on several lists was "I don't mind going Dutch treat (or splitting the bill)."  If a man is interested in a woman, he probably expects their relationship to lead to her doing lots of nice things for him.  If he isn't prepared to buy her dinner and/or a movie a few times a month, she is eventually going to get tired of paying her own way.  Don't ask her to go Dutch, and still expect her to treat you as if you are God's gift to women!  If you are a student on a tight budget, look for some free activities, plan some picnics, and come up with some ideas you can afford.  Just don't ask her to pay her own way.  Her budget is probably tight, too!

You are reading from the blog:  http://lies-and-liars.blogspot.com/

Photo courtesy of:  http://www.morguefile.com/

Ten Popular Lies

Isn't it interesting how some lies become so commonplace and overused that they actually become popular?  Lies that my parents would never have spoken, are now everyday expressions we have all heard.  Even when we don't use these lies ourselves,  we hear these statements all the time, even on the news or in movies.

Since I am always on the lookout for good lies, this morning my Infobarrel feed revealed an article that was written by another writer, DesperateJournalism.  His article is called "Top 10 Lies that Are Good for Business."  It is a delightful look at some of the lies we have all heard.

I don't want to give away all of the lies that he mentions in his article.  However, some of the ones you may have heard are: 

I have read and accepted all terms and conditions
I did not have sexual relations with that woman
It's not you, it's me

There are seven more in the article that I'm sure you have heard before, too!

Unfortunately, when a lie becomes too popular, no one believes it anymore.  Therefore, even if you have read all the terms and conditions, no one actually believes that you did!  Look at the lies I listed in my article, "Common Lies Men Tell Women."  Most smart women don't believe them anymore.  We just accept them as popular lies that guys use!

Think about some of the lies that you hear people say so often that you never believe them anymore.  I know that I simply roll my eyes (privately) when I hear people say "No problem," or "I would love to do that for you."  We all like to think we aren't creating problems for others but, of course, when we ask a favor it is always a hassle for the other person.  They are just too nice to say so!

You are reading from the blog:  http://lies-and-liars.blogspot.com/

Photo courtesy of http://www.morguefile.com/

Common Lies Men Tell Women

Most of us agree that we all lie at one time or another.  In fact, one of the most popular posts on this blog is the one entitled "Everyone Lies."  However, even though we all understand that, at the same time we don't like to be the one who is lied to.

Men lie to women, and women lie to men.  The topics of their lies may be different, but they lie to each other none-the-less.  This blog post is about the lies men tell women.  You be fair, you may also want to read "Common Lies Women Tell Men."

According to an article from Cosmopolitan.com called "Top 10 Lies Men Tell Women," the average guy lies about six times a day.  (Remember, we'll talk about women's lies, soon!).  Here are some of the common lies, as well as my own comments about each one:

Lies Men Tell Women

I'm Stuck in Traffic (which means he is running late.)
It Wasn't That Expensive (I don't waste money on expensive toys!)
I'm on My Way (Yeah, right!)
I Didn't Have Too Much to Drink (Problem drinkers always say this.)
Sorry, I Missed Your Call (I didn't want to talk when you called.)
My Cell Phone Battery Died (Ditto)
I Had No Signal  (Ditto ... they can't use the same lie all the time!)
No, Your Butt Doesn't Look Big in That (One very smart lie!)
This Will Be My Last Beer (Don't be fooled by this one!)
Nothing's Wrong, I'm Fine (I don't want to talk about it.)

Of course, everyone really does get stuck in traffic once in a while, or the battery on their phone dies, but if it happens too often he is probably lying at least some of the time.

In addition, there are times when all of us feel like avoiding a conversation, especially if we think it is going to be a serious one.  Not answering the phone, or saying that you are fine, are two ways that we all avoid those types of conversations.

Bottom line: It's still true that everyone lies.  It is wise for us to accept that fact, rather than fight about it.  At the same time, it is simply naive for a woman to believe all those lies.  So smarten up, girls, and realize when he is lying.  You don't have to get mad about every lie; but you don't have to believe them, either!

Dangerous Lies

On the other hand, if you think that the man you love is lying to cover up an affair, an addiction, alcoholism, criminal activity, mental illness or serious problems, these are not the types of lies that you can simply overlook.  If you believe that anything like that is going on, you may need to encourage him to get professional help, or you may need to see a therapist yourself.  There are some lies that are much too big to ignore.

You are reading from the blog:  http://lies-and-liars.blogspot.com/

Photo courtesy of http://www.morguefile.com/