[ZenMaster]

The "TOP SECRET" stamp is the icing on the cake

[CarNerd]

I know about FedEx or Bluedart scam calls as I received one such call last year or so but I get messages on WhatsApp which usually start with "Hi, how are you?" or "Hi, can you talk to me?" and I block them immediately. I don't know how they scam people who reply to such messages.

[saket77]

Originally Posted by ZenMaster

The "TOP SECRET" stamp is the icing on the cake

Not to miss 'Pedophilia' and 'Grooming'.
I am still wondering why someone should be charged if he or she is well 'groomed' Or may be the words I read on a t-shirt print were true "If looking good is a crime then arrest me"

[deathwalkr]

Originally Posted by CarNerd

I know about FedEx or Bluedart scam calls as I received one such call last year or so but I get messages on WhatsApp which usually start with "Hi, how are you?" or "Hi, can you talk to me?" and I block them immediately. I don't know how they scam people who reply to such messages.

Usually from a profile with a pretty girl...

That's how entrapment starts. Innocently enough. Before you know it you are embroiled in a blackmailing case.

Block right away and move on is what i do.

[Sen_auto_sation]

The scamsters notwithstanding (there’s a dire need for robust cyber crime monitoring and legal consequences in India that’s been discussed on this thread), I hope you do not mean to trivialise sexual predators and how severely damaging their sexual abuse is on individuals and our society at large. There are many sexual predators who live amidst our everyday lives, without getting detected. No laughing matter that!

Originally Posted by saket77

Not to miss 'Pedophilia' and 'Grooming'.
I am still wondering why someone should be charged if he or she is well 'groomed'

Giving you the benefit of doubt (for your lack of awareness), and as a learnable opportunity for our TeamBHP community, attempting to contextualise sexual violations of this type amongst many more that exist (lots of research/information is freely available on the internet). Being more alert and sensitive, and spreading awareness on such issues and being available to the vulnerable can, at times, help prevent potential victims getting permanently scarred for life. This would go slightly off the OP thread.

(Source: internet, credit to respective owners)

Grooming can happen when there is a power differential within a relationship, which the abuser exploits for their own gratification. This is most commonly recognised as a tactic used by perpetrators of child sexual abuse, both on children and parents. However, adults can also be groomed. Grooming can happen in online spaces as well as in person.

Predators certainly groom their young victims. More often, they also groom the victims’ parents, family members, other close adults, and community members to establish a sense of trust and safety in those adults, create opportunities to access the target, and decrease the chances of being caught.

Many children and even young adults don’t understand that they have been groomed, or that what has happened is abuse. Even if they tell you, or you find out about the abuse, young people may attempt to keep in contact with the offender and have very mixed feelings about it all.

Pedophilia is the sexualization of people other than what we think of as normal, and can include being attracted to both very young children, and also to older “prepubescent” children.

When a sexual predator builds a relationship with a child or adult to abuse and exploit them. They build trust but use it to control, isolate, and abuse their victims emotionally, physically, and sexually. A groomer often comes across as charming, helpful, and kind at first.

Sexual predators (Groomers) methodically take steps to build relationships with their victim and gain their trust. Predators are masters at manipulation and can appear kind and helpful to hide their ulterior motives, taking advantage of a victim's innocence/naïveté.

(Source: internet, credit to respective owners)

Originally Posted by saket77

Or may be the words I read on a t-shirt print were true "If looking good is a crime then arrest me"

I earnestly hope this provides you enough context and would encourage you pulling down your earlier comments which sound insensitive/ignorant to the pain and life long suffering sexual abuse victims go through. (Speaking as someone who has witnessed/experienced this from close quarters).


Let’s all stay alert and prevent/report sexual abuse.

TeamBHP Mods: kind request to amend my post in case it inadvertently does not meet our community guidelines. Thank you.

[deathwalkr]

Originally Posted by saket77

I am still wondering why someone should be charged if he or she is well 'groomed'

Would encourage you to read more about grooming in this context. In this digital age that gives anonymity it has given so much power to deviants to "groom" minors.

[saket77]

Originally Posted by deathwalkr

Would encourage you to read more about grooming in this context. In this digital age that gives anonymity it has given so much power to deviants to "groom" minors.

Originally Posted by Sen_auto_sation

TGrooming can happen when there is a power differential within a relationship, which the abuser exploits for their own gratification. This is most commonly recognised as a tactic used by perpetrators of child sexual abuse, both on children and parents. However, adults can also be groomed. Grooming can happen in online spaces as well as in person.

Thank you for this piece of information. I stand educated.

Originally Posted by Sen_auto_sation

Pedophilia is the sexualization of people other than what we think of as normal, and can include being attracted to both very young children, and also to older “prepubescent” children..

It was in context of incorrect spelling. 'Paedophilia' is the spelling we normally use and again 'pedophilia' is a spelling I was not aware of. And my comment was in the context of the letter written by the scamsters to our member whom they were trying to frame as a target for extortion. That’s in the context of the fraud that I’ve posted. If you get the context now.

Originally Posted by Sen_auto_sation

I earnestly hope this provides you enough context and would encourage you pulling down your earlier comments which sound insensitive/ignorant to the pain and life long suffering sexual abuse victims go through. (Speaking as someone who has witnessed/experienced this from close quarters).

I still don't think my post offends anyone especially if you don’t take it out of the context in which it was written. But in today's world it is very easy to offend people. Please feel free to report my post for review by moderators.

Thanks.

[ajmat]

Originally Posted by CarNerd

I know about FedEx or Bluedart scam calls as I received one such call last year or so but I get messages on WhatsApp which usually start with "Hi, how are you?" or "Hi, can you talk to me?" and I block them immediately. I don't know how they scam people who reply to such messages.

Within a matter of time, they might hit a target - an emotionally vulnerable lonely person. Sometimes, you can be married and have a family but yet be very lonely or you might be on the edge due to a stressful situation.

What might be an emotional outlet, ends up being a financial outlet.

[Lone Ranger]

Originally Posted by saket77

It was in context of incorrect spelling.
Thanks.

Originally Posted by Sen_auto_sation

I earnestly hope this provides you enough context and would encourage you pulling down your earlier comments which sound insensitive/ignorant to the pain and life long suffering sexual abuse victims go through.

@Sen_auto_sation, I am certain there was no intention to poke fun at the topic! In fact even when I read the letter, I didn't get the 'grooming' part, and thought it was just one of those stupid things scammers screw up on. And the spelling of 'pedophilia' struck me also as misspelt, until I read what you had written. Thank you very much for your enlightening post!

[aravindb_0711]

The semester ended in my college in May, and I am now in Bengaluru for my summer internship. Today, I was walking near Nexus Koramangala to get a bus.

There was a woman walking with a child in front of me, and as I crossed her, she hit me with something that looked like a whip. I was extremely startled, and I looked at her, realising that she had some sort of statue on top of her head.

She stopped me and begged for money, so I took a rupee out from my wallet. The woman, quickly called her accomplice and both of them surrounded me. Now, I was extremely scared to make these people angry as I'm from a different state, and I didn't want to get into any trouble. So, when they told me to place a 500 rupee note, saying that they will give it back to me, I did. They did some mumbo jumbo and just walked away with my money. Of course, me asking for my money back didn't work.

This has killed my day because I've been trying to save as much money as I can while I'm in Bengaluru. I didn't want to create a lot of expenses for my parents, but this ends up happening today.

To all the people that live here, is this a common thing? I hope that nobody gets caught in this sort of scam.

[ruskinash]

I can empathize with you as I too was once a student and have gone through challenging times when every penny had to be carefully managed.

Unsure if this is a common occurrence in Bangalore, but it is common for folks all over the world to prey on the gullible. Just walk away from anyone or anything that doesn't concern you. Once they have your attention, it becomes easier for them to ensnare you in their schemes. Simply ignore them and continue on your way. I frequently practice this technique, and it works as intended.

[Theyota]

Originally Posted by aravindb_0711

She stopped me and begged for money, so I took a rupee out from my wallet. The woman, quickly called her accomplice and both of them surrounded me. Now, I was extremely scared to make these people angry as I'm from a different state, and I didn't want to get into any trouble. So, when they told me to place a 500 rupee note, saying that they will give it back to me, I did. They did some mumbo jumbo and just walked away with my money. Of course, me asking for my money back didn't work.

Very sorry you fell for this scam. It is a decades old scam. Normally these scum are around temples and they are not locals either. You should have raised your voice and gathered attention of people around. They are petty crooks and aren't dangerous. Now that it is all over, take it as a lesson and move on. No need to torture yourself over it. Everyone has fallen for big or small scams in their lives.

[Sebring]

I get 20/25 scam calls a day. They seem to have increased over the months. Can't the ministry intervene, or set up a special force to tackle this problem?

[vinu_h]

Originally Posted by aravindb_0711

She stopped me and begged for money, so I took a rupee out from my wallet. The woman, quickly called her accomplice and both of them surrounded me. Now, I was extremely scared to make these people angry as I'm from a different state, and I didn't want to get into any trouble.

Unfortunate incident. The whip was used to get your attention and on your part showing intent to part with money caught their attention. All of us come from different circumstances but I am assuming you donated more than INR 1, if not that would enrage anybody.

[Gaur]

Looks like we have become a victim of an online scam yesterday, albeit a small amount of rs25.

My wife had her tatkal passport renewal done on Monday, yesterday evening she received a SMS from India post mentioning delivery of her passport failed due to improper address and asked to update address details on a link shared failing to do so in 2 days the parcel will be returned.

Smart thing was that the message had no mention of any payment to be made, it was only when you access the webpage update address details a request of 25rs fee showed up on the 2nd page.

Surprisingly when my wife checked the actual tracking status on the passport website it also mentioned that her passport delivery has failed due to incomplete address.

My wife informed me only after she made the payment, i felt a bit suspicious and on checking the link i felt its fake but appears very close to the official india post website, infact it actually redirects you to the real indiapost website if you click on the postal icon on the top of this fake page.

Another thing i am observing the link https://indiapostigu.xyz/IN opens on mobile but not on my laptop.

Whats absolutely shocking is the amount of data leak happening all around us, we are literally walking through a minefield looks like.