Opportunistic predation appears to have been the best mode adopted by many animals to survive. The principle even applies to man, as some people display such behavior. When opportunities come, they strike with impunity, almost always successfully. Everywhere we see people taking advantage of others, acting like animals themselves.
Read more: http://scienceray.com/philosophy-of-science/preying-on-each-other/#ixzz1cwRfDZ1S
Read more: http://scienceray.com/philosophy-of-science/preying-on-each-other/#ixzz1cwRfDZ1S
And often, reaction from others is "well, that's what happens to those who don't think - it's a shame but you can't fix stupid".
I have to tell you that I've heard stories and thought that myself a few times.
But since the internet, email, and more recently Facebook became so popular - a lot of people that I consider to be very smart have clicked on links that gave spammers access to post to their FB, send emails from them without their knowledge, and sometimes even take over their computer systems.
Its not that they aren't smart - they just are a bit too trusting, I think - they actually believe that people are honest and look out for each other.
And I don't have the words to express how angry I am that people can't believe in each other.....and that the "good" ones get screwed over so often.
One of the good ones is my friend and former neighbor - I'll call him "S". He's a high school graduate, works hard, but barely gets by - partly because he had to refinance his home loan to buy out his now ex. At the time he had not so great credit and very little equity in the place....so he had a very difficult time finding a lender and ended up with a pretty high interest rate and payments that were close to half his income. But he saved the house and that's what was important - he figured he'd improve his credit score and refinance once he had a bit more equity back.
Fast forward a couple of years and the market collapses - so even though interest rates are much lower - he can't take advantage because his house is worth less than he owes. Combine that with the slumping economy reducing the overtime available at his job, and he's struggling to keep afloat.
So, when he gets one of those letters in the mail - the ones that promise to lower your payments and reduce your debt that most of us probably toss - he calls.
\He gets assured that he can get a hardship loan modification from his lender that will reduce his payments by about 400 dollars a month which would make all the difference in his life.
And all this will cost him is 3800 dollars - he can pay them by not making his mortgage payments for a few months.....and that important because he'll be more likely to get his loan modified if he falls behind.
Sounds good?
Well maybe, except that going to his lender's website it seems that they have a tollfree number seven days a week providing information on how he can apply for a hardship loan modification through the government Home Affordable Modification Program and walking him through the process at NO CHARGE.
In other words, he'll be paying someone else 3800 dollars to do exactly the same thing that he can do himself for free.
Sure sounds like it should be illegal to rip off people like that - and I google a bit more and find out that it actually IS illegal under federal law to require an upfront payment to help negotiate a loan modification - unless you are a lawyer......and I reckon this company is probably using that lawyer loophole for all that it's worth.
So here we have someone with a degree (law in this case) preying on someone who doesn't. Fortunately my friend was smart enough to know what he didn't know and ask someone else........but judging from the number of phone calls and letters that I get offering to reduce my credit card debt (which, by the way I don't have ANY of in the first place).......there's a lot of people out there getting ripped off.
I agree that it's better to give someone a hand up rather than a hand out....but seems like a lot of these "helpers" are wolves in sheeps clothing.....
