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samhill
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Post by samhill » Sun. Jul. 29, 2018 9:09 am

I found this to be interesting & remember her name, I think there was a column in one of the newspapers of my area that laid claim to her.
https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2018/07/investiga ... index.html
A little long but I thought interesting!


 
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freetown fred
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Post by freetown fred » Sun. Jul. 29, 2018 9:14 am

Thanx SH, that was pretty nonsensical. I forget who mentioned "there's a sucker born every day--or was it every minute??? :) Ya gotta love CNN--NOT!!!

 
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Post by Pacowy » Sun. Jul. 29, 2018 10:21 am

ff, I think that's normally credited to P.T. Barnum, but it may have predated him.

Mike

 
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Post by freetown fred » Sun. Jul. 29, 2018 10:23 am

LOL--indeed P :)

 
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Post by franco b » Sun. Jul. 29, 2018 12:07 pm

CNN cashes in on their own scam of the news.

 
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Post by gaw » Sun. Jul. 29, 2018 2:16 pm

I never heard of the lady or maybe I did but forgot as soon as I heard it.

Interesting article, psychics are not real? You could have fooled me. Preying on old demented folks is terrible but when you hear stories from folks who have gone through this with old relatives it is as if they are looking for someone to take their money, if not a psychic maybe the casino or better yet give it to the state by buying lottery tickets. (Proceeds benefit senior citizens)

I wonder why mom with Alzheimer’s didn’t care that she blew all her money but the kids that wanted to inherit that money care deeply, that’s interesting.

BTW the IRS left a phone message last week that arrest warrants have been issued because I under paid my taxes. If you don’t hear from me again you know what happened :lol: :lol:

 
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Post by rberq » Mon. Jul. 30, 2018 5:07 pm

Interesting article.
If you write an astrology advice column for the local paper, is it illegal?
If you pretend to be a fortune teller or psychic at your kid's grammar school fair, for money, is it illegal?
If you do the same thing in a booth at the county fair, is it illegal?
If you have a 900-number listed as dial-a-psychic, is it illegal?
If receiving psychic information from you makes people feel better, can you claim they are receiving value for money, just like when they buy useless dietary supplements?

When does it cross over from being legal to a prosecutable scam?
Inquiring minds want to know. :?


 
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gaw
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Post by gaw » Tue. Jul. 31, 2018 7:52 am

rberq wrote:
Mon. Jul. 30, 2018 5:07 pm
When does it cross over from being legal to a prosecutable scam?
Inquiring minds want to know.
When you use the US Postal Service.

A lot of people believe in that *censored* and I believe some psychics believe they have ability and some are complete frauds. I think of most of them as entertainers. If somebody wants to see a psychic I don't care, psychics need to eat too.

 
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Post by NoSmoke » Thu. Nov. 22, 2018 1:42 pm

I have been scammed and it is a very sickening, demoralizing, and embarrassing thing to go through.

In my case it was from a person I went to school with, not a friend, but very close to one...lived in the same town, etc. He has done work for me in the past, and it worked out okay. The scam also involved an industry I actively do, so for me, I never thought I would get scammed because it was something I knew a lot about, by someone I knew.

In the end, it was timber theft and every day I get to look out across 70 acres of clear cut with no money received for it. It is a sickening feeling.

It is difficult to hear other people say they would never have been in the same situation because of x, y or Z thing they would have done. The truth is, they could have very easily got scammed.

In my case it was a prosecutable crime because stealing 75 tractor trailer loads of wood is considered Timber Theft in the State of Maine. Sadly, as a Christian, a lot of Christian's have given me grief for seeking legal restitution. However, in my defense, I never took the man to court, I notified the authorities as to the crime, and they chose to prosecute. It was the State of Maine vs the Logger, and NOT me vs the logger. To me, what occurred was no different then someone stealing my truck in my driveway...anyone person would call the police. Someone took my wood and never paid for it...yes a breach of contract, but also out-and-out theft.

In the end the Judge was quite harsh on the logger, but gave him 6 months to come up with the money he owes me. On Feb 24th he either has to pay me in full, start paying me $1800 a month, or go to jail. If he fails to pay me in full, his fine will be 10 times higher though.

Oh and I have his Cat 525 skidder...

 
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Post by NoSmoke » Thu. Nov. 22, 2018 1:47 pm

Victim Impact Statement
It is difficult with some semblance of brevity to describe the impact the Timber Theft the logger perpetrated against us. That is because a forest is vastly different than a car stolen from someone’s front yard, or a field of corn ransacked by teenagers in a rampaging truck. The car can easily be replaced, and the corn crop can be renewed next year, but a mature forest, part of the American Tree Farm System as the logger stole, takes 75 years or more to grow. To have the wood removed is one thing; disappointing, but tolerable, but to be left without any money for its loss, grieves the heart.

The logger knew from the onset, that cancer, and the reoccurring cancer, was the reason for the timber sale, specifically to pay for property taxes since the fatigue of cancer kept me from working. The loggers actions were not merely theft, but a con artist in action, taking advantage of the vulnerable. To steal from a cancer victim, is as despicable as those that swindle the elderly, or take from a child in my opinion.

The monies generated from the timber sale were to pay back property taxes, not for personal materialism. American’s may rant against it overall, but it is actually an honor to pay property taxes, for all of society is based upon it. Even the bible itself commands it…in red ink. We hated to see our forest felled, but we wanted to pay our property taxes more as we owe it to our neighbors, we owe it to our town, and we owe it to our county; yet the logger robbed us of that honor.

But as farmers we do have resources, and the theft left us with no other choice but to sell other assets, in this case our flock of sheep, equipment, and house. It was a sad day to see the entire flock carted off by truck, or equipment that makes life easier about the farm lumber off to be owned by another, or another family occupy your home. Beyond the sadness of all that from our four daughters, there lingers a question; without the majority of its forest, without its equipment, without its livestock, and without its farmhouse; how can the farm even exist?

Identity; that is what the logger stole.

But justice delayed is not justice ignored.

We are grateful we live in a society based upon sound judgement, where Forest Ranger’s are law enforcers for landowners whose timber has been stolen, district attorneys are elected by the citizenship and advocate for those robbed, and victim impact statements can be delivered to judges who have proven themselves to be of fair judgement. Like the logger, we too throw ourselves at the mercy of the court, and ask for what we feel is fair.

Fair market value for the timber removed by the logger in the form of immediate restitution.

Our forest theft has caused us great financial harm due to the serious upset of cash flow when we needed it most. It was not the amount of money stolen, but rather when it was stolen that truly hurt financially. During the time frame that the logger was harvesting our wood, we heard excuse upon excuse as to why the we could not get the money from the wood flowing off our farm. Without question, the logger knew this court date would come, and should have been saving up the money owed for immediate repayment these last few months. We have heard enough excuses, and can only hope that this court agrees.

 
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Post by NoSmoke » Thu. Nov. 22, 2018 1:52 pm

I will just add, that yes, as a Christian I witnessed many times to this man. Even now I feel for him as he grapples with a serious addiction he just does not want to deal with. I do not understand it because I have never been gripped by gambling, but for some, it robs them of their lives.

 
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Post by gaw » Thu. Nov. 22, 2018 11:56 pm

NoSmoke; I would say you were swindled rather than scammed but I guess you could use the words interchangeably.
You have a compelling story. Maybe the logger who stole from you was just a couple of thousand short of winning that big payday where he could have paid you in full. That’s how gamblers think. I don’t see how any fellow Christians or anyone for that matter can fault you for turning the guy in. It is a lot easier to forgive and forget when you are not the one being wronged.

On the brighter side, a few weeks ago I was at a store and some young men were outside collecting donations for an area teen challenge. I thought about you and how you mentioned you supported their efforts and I felt compelled to drop a few bucks in their jar, so your talking about them probably gave them a few extra dollars they otherwise may not have received.

 
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Post by coaledsweat » Fri. Nov. 23, 2018 6:07 am

gaw wrote:
Sun. Jul. 29, 2018 2:16 pm
BTW the IRS left a phone message last week that arrest warrants have been issued because I under paid my taxes. If you don’t hear from me again you know what happened :lol: :lol:
I got a recorded message from Social Security about my illegal activities. It left a number to call so I called it. The guy that answered warned me about my arrest so I lectured him on what a lousy crook he was, I told him he should be embaressed about being such a lousy crook and to go get a real job. :lol:

 
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Post by rberq » Fri. Nov. 23, 2018 10:47 am

gaw wrote:
Thu. Nov. 22, 2018 11:56 pm
I don’t see how any fellow Christians or anyone for that matter can fault you for turning the guy in.
Yes, if he swindled you like that, he will go right on doing it to others until he is stopped. You can feel sorry for him, but still feel good that you are helping to protect other honest and trusting folks.

 
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Post by CapeCoaler » Fri. Nov. 23, 2018 11:46 am

Sadly, as a Christian, a lot of Christian's have given me grief for seeking legal restitution.
No grief need be given...
In a perfect world these things would never happen...
However we don't live in a perfect world...
It may very well be that by shining a light on this person and their activities...
They may finally get the support and help they need to follow a straight and narrow path...
To ignore the totally egregious behavior...
Both from a western judicial and biblical perspective...
Would be wrong...
You did the right thing both for the criminal and your family...
Hopefully this person will correct their misdeeds...
Both judicially and morally...
And thank you for doing the right thing for everyone concerned...


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