Getting scammed is perhaps one of the hardest things to admit. Once you realize how you were tricked, you will obviously regret trusting the con artist. In most cases, it is not the loss that bothers you that much. Instead, what bothers you and fills you with regret is the trick that you fell for.
The feeling of “I should have been smarter” is what we are talking about.
Tired of losing faith in humanity? The best you can do to go against scammers is by getting yourself aware of the common scams they use. There are not many guaranteed successful ways of catching the fraud, but you can prevent it from happening. How? Awareness is the answer. Being able to know when to trust someone and when to smell something fishy is an ability that can save you from scams. In this article, we will be discussing one of the most common types of fraud related to eyewear; The infamous bump that breaks the stranger’s glasses.
The Famous Broken Glasses Scam
The scam we are referring to might or might not have happened with you. If you have not faced this fraud, then pay attention closely. After reading this, the chances of you getting scammed will be eliminated entirely. So, how does it start? Well, you're walking to your desired destination through a busy pathway. The place will more likely be crowded, which increases the chances of you bumping into someone. And voila! A person with their face most likely covered through heavy eyewear or a hat will bump into you. Where did they even come from? You won’t know.
You'll apologize for bumping into them, but you'll see their hands reaching into their pocket. They would pull out a broken pair of glasses, blame you for bumping into them and damaging their valuable eyewear. You'll try apologizing, but they would emotionally blackmail you into thinking they spent weeks saving money for their glasses and YOU have to pay for their repair. This classic fraud has allowed many deceivers to fish out a $20 bill from innocent individuals. To ensure you get out of this tricky situation smoothly, continue reading!
How to Counter It
Overcoming this situation without getting yourself in trouble is possible. Just make sure you keep the following instructions in mind when responding to this fraudster.
- Do NOT Let Them Know You Have Money. The first thing you must remember is to never let the scammer know that you got the cash. Give it to them straight that you forgot your wallet at home. Do NOT mention that you don’t have enough money to give them.
- Make Them Feel Intimidated. Confidence is key. Scammers expect you to be foolish. Once you make them feel intimidated by questioning confidently how their glasses broke by a light bump, their willingness to get money out of you will decrease significantly. Shatter their expectations and talk to them in an angry tone.
- Ask for Help If Needed. If the person threatens you (very unlikely) and none of your counters work, shout for help and call the cops. Once they see you're not naïve enough to be tricked, they will most probably make a run for it.
Countering this scam is a piece of cake only if you're confident that you did nothing wrong. Remember, you are the one getting looted! Don't show your soft side to these people, and they will move on to another target knowing that you're too clever to be fooled.