It is January 2023, the first month of a new year and the usual Facebook idiocy has already become manifest. As most who read my works are likely to be aware, my personal usage of Facebook has been much reduced. I shamelessly and blatantly use the platform for the promotion of my websites. I use Facebook messenger as a communication tool and that I find highly beneficial. I am less active across pages and groups.
I am not alone in this reduced presence. I observe that several of the people I was in contact with many years ago, have now left the platform or reduced their own presence. Facebook has its uses but they have become increasingly limited. Those who wish to read my written works are advised to seek out the various publications I occasionally write for or to follow this blog. My textual works will not be found on Facebook outside of the aforementioned weblinks.
As many readers will be aware, when receiving a Facebook friend request from a stranger, I habitually ask security questions. I am not on Facebook to collect names and generally keep my contact list below five hundred. If you are on my contact or friends list, then it counts for something.
All requests from strangers face the same near identical security questions. In this age of scams, spams and when cyber crime is in the public eye; then surely this is wise? Is there anything wrong with asking a stranger, ‘Who are you?’ I think not but perhaps others may disagree.
Recently I received another random friend request on Facebook, as I frequently do. I sent by private message my usual enquiry. Most often this is as far as it the interaction goes. The person being messaged does not either read the message or if they do, they do not respond. After a suitable period of time and for this I usually allow around two weeks, I delete the friend request.
My most recent friend request did not follow this pattern and to my surprise, they chose to reply. Their response however, was far from satisfactory and set my alarm bells a ringing. Even though I made an allowance for English not likely being their first language, their clear avoidance of my questions convinced me I was being messaged by a scammer.
I include with this blog post screen captures of our conversation for the amusement of the reader. Some may be surprised that I have not removed his name (as I usually do) but I do not for one moment, believe that to be his real name. Nor do I believe that the charming picture of a cherubic African child has any connection with the man. I suspect it is simply a picture lifted from the Internet and was there to arouse sympathy. It would only have been a matter of time and despite his own protestations, before I would have been asked to sponsor a child in Central Africa. It should be obvious that any money sent, would not have reached Oxfam.
Of course scams of this nature and other forms, are all too common today. Like many people it is by telephone that I am the most often contacted. A common call is one telling me that the warranty on some example of white goods or a kitchen appliance has expired. This could be a washing machine, a cooker or a microwave. This is no surprise, the warranties expired years ago and I have no intention of renewing them at present. Indeed the lack of common sense astounds me. If I let my washing machine warranty lapse and I have not renewed it in the past five years, am I likely to do so now?
The other common call is from a person usually male, claiming to be from Microsoft. The call follows a predictable pattern and this script is so predictable, I have on occasion burst out laughing as they speak. The basic format is that Microsoft are picking up error warnings via my ISP and believe I have spyware or viruses on my computer. To check this and remove them, I am asked to press the ‘ctrl’ and ‘R’ buttons. This for readers unaware, will bring up a ‘RUN’ box. I am then asked to type into this box a special code and press enter. Again for those of you unaware, this enables remote access and is frequently used by genuine technicians to fix issues.
Now I wasn’t born yesterday and although I have little technological understanding with regards the Internet. One thing of which you can be certain, is that I am not going to give a stranger access to my computer. The obvious danger is that they would steal my files, including any available financial details. Which is of course exactly what they are after.
On occasion I have been able to keep the telephone scammer talking for ten minutes or more. I may be bored that day and wasting their time amuses me. It also keeps them away from the more vulnerable. In a sense I have turned the tables and they have now become my prey. The best incidents and those that I find the most amusing, will be blogged. Examples of such can be found below.
Daniel Bran Griffith - The Chattering Magpie 
4 thoughts on “Nelly Gris (Shaheed) and how not to send a Facebook Friend Request.”