esrosedotblog

When I lived in Boston, back in the Fifties, it was hard to walk down the street without getting invited to buy a book and come to supper at the Scientology Center

I never went.

I often wondered what happened when people did.

Over the years I heard about the "church" and drew a pretty strong conclusion that it was a hype perpetrated by a con man and run by prisoners of their own culpability.

Today's film doesn't do much to dispel this original impression. But it is pretty good even if it will not change anyone's mind.

Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief (2015)

This is a pretty good documentary but it is mostly old stuff. I would have liked it to plow some new ground but the later years of the "church" are filled with difficult times and there is not much new ground to plow.

Paul Haggis of the movies is the main guy in this. He is a member of 35 years who finally got that he didn't get it. Except for the hosing.

I sort of get how mind control works. It is less clear in this film about how people stayed years and years despite abuse at the hands of their little dictator Miscavige. But then this is the old conundrum about victims and how they cooperate in their own slavery.

I will give this a 3 out of Netflix5.

I would have liked a bit more exposé especially of that giant dickhead, the pillar of the "church" Tom Cruise.

I will have to wait.

Labels: films, scams

SCAM?

I went to the gas station yesterday. A guy drove up to the opposite side of my pump station.

He asked if I could use my credit card to pay for a gallon of gas so he could get home.

I said "no, but I can give you three bucks" (the gas was 3.97 a gallon).

He took it but that wasn't what he was looking for. Someone suggested he might have a scanner in his pocket but I don't think that was it. Well, I don't know what the scam was.

This kind of thing always throws me off my stride so I have some defensive tics. Things that come right to me. The first is to say "yes". "Sure". Then ask some questions. "How far away do you live?" This is where they usually fall apart.

This guy's face told the story. He took the money but it obviously wasn't the goal. He fidgeted. His voice want off. Stress.

That is the second thing. Questions. Engagement.

Another thing. I come up with an alternative. Any alternative. Be willing.

Then get in your car and get away as fast as possible.

This is the same gas station where there are hookers at the side of the building at 4AM.

This interchange happened in broad daylight.

Maybe I should find another gas station.

But this is also the same station that has the extremely hot latino attendant at night. I think he may have run the hookers but they are not there now. SO maybe he ran them off.

So I probably won't leave.

Labels: scams

SPAM SCAM

This is a new one. I wonder what the "catch" is.

Hello, My name is DAVID HAMILTON, I want to order some product items from your store to my below address in Cyprus but before i proceed, i will like to confirm the type of credit card you accept as payment (VISA OR MASTER CARD) and if you can ship to the below address. Please let me know asap, so i can proceed with my request.

Best regards

DAVID HAMILTON
DAVIDH STORES PTY LTD
Thrakis 12, Anexartisias str.
3041 Limassol, Cyprus

Anyone know what the gimmick is?

I sort of collect these.

I have all the deals where I could help transfer funds to the US. And I have ones that an actual friend whose email list has been pirated "says" that he is stranded in London without funds. And some others. This is new. A little indirect, it would seem.

Labels: scams

NEW SCAM

Or maybe an old one that is just new to me.

I wrote an email to a friend the other day. i used two addresses because one of them gives me trouble sometimes.

This morning I got an email from the one address that said:

Hello,
How's work on your end? This has had to come in a hurry and it has left me in a devastating state.I am in some terrible situation and I'm really going to need your urgent help. Yesterday, unannounced, I came to visit a new researchers' complex in London,United Kingdom . Well we actually got robbed in the Hotel I booked in and they made away with my wallet (which included my cash, diaries and credit cards). My cellphones were not brought along since I did not get to roam them before coming over. The phone cables have been burnt including internet connection cables and the Hotel's database has been compromised as well. So all I can do now is pay cash and get out of here quickly. I do not want to make a scene of this which is why I did not call the office or my house, this is embarassing enough.
Please I want you to lend me a sum of 1000pounds, just to clear my Hotel bills and get the next plane home. The Consulate only cleared me of my travelling documents and
ticketing since I came in as a tourist and not on official purpose. I shall have your money reimbursed immediately on my return. I'll be waiting on you at the Hotel lobby for your mail.
I look forward to hearing from you soon,

Best Regards

I sent him a copy to his other address.

He quickly replied that "no it is not me".

So. Someone has intercepted my email to him and has used the exchange of two email addresses to write a scam letter.

This has never, ever happened to me. I have had lots of email from various parts of Africa and so on but these are always of the "thousands" of addressees category. Shots in the dark.

This one is obviously right out of our recent exchange.

My wireless is locked now. I wonder if my friend's is. He is running it down.

In any case, I won't be using that address again.

Labels: internet, scams

HIGH PRESSURE

We have had magazine crews in our neighborhood.

Often, there is one kid at a door saying he lives in the neighborhood; a student visiting his parents if you say that you don't recognize him.

A few times, I have 'caught' them up the hill, on another street, hanging out with the rest of the crew.

They are very good at what they do.

We bit once.

That was it.

The subscriptions were good. It is just that the lies that set the stage are hard to swallow.

Now, it turns out that this method of door-door is even harder on the kids.

For Youths, a Grim Tour on Magazine Crews

This is a very interesting article.

Another way that business has found to grind some victims down to make a buck.

Labels: scams