Scammers work overtime during holidays

Christmas shoppers aren't the only ones who are busy during this Christmas season. It would seem that scammers are attacking on all fronts -- on the internet and over the phone. I haven't heard of any scams via the Post Office, but I don't doubt that they're out there.

Yesterday I got a call from a very pleasant-sounding man who told me that he was calling me about my Reader's Digest subscription. I probably should have listened at least a couple of minutes, in order to see exactly what his scam was, but I don't have patience with these creeps. I yelled, "I don't have a Reader's Digest account and haven't for years! Goodbye!"

Even though I'm on the Missouri No Call List and the National No Call List, I've noticed an increase in the number of telemarketer calls in the last few weeks.

To make detection more difficult, I notice that this guy's number on the caller ID was "None." I'll put that on the list with "Unavailable" and "Unknown." I usually let the answering machine pick up those.

One particularly creative e-mail scam is the Parcel Package trick: You get a very authentic-looking notification from a "Manager Esmeralda Addison, DHL Services," telling you to print off an attached parcel receipt, which you then take to some office to get a parcel that you supposedly have coming to you.

After I received this e-mail and promptly deleted it without clicking on the attachment, I got a circulated warning from one of my friends, telling me to do just that --- delete it w/o opening the attachment, as it had a VIRUS!

For Pete's Sake! What is IN it for these people??? I understand a scam which will gain them MONEY --- Those people are just common CROOKS -- but what's in it for the ones who send out viruses??? Are they just MEAN and VINDICTIVE -- or kids who are bored??? What??

This should be a season of Peace on Earth, Good Will to Man, but the sheisters just can't let it alone, can they?

I feel particularly worried about the little old folks, who can't really REMEMBER if they have a Reader's Digest account. Their telephone can be an invitation to disaster. Remind your parents and grandparents to be cautious about who they talk to on the phone. A healthy attitude of skepticism can be a good thing during this season of Joy and Happiness.

The other day I got a call from someone conducting a survey. I didn't even trust THEM, when a nice voice crooned, "May I ask you a few questions?"

"No, you may not!! I'm not answering any questions!" I shouted.

It's sad that we all have to be Grinches, but it's a dangerous world out there, folks!

Be careful and stay safe this Christmas season.

......Oh, and, by the way -- "Merry Christmas!"

From the gray, soggy hills of Tillman, this is your grumpy rural reporter Madeline, praying that her basement doesn't leak today.