Roguelike people

re: Roguelike people

Nikoloff — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:02:20 GMT

"The element you're missing is that you've never bought a prepaid cell phone. You buy the phone hardware for cash, you buy the SIM card (that contains the phone number) for cash, and you buy the network minutes for cash. There's no contract; when you run out of minutes the phone stops working until you buy more. So what if I had his number? There's nothing whatsoever that ties the phone number on the SIM card to any person. -- Eric"

We fairly recently got a new law, which obligates SIM operators and resellers to register every customer, so even pre-paid services are not anonymous anymore. Of course, this only kinda solves the problem, cause there are a lot of poor people, gypsies, etc. who would happily buy the pre-paid card in their name for a few bucks in their pocket. Then whatever nasty thing is going on with the SIM card itself, the authorities can barely track the homeless guy and even if they did - he's not the one doing the cons. It helps though, just doesn't completely resolve the issue.

re: Roguelike people

Damana Madden — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 12:23:26 GMT

I enjoyed this post. I always enjoy your posts. This one was explained well and broken down in a way that was easy to understand. Maybe technical writers should explain everyday concepts more often. Thank you.

re: Roguelike people

Spike — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 12:51:43 GMT

The best short con sob story I heard was from well dressed man in a suit holding a bunch of flowers. He was telling anyone who would listen that he'd bought the flowers for his wife after an argument. But when he got home he found all his belongings on the front lawn and the locks changed. Would anyone buy the flowers from him for twenty quid so he could get a hotel room for the night? He was standing there all day with various different bunches of flowers.

re: Roguelike people

Steve — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 11:22:53 GMT

I'm intrigued by the cell phone though - presumably if you called him there and then it would work, so you have his number stored. Is it s stolen phone or is there some element I'm missing?

The element you're missing is that you've never bought a prepaid cell phone. You buy the phone hardware for cash, you buy the SIM card (that contains the phone number) for cash, and you buy the network minutes for cash. There's no contract; when you run out of minutes the phone stops working until you buy more. So what if I had his number? There's nothing whatsoever that ties the phone number on the SIM card to any person. -- Eric

re: Roguelike people

Chris — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 19:44:48 GMT

I always offer to solve their problem without money.

"Oh, you need a Ferry Ticket? I gotta run down there anyway, I can give you a ride and I'll buy the ticket when we get down there." It's extremely fun to do.

"Oh wow, you need gas? My car's right there let's go get some!"

re: Roguelike people

Jessica Trupin — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 18:08:44 GMT

Ha! Let me tell you about walking around Manhattan one night in the late 80s with a crack addict, looking for an open drug store so I could buy her the diapers she so desperately needed.

re: Roguelike people

Reading (and chickens) — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 22:23:58 GMT

I've only ever encountered one of these guys in Wallingford in the past 11 years, and he came to my DOOR. MY DOOR. Ugh. A new low. (He ran out of gas and his wife was in the car having a baby right.this.instant.) (WHO abandons a woman in labor except to call 911?)

re: Roguelike people

Dan J — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 21:48:48 GMT

Great story, Eric, as usual. :)

Alongside Hustle, allow me to recommend the excellent <a href="en.wikipedia.org/.../a>.

re: Roguelike people

Mason — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 18:53:46 GMT

Down at Westlake I got the story of "I'm unable to get cash from my out of state bank, can you buy something for me at Nordstrom's then I will write you a check to cover it." There was some sort of logic in there attempting to get cash back from the purchase beyond the sale price, but I had to cut him off. They wanted in some fashion me to launder their bad checks.

re: Roguelike people

Jesse Slicer — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 20:43:31 GMT

@Gabe: that's precisely what I do too. Anyone genuinely down on their luck will get what they need if they take me up on the offer and anyone else will, well, no longer be my problem.