German WU in blissful ignorance

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Posted: Thu Dec 21, 2006 12:16 am

I think that's a very good idea NN. Apart from anything else it would probably be a real education to most (?) baiters to actually set foot inside a WU office in the first place?? I know I've never been near one despite what my lads think.

Quote:

If we think they are not doing enough, and our research is thorough, then is nothing wrong with taking this information to the media

As it happens I have a good friend who's a very senior something with WU. If it turns out there is a gaping hole in WU's protocols regarding 419 warnings to customers and staff then he might be a very useful contact to get things fixed rather than risk an potentially acrimonious media expose.

Baiting Guru Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Posts: 3193

Personally, I would be against a massive media expose, or indeed a legal case. Either of those could be very damaging to the mom 'n' pop operations, and they are worth protecting. However I do think WU should be doing some degree of education, and if Jeannette's experience is at all wide-spread, something needs doing about it.

Posted: Thu Dec 21, 2006 12:30 am

I remember a recent post with the pic of an FBI information poster asking ten questions to find out if it could be a scam. That should do the trick.

Posted: Thu Dec 21, 2006 12:52 am

thud419 wrote:

Personally, I would be against a massive media expose .... ... could be very damaging to the mom 'n' pop operations

Not in the slightest.

Used correctly, the media can actually do some good. Maybe I wasn't clear enough, but massive media exposure wasn't what I suggested. Using the media to shame large corporation into making change is a sure fire, old fashion way of getting what you want. Wink

Master Baiter Joined: 04 Dec 2006 Posts: 138

Actually, there is a warning in your microwave oven's instruction book, because someone tried to dry his pet in a microwave and sued (More recently, an American mother was accused of killing her baby in a microwave).
I went to a Starbucks coffee recently. I had the worst coffee in my life, but while I was being poisoned, I noticed a warning saying that the coffee was very hot ( WTF, bad AND lukewarm would have been a bit too much) I think that this one is because someone wasn't able to handle a cup of coffee at a Mc Donald's, burnt herself, sued and got one million dollars.

In a country where lawyers are kings, I don't think warning leaflets given to customers would be too much. The WU website to send money online warns people about 419 scams.

Baiting Guru Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Posts: 3193

^^^ case in point actually, nikora. The McDonald's thing sounds stupid until you hear that.

She was a customer at a drive-in, but was a passenger and the car was stationary at the time of the accident, which occurred as she tried to remove the lid from the cup.
The woman suffered 6%, 3rd degree burns to the thighs and groin, was hospitalized for eight days and had skin grafts.
The coffee was so hot it could not be drunk. McDonald's knew that drinking it would cause burns to the mouth and that it was 45 degrees hotter than would constitute a burn hazard. (50 degrees hotter than home-made.)
It was firm company policy that it be that temperature, in the face of research they had done which proved there was no need. Their defense was that their customers liked it that hot.
They had received 700 claims for compensation in the previous ten years, some of them very similar to the case in question.

source

Posted: Thu Dec 21, 2006 10:38 am

Along earlier discussion, I know that there is a genius out there that can explain.
If I use a banking tool i.e a cheque (lets say an overdrawn legit one not a fake one) and it does not work then why should I be penalised. It is a system the banks provide and encourage yet punish the end user when it fails to deliver!

Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 10:02 pm

kleindoofy wrote:

We shouldn't forget that the overwhelming majority of money transfers to Nigeria and other West African countries is perfectly legitimate.

So then there is no reason for WU to NOT put up signs warning people about 419 fraud. It won't affect the overwhelming majority of their profits.

Quote:

Is Yahoo also an accessory for letting the lads have email addies? Etc, etc, ...

Yes, if people report fraud and Yahoo doesn't take any action, then yes, they are held liable.

WU knows that there is a lot of fraud, but turns a blind eye to it. There's too many websites on the internet about 419 fraud for a COMPANY to NOT know about it. When a victim doesn't know about 419, and they're notified about it, and THEY STILL GO AHEAD, we call them foolish and stupid. When a company (who makes money from doing this) doesn't know and does the same thing....are they stupid and foolish or are they just accessories?

Posted: Mon Jan 15, 2007 3:24 am

I find this whole discussion very interesting. Many views on what could be done, and what should be done. But I always over simplify things. Instead of considering large corporations responsible for educating the general public, and be responsible for protecting the average consumer, I believe the best way to handle the 419 fraud is simply through education. Consider what happens when you tell two people, then each of those tell two people, etc etc.....The problem lies in that some people want to believe that there is a brass ring out there that they can grab. I honestly believe some "victims" of these scams know deep down that it is too good to be true, but are just gullible enough to try it. We can discuss this topic forever, but nothing will help more than educating people about this. That would seem to be a tall order. Just in the last 2 or 3 months, I have seen several news stories on my local television stations concerning these scams. No matter what we do, it would seem these scams are going to continue. I tell everyone who will listen to me about the scams, and feel that I really have educated several people. The best we all can do is keep getting the word out, and continue baiting these "people" and using their time and resources. Just my 2 cents worth......

Posted: Mon Jan 15, 2007 4:15 am

Then there's the whole GOOD WILL issue.

If WU, et. al, were to put up signs warning people about this, they could take advantage of this by advertising how much they care about their customers. They would get MORE business, as their perceived reputation goes up.

Why do you think many of these companies sponsor things like charities, parades, etc. They get no money out of it. But they get a lot of GOOD WILL which usually translates into higher sales. People get "warm fuzzies" about a company and that translates into buying more of their product.

Posted: Mon Jan 15, 2007 7:44 pm

BobCat wrote:

... They would get MORE business ...

Why don't you write them a letter and tell them that? I'm sure they'd be very grateful.

Posted: Mon Jan 15, 2007 11:30 pm

mod edit: unnecessary full quote of previous post removed (Don)

My one letter would be put into the electronic round file.

Now if lots of people did this....

*hint* *hint*

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