An Accident During A Honeymoon

A Scam Threatening A Family Unit

Timothy Killilea
Aug 22, 2017 · 4 min read

I was enjoying a coffee at a local joint with my wife. Her hat was the topic of a conversation struck up with a local sports fan, as caffeine tends to make people a little more friendly. Our companion in this conversation was a gentleman with a Rod Stewart-esque haircut, and a severe knowledge on the Art of Football Coaching, his wife was less participant but more presence. (For the purposes of this article, I have named him Kinda Rod Stewart.)

Our conversation traveled to a set of coffee joint tables, and meandered to the topic of Football Coaching. What a great opportunity it is to learn something from someone who is passionate about the topic!

One of the finer points of the conversation were on the foot mechanics of a trained quarterback. With each foot step after the ball is handed off to the quarterback, they are supposed to go through a mental checklist of what to notice, where to throw, and when to throw. The trained quarterback makes each footstep a part of the checklist. Muscle memory, indeed.

Our conversation veered into the regional coaching differences between the Northeast and Texas, when, suddenly, Kinda Rod Stewarts’ wife had a concerned look on her face. She had just gotten a call that a relative of hers was in an accident on a honeymoon, that the relative needed money.

The four of us stopped, and put on our metaphorical analytical thinking hats.

Going through a battery of questions to answer before the next move was made, we shared a moment of clarity about the situation.

  1. Was the relative on the honeymoon? What did the voice sound like? What information did they give out?

The next step Kinda Rod Stewarts’ wife took was to confirm the possibility of other relatives being called for information or money. This was confirmed. Other family members were called regarding the relative’s accident during their honeymoon. However, one family member had confirmed that they had spoken to the one on the honeymoon, they were alright, and the details of the ‘accident’ did not fit any known facts.

Forgetting about why Texas makes good quarterbacks compared the Northeast, the couple went into scammer triage mode: look for signs of bleeding (a family member tricked into giving money) and attempt to stop the worst from happening. Family members were called, the most persuadable identified and communicated with first.

Apparently, the mention of a honeymoon was put on a social media platform earlier on in the week. With the right phone number list, a scammer was able to use it as an opportunity to create a dire situation and potentially scam a concerned family member of money. The idea was to have a family member send money through the phone call to whatever place the scammer would direct them too.

Our conversation continued, more focused on the lessons learned from this abrupt event, and spawned some further reflection about how to provide support to relatives in the event of an actual emergency instead of a scam.

  1. Use Critical Thinking: When presented with an emergency, airplane pilots are trained to take a moment to consider the options. Getting a call about a loved one in danger will immediately create an emotional response, which could result in a reaction that might not be well thought out. Take a moment to consider the possibility of the event, try to get specific details, and use a different means of contact to confirm with other relatives or friends regarding the emergency call.
  2. Keep Up To Date On The Strategies Scammers Employ: Don’t Be Just A Little Misunderstood. Many law enforcement authorities will post warnings on the strategies scammers employ to try and get you to give them money. There are many bloggers who make it their job to inform you on what are the current trends that. AARP has a Consumer Protection division that can help keep you abreast of the most recent scams.
  3. What Does Your Family’s Communication Web Look Like? Does your family have a Comms Officer? Is there someone who is the glue in the family and speaks to everyone frequently? A family should retain something like a “Communications Officer,” someone who can be the point person for setting up a communications network between family to address emergent issues. Or, build a list of people to call in the event of an emergency or scam. This is the kind of training that can help you make a critically thought decision instead of rushing in to save the day. Your network should include the most vulnerable and frequently targeted, the elderly and the young. A resilient network will utilize smartphone apps as well as phone numbers, social media, and even snail mail. There are advantages to all of them in terms of privacy channels, and verifying sensitive information.

Above all, it is about getting the right information, and not giving out some depending on the circumstances. This helps to make smart decisions. Increase efforts on developing multiple means of communication, practice their use and share with each other.

And if you are drinking coffee or something else with lots of caffeine, take another moment, because caffeine makes people super alert and excitable.

Luckily, when I was talking with Kinda Rod Stewart, they both seemed calm and rational, a great attitude to have when watching out for each other.

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