It seems about everyday I hear on the news of some elderly woman, man, or couple being fleeced by a flim-flam artist. Elderly people a lot of the time are easy targets for the con-man… they are sometimes gullible and many times sitting on their life savings.
I heard on the news the other day of a local government has found another way of fleecing the elderly. Yep, the Marietta Police will be fleecing the elderly, I have no doubt, unless things change.
Here is how and events leading up: A very high number of home security systems’ electronically notified the local law enforcement of something was wrong… security was broken.. and the law rushed out to the house calling only to find the family sitting down to dinner, or reading the paper, or watching TV – more times than not.
Marietta has decided that it is too expensive to send the cops to all these homes giving false alarms – or crying wolf. The authorities have decided to impose a fine on the homes that give false alarms… a stiff fine, up in the hundreds of dollars. I think I heard you are allowed 2 or 3 “Opps!”
Now, what group do you think are most paranoid about home invaders and let some fast talking salesman talk them into a complicated expensive alarm system? I would say the people over 70 or 75.
And which group do you think is mostly user unfriendly to user-friendly electronics? I think the same elderly group.
Now, the fleecing will begin. I wonder how long that is going to last before people realize it is the elderly being stripped of their savings?
6 comments:
Eddie, the city and county had to do that here, too, about 15 years ago. Seems nearly everyday an alarm went off accidentally here in our neighborhood - often when people weren't home - and there were no burglars. So the police had to say enough is enough. The security companies have had to make their systems better, so that they don't go off all the time by accident.
Judy,
Is that terrible? The most likely people to have those security things installed are the elderly and they are the ones likely to mess up with passwords, coding, and whatever. It is a Catch 22 situation.
"To protect and Serve"
Small print: offer only good 3 times per year, some usage fees may apply, local governments may refuse service to any customer, blah blah blah
Steve,
Life would be ok if it wasn't for the people in it messing everything up.
All they have to do is fine the Firms whose alarms go off. That would: A) motivate 'em to make better systems and train their "marks" more thorougly and 2) make 'em hesitate before sellin' willy-nilly to said "marks".
Sadness on the edge of town...
Michael,
I have no doubt that the things are as usual friendly as possible - but when it comes to digital electronic stuff the wise elderly become no-so-wise, on the most part - of course there are exceptions - take me for instance.
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