The fear of scammers on social sites is making a lot of genuine people lose the right men and women online. One needs to be careful of greedy people but we also have to be cautious with the way we treat people we meet on the net cos some are genuine. Lets not forge that we can always plan to meet those we deal with online if we doubt them before sending huge sums of money to them. U have every right to doubt people but be careful so that u dont loose the genuine ones by the way u treat them. PEACE!

That's true. There are scammers every where online, but that doesn't mean all are scammers.

Common sense is a great defense

Thank goodness you stopped me before I gave my credit card number out. Because I was so about to.

Dag nab it ... and I was gonna friend you!

Never make a mistake by given ur credit card number to someone u have not met b4. That will be a big mistake. U may buy what he or she needs for him or her but please dont give ur credit card number out.

I was once almost homeless. I say almost because I still had my car, so technically... But anyway, I had foodstamps because I had a previous address (Kinda ironic how you can't get help in getting food you can't afford, unless you can afford an address, huh? Anyway...). Well, I'm walking down the street and this homeless guy walks up to me and starts whinning about how people judge him, blah, blah, blah. Anyway, he's not asking me for money, but hinting at it, so I tell I had foodstamps and offered to buy him some food. He disappeared instantly, and I never did see him again.

I still donate to Salvation Army, Goodwill, Vets, etc. Because those actually do good for the people that need and want help. I no longer help individuals, they can go to the mission, or any other place I donate to if they want any help from me.

The only money I spend online is in the stock market and on my own business. The internet is a place of business to make money, not for charity.

Oh wait, I forgot about the topic of this thread...

I have a question and wondering if you at one time had been scammed and/or had you at one time scammed someone else? Do you ever buy something for someone you did not know on-line?

Yeah. It kinda sucks that the Africans got a bad reputation for online scamming. I believe it just takes common sense to tell if they are "genuine" or not though. If they hint at needing money right away...I would say that there is a reeeaaallyy strong possibility that they are a scam.

Personally, I'm not worried about it, and I'm sorry, but if anyone is gullible enough to fall for it then that's their problem.

I see absolutely no need to buy anything for anyone who has enough resources to be on line. If someone needs help, gifts, or financial gestrures to feel like someone is interested in them that is a poor pick for a partner in my mind.

Yes it is unfair to discriminate against people just because they might be from a country that is more well known for on line scams because unfortuneately there are scammers from virtually every place there are computer services.

But if you live in that situation, that kind of neighborhood or marginally fit in the stereotypes associated with scamming then you have to make an extra effort to be completely honest, independent, transparent, and reaasureing. It is hard not to think someone who is constantly squacking about poverty, or hinting for assistance, and so on and not have people think you are a duck.

I haven' paid money to anyone online or being scammed before just that a friend was scammed so she is scared of online dealings. I am only encouraging people to be very careful in dealing with people cos there is still genuine people. I know a woman from UK who visited her online friend in ghana surprisingly after she sent him some money. U can also use a different plan to see the one u are dealing with online. PEACE!

I have not been scammed before and i have not bought anything online b4. Am just cautioning people so that they know how to get genuine people online.

I'm with Yellow.. on this one. Unwrap that common sense and put it to good use.

Libraries and other places have computer labs that are free to use for the public. Just because someone is online, doesn't mean they are paying for it, or can afford to be online. Most places of employment now require you to apply online.

Just saying.

U are right, people get free access to the net all the time. U may help if u are convinced that the person is genuine.

U are right, people get free access to the net all the time. U may help if u are convinced that the person is genuine.

The internet is not the place for charity though.

It is debatable but i also know that people contact people online and get donations for charity. In most cases those who want to give huge sums trace the background of those who requested for the help before donating.