Having worked with various non-profits & religious organizations for many years, I can attest to both sides of this issue: organizations being questioned & individuals asking for help who do not need it. There is a fine line in all of this. The main one: give to reputable non-profit groups and *steer* individuals towards these groups when in need. Peace.
steaprok
· 1 year ago
This is so damn sad! People hustling others on social media for a couple of dollars. I actually saw her postings on Plurk/Twitter and even considered giving some $. What bothers me the most about this ,is how she is destroying peoples trust and want to help ,with her petty lies.
I have also seen both sides of this coin,as my wife has been working tirelessly on the Internet for the last year, trying to gain attention for her missing friend, a 24 year old mother who has been ignored by police. People like this make it much harder for others who might want to be help, they they kindle the flame of cynicism in everyone. How stupid to think that they can pull the wool over 1000's of savvy Internet users eyes.
Connie Reece
· 1 year ago
Thank you for this post (and thanks, Tamar, for hosting it). I filed a fraud claim with the FTC about this and also sent it to the local police department where Calandrello lives. Spammers and scammers are hoping we'll stay quiet out of fear or embarrassment. But speaking out is the only way to combat their abuses.
veronicaromm
· 1 year ago
I am so glad you wrote this. On Plurk I came into the Lillyann situation first with shock and sadness and then with practical questions. There was mention of a rare blood type and I inquired further but got vague answers. I left the thread feeling something was off. My curiousity brought me back on the following day and the rumblings of suspicion had started. There was one outspoken person you did the necessary questioning and the onslaught of disbelief was amazing. By day 3.5 there were some angry people feeling pretty much screwed.
When I joined SU there was a time in my bio that it clearly said I do not donate nor sign petitions as I saw some of the things that were happening. I took it down because I felt like it made me sound callous and b/c it had been up there for some time.
This is sad b/c it can and does effect people if they learn that they played into a ploy. Kind people tend to do kind things and that is precious and should not be fooled with. So take the instruction in this article and think before you act on something that you are not sure of. Let some time pass and come backto see what is happening. Follow your gut, it tends to be pretty effective even with technology changing the way we communicate. I did, and unfortunately I was correct, which did not make me feel any better btw. It's hard not to want to trust people, yet its important to use all the tools you have to access a situation. Thanks, Veronica
Tomboys
· 1 year ago
Excellent article. I'm really impressed with Kelly's determination in regards to this. I think most people who are honest expect that everyone else in the world operates from that same position of honesty. That's how we get screwed over.
dangrsmind
· 1 year ago
Nice summary of the plurk events and the Kaycee Nicole story.
KatFrench
· 1 year ago
Ick. Any you find out, whether online or in real life, that something or someone you believed was real wasn't, it's incredibly disturbing and disorienting.
Wasn't involved in the Plurk situation, but similar situations in the past have taught me to listen to my own inner radar. And you're absolutely right--it sucks to be "that person" who has to call a spade a spade and look out for the best interests of the community. It doesn't help that it seems like people who perpetrate these kinds of scams are almost invariably really charismatic people.
A sad, but necessary and informative post.
JustJen
· 1 year ago
Applause
dotlizard
· 1 year ago
@KatFrench true it is difficult to be "that person", but in the end it's very helpful and in fact necessary for someone to step forward. In the time that everyone sits and waits for someone else to say something, more harm gets done.
You hit the nail on the head with the "charismatic" - that is the hallmark of a good scammer, and probably even a really good warning sign. The old adage saying, if it's too good to be true it probably isn't, applies.
skateboard1
· 1 year ago
Great job Karen! I'm so proud of the amount of time you put into researching this, that I don't even mind cleaning up the pizza cartons and beer bottles you left in it's wake.
dotlizard
· 1 year ago
oh, and if all this wasn't bad enough, guess what? an old friend of mine who is in a managerial role in a large health care corp tells me: "NOBODY needs money for dialysis, or any related renal therapy or complications in this country. The federal government has been paying 100% since 1972 for anyone who needs it - no other insurance or financial criteria required."
this isn't something that's widely advertised, you pretty much have to either be in health care management or be a kidney patient to be familiar with this bit of info.
but it does make LillyBarb's deception that much uglier, doesn't it?
Temple Stark
· 1 year ago
I missed most of the tempest of @lillyann so wasn't caught and drawn in, so not motivated to get involved. But glad you were, glad you took it cautiously and really glad you wrote this.
- temple
Jennifer Baxt, NCC, DCC
· 1 year ago
Hello: Not sure what disturbs me more, the fact that there are people out there so willing to believe or so willing to decieve. I am a marrige and family therapist with a doctorate degree and have my own online counseling website. I here time and time again how hard it is to find a good online therapist and how do you trust someone that they are who they are. Well, this post clearly makes you question who to trust.
I have been decieved by clients and how they pay me. My only answer to that is that they have there own conscience to deal with and I guess all of these other people do too.
You're so awesome, dotlizard! I'm amazed at the work you've done . . .
Tamar Weinberg
· 1 year ago
She really is, Calinazaret. I'm honored to have this post on my blog.
Simone
· 1 year ago
I think you mean "Randall" van der Woning, not Russell.
dotlizard
· 1 year ago
my deepest apologies. i wrote, researched (and proofed) most of this well past the time any sane woman would have gone to bed, and i was definitely woozy.
that's no excuse of course. i should not have made that error.
Tamar Weinberg
· 1 year ago
Fixed!
dotlizard
· 1 year ago
thanks :) that was deeply embarrassing.
Amber Naslund
· 1 year ago
What a beautifully written summary of some very ugly events. My silver lining continues to be that so many people showed that they were generous, giving, and kind, and would go out of their way to help someone they hardly knew. I'm going to try and keep my glass half full in hopes that someday, that good will be used to help someone who really needs it.
NotAMeanGirl
· 1 year ago
Kudos DotLizard. Thanks for all your hard work in uncovering the scam many of us were caught up in. :)
shearyadi
· 1 year ago
My God...someone is using us :( Thank God, I haven't send any donation just spreading the news at stumbleupon.
dotlizard
· 1 year ago
thanks to everyone for your kind words. i just want to emphasize that i hope that this knowledge doesn't create an atmosphere in which people decide against helping - just that we all agree to ask the right questions before we give, and not be shy and wait for someone else to ask.
in this case it took extensive research by a good number of people (who contributed in threads on Plurk and on my research blog posts), to uncover the truth. it isn't easy, but it is worth the effort.
not everyone who has emergency needs is able to receive help from an organized charity, so there is still need for grass-roots community support. i just hope that people consider carefully all the factors before they commit themselves, either emotionally or financially.
and thank you, Tamar, for giving me a platform to reach more people in the social media sphere than i could have on my own.
QualityGal
· 1 year ago
I've witnessed this sort of thing on a much smaller scale in an online game community I've been a part of for over 5 years. For reasons we can't even begin to fathom, people decided to play on our sympathies and claim to have fatal diseases or debilitating accidents. We had to actually make a rule that we would not take up collections or send gifts to people because we'd been made fools that way before. While I was never able to afford to send financial support, I felt really hurt that I'd invested a lot emotionally... the first time.
Now I'm always suspicious of a sob story. I hate being that way, but I am. If a teenager in the community claims his mother died, and his father is already gone, I ask him where her funeral is being held so that we can send a card and flowers. It's a non-accusatory way we can get "proof" that we're not being scammed.
dotlizard
· 1 year ago
that's actually a really excellent way to expose a lie, in fact in the LillyBarb case, someone offering to send flowers was a catalyst for the discussion that led to us discovering the deception. i think it also played a major role in the outing of Kaycee Nicole, but my memory may be hazy on that and there is a lot of the original story that's been completely erased from the internet.
it is a very polite way to make sure there's something really going on, and not another sob story.
Tamar Weinberg
· 1 year ago
Just a small and related observation:
Last week, after learning the details of this scandal, I asked DaveJazzHound, who I noticed was hounding (no pun intended) people's profiles about helping Lilly via StumbleUpon, if he knew about the truth to her ailments.
Dave said, and I quote:
"Greetings Tamar, Yes, I know her personally. No, the Lupus disease of which she suffers from is not a scam. It is very real and usually fatal. You can read all about her long battle with this disease from her blog here on SU and the links I have supplied. Feel free to contact me if have any more questions. Sincerely, Dave"
So I followed up with him, because yes, I did have more questions. I asked him if he's absolutely sure of her illness and if he can give me proof that LillyAnn is in the hospital. I also linked him to the Plurk discussion where the truth was unfolding.
That was on July 15th.
I received no response and made sure that I published this blog post, thanks to Kelly.
Silence often speaks louder than words. In this case, I think Dave proved that this is nothing but a scam, and I feel sorry for all those people who fell for it. I also feel sorry for Dave, LillyBarb, and anyone else who thinks it's appropriate to manipulate the minds and take advantage of trust within such close knit communities. I hope this serves as a lesson for everyone, though it may be a rather rude awakening for some.
dotlizard
· 1 year ago
i have just finished typing a lengthy message to a kind soul on StumbleUpon who has taken it upon herself to speak up for LillyBarb. She has contacted Dave, and she has been copying his correspondence into messages to me, in which she is basically advocating for giving money to LillyBarb, because lots of people are uninsured, and she has real needs, etc etc. her tone in contacting Dave has caused him to open up in the most sorrowful terms, lamenting the 'feeding frenzy' on Plurk and why would these people attack poor LillyBarb?
this kind Stumbler has likened this situation to giving a few dollars to a homeless man on the street, even though he might drink with the money, she does not judge. i wrote back in no uncertain terms that i often give money to panhandlers but i refuse to hand over my money, earned honestly, to someone who has been stealing the content of others for financial gain for years, and using it to represent her skills as a counselor. Not to mention posting articles on Squidoo, and receiving direct compensation for *stolen* essays. this is not a poor, pathetic soul crying out for help and a bottle of Thunderbird, this is a sophisticated scammer who got caught short.
at this point the medical needs are a moot point to me. i'm sure the criminals of this world would all like it very much if honest, hard-working people were to take up the cause of helping them in their time of need, no questions asked. i fail to see any virtue in that sort of giving.
Tamar Weinberg
· 1 year ago
I am in complete agreement with you, Kelly. Please do send this blog URL to the "kind soul on StumbleUpon" so she knows what we think of her plight.
dotlizard
· 1 year ago
correction: the aforementioned kind soul on Stumble has clarified that she is not trying to advocate for giving money, which i inferred from her previous message. i just wanted to make that clear, i would never want to misrepresent someone's intentions.
i'm beginning to think that a concerted effort needs to be done to notify the copyright holders of the stolen content. i know a few people have sent a few emails here or there, but the very fact that LillyBarb's close associate is quietly reaching out to people he perceives as sympathetic to his cause tells me that this unrepentant fraud is going to continue until someone makes it stop.
the fact she's not made the effort to take down any of the stolen content suggests she has no intention to change the way she makes money. am i just being reactionary and fussy right now?
Tamar Weinberg
· 1 year ago
No, you're being perfectly rational. Copyright theft is copyright theft, whether it happens before or after a scandal is unraveled.
I'd also talk to the people where the content is located and have the content (specifically those that are making her a profit) removed.
Either way, it certainly is a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Agreement (DMCA) and if the rightful owners of the content come up, she can be held legally accountable in a court of law.
dotlizard
· 1 year ago
i think some of the folks who helped uncover this have made a few preliminary contacts, but nothing organized. and to my knowledge, nothing's been taken down yet. (sigh)
Tamar Weinberg
· 1 year ago
It takes time. I don't expect it to happen overnight -- you may have to deal with some back and forth communication, etc.
Beamer
· 1 year ago
"in this case it took extensive research by a good number of people (who contributed in threads on Plurk and on my research blog posts), to uncover the truth. it isnt easy, but it is worth the effort."
I'm tired, so I hope this comes across the way I mean for it to: The above quote, the amount of energy and time and human thought and thinking that goes into such an endeavor, both the "good" side and the "evil" side, just staggers me.
I don't find it much different in the fact that someone spends countless hours becoming a great software wiz only to create a virus that will wipe out countless hours and gigabytes of much needed data from hapless victims.
I mean, we are in the year 2008. Did our parents or grandparents live their lives having to worry about such crap? (Viruses and scams) I don't think so. We are making progress here right, on this great invention of Man called the Internet?
We are creating a better environment for our children, right? Or are they going to have to be even more consumed with keeping a wary eye out for the works of their fellow human being?
I really sometimes wonder about the deep thinking processes of some of my fellow human beings, Scary stuff at times. And you don't even have to pay admission to a horror movie.
Beamer
dotlizard
· 1 year ago
(sigh) oh, Beamer, i'm sorry the world has got so complex. used to be, if a con artist wanted your money he had to be right there, up close and personal. this doesn't mean our ancestors had less to be wary of, they just had different things.
see back in the day, it was the archetypical "snake oil salesman" who roamed the wild west selling magical potions and elixirs off the back of his buckboard -- the townspeople were still taken in, but it took a LOT more effort. perhaps i shouldn't have implied that doing due diligence on LillyBarb was such hard work, when you consider the trials and tribulations endured by the con men and the sheriffs who would run them out of town, back in those good old days. that was hot sweaty work for all involved, and all we did was sit at our computers and click things.
but, the fact is, technology does make it easier -- it doesn't require taking your show on the road in order to find fresh, unsuspecting victims. maybe because we can just sit at our computers, we're lowering the threshold, and more people will cross it and become scammers? possibly.
when you contrast this with the benefits: the availability of information, the connections, the amazing friendships that are made possible by the technology of the new millennium, i'd say it's totally worth it.
just be as careful as you would if someone sidled up to you on a bus bench and said, 'hey look i won this lotto ticket but i'm not a citizen. i'll sell it to you for half the winnings, and you can go cash it in!'. you know? be careful out there. we've always had to be careful out there. we just have to adapt, grow, and evolve in the ways we take care.
Internet Marketing Joy
· 1 year ago
I guess we can never really rule out this one especially that we are not really meeting the person face to face...that's why we have to be extra careful before we trust persons we just met online.
Ramts
· 1 year ago
I am too one of the SU persons who reviewd the LillyAnns doughters plight page. I saw the review of it in some of the friends blog, and requested even my other friends to contribute to her. I feel very sory for it now.
opergal
· 1 year ago
@Beamer - but that type of scam has gone on for at least 100 years - I have old copies of Delineator magazine where there are similar "sob story-mail 10 cents to help" type adverts in the back.
Around here, we see an amazing proliferation of very high-quality posters of sad-looking children. Supposedly local, with please "visit XYZ site and donate so Tommy/Janie/Susie can see another birthday".
And I always wonder - if you are SO hard up for $$, who paid for the fancy 11x14 glossy posters, and the hosting, and the web dev? Prove to me it all was donated, and then we can talk.
I hate having to be that cynical.
Beamer
· 1 year ago
@ Opergal - Allright, I will Give you the very real possibility of the scam artists plying their F'ed up trade for a very long time, but you have to give me the fact that the Virus is a trend that would have never seen the light of day if it hadn't been for the Lovely Internet.
I know quite a few College students with semester long reports with proper footnotes and references duly noted that didn't help them one bit, due to the fact that they were totally screwed by some damn virus.
Still, that doesn't give some one in this day and age the right to play on our fears STILL. When, or do we ever, evolve past screwing royally our fellow man?
Beamer
Steven Bradley
· 1 year ago
Thanks for this post. I saw the messages pass by on Plurk and my initial reaction was to want to help. I replurked things a couple of times and had thought of donating, but the more I started thinking about it the more things didn't add up.
I kept wondering why a personal growth expert seemed to fall apart emotionally in every message and I also knew no medical treatment would be denied. The worst case was someone would be saddled by bills after, but it was clear no one needed my money in order to have life saving surgery.
I stopped replurking and deciding against contributing any money and figured I'd wait to see what came of things. If it had turned out to be true the money would be needed down the line anyway and not right away.
After a few days and no more mentions I kind of assumed the whole thing was a scam. I'm glad to see this post shedding more light on the situation.
We all know scams like this exist and will continue to exist, but it's still sad to see people preying on the sympathies of others to make a few bucks.
caile-girl
· 1 year ago
Thanks so much for the in-depth article and the advice to wait until one has evidence either to support or negate someone's claims online. I usually follow my gut (it's there for a reason, I think) and I almost instantly reacted against the Lilly issue, and she was one of my "mutuals" on SU. As much as I'd have loved to help had I felt she was truly in need, there was just too much that was immediately and obviously strange about the whole thing.
I get upset, however, when people abuse others' compassion and trust, so that truly honest, sincere and needy people may end up paying the price in the future.
Thanks again for such a great article.
Cheers, caile~
Liz
· 1 year ago
From an outsider's point of view, an interesting blog post about Internet deception...I didn't know about the Kaycee Nicole incident.
I am a little confused by the fact that some people call this woman LilyAnn and others LilyBarb....is this the same person?
dotlizard
· 1 year ago
she called herself LillyAnn but a little digging by a helpful commenter on my original research blog post revealed that she was not, in fact, a 44 year old woman named LillyAnn, but a 51 year old woman named Barbara. LillyAnn would be a nickname/alias/whatever.
my usage of LillyBarb was entirely snarky.
Karen Swim
· 1 year ago
Thank you so much for this post. This breaks my heart but I am also wiser for reading. Is this the same woman who was kicked off HARO for nasty behavior? Her name sounds familiar but maybe that's just from Plurk or Twitter. Since I would never lie about who I am or my needs this kind of stuff always surprises me.
Tamar Weinberg
· 1 year ago
I'm not 100% sure if she was involved in HARO (maybe Kelly knows?), but I'm hearing as of today from Connie Reece that she's back.
I suppose unsuspecting individuals should prepare to get scammed.
antuan
· 1 year ago
Check out the trust index of the social networks and media at www.trust-index.com
You can add any item you want to be rated by people all over the world. Express your trust, and check out what others think about.
Marianne
· 9 months ago
I went to Homewood Flossmoor HIgh School with Barb Olson, aka Barbara Calendrello aka Lilly Calendrello. She turned 45 in December and graduated in 1982. . .
Casey
· 4 months ago
I've personally know Barb Calandrello for many years and just came across her facebook and her myspace and her websites and can't believe that this isn't considered fraud altogether. But in reviewing her facebook page, all her personal info is valid. Her children's names, ages, hometowns are valid as well but 3 of the four children are from her first marriage so their last name is different. The photo is a fake, of course as are her credentials but is this something the feds need to look into? Did Gabrielle set up the scam herself or did her mother? Unfortunately, her children have had a diffucult upbringing and none of them have not been part of a sound family unit. Their living conditions are far below what Lilly would have everyone think. So all of her followers are being duped except for the fact that she definitely has a talent for marketing to those that are in emotional distress. It is a widespread business that is collecting millions of dollars and not just by Barb/Lilly.
dotlizard
· 4 months ago
Offhand, I'd say this is the single best bit of information we've gotten in this whole mess. I'm sure that it is fraud, but it is extremely difficult to get a fraud prosecution started on something like this, where the evidence is scattered across the internet and many of the victims may not even realize they were victimized - such is the nature of crimes that take advantage of the emotionally fragile.
I'd say that Gabrielle and LillyBarb were involved, unless Gabrielle set up all her mom's profiles and handled them up until the time things switched to the "I'm logging in as my mom and she needs help" etc. Seems likely that it's turned into a family business at this point.
I think the most challenging aspect of trying to prosecute such crimes would be the majority of victims not wanting to identify as victims, since in doing so they forfeit any illusion of benefit they may have gotten from the situation - and illusory benefits are important to the emotionally distressed.
Your direct personal knowledge would be a great help towards putting together a case that would have the possibility of being prosecuted.
All Comments
I have also seen both sides of this coin,as my wife has been working tirelessly on the Internet for the last year, trying to gain attention for her missing friend, a 24 year old mother who has been ignored by police. People like this make it much harder for others who might want to be help, they they kindle the flame of cynicism in everyone. How stupid to think that they can pull the wool over 1000's of savvy Internet users eyes.
When I joined SU there was a time in my bio that it clearly said I do not donate nor sign petitions as I saw some of the things that were happening. I took it down because I felt like it made me sound callous and b/c it had been up there for some time.
This is sad b/c it can and does effect people if they learn that they played into a ploy. Kind people tend to do kind things and that is precious and should not be fooled with. So take the instruction in this article and think before you act on something that you are not sure of. Let some time pass and come backto see what is happening. Follow your gut, it tends to be pretty effective even with technology changing the way we communicate. I did, and unfortunately I was correct, which did not make me feel any better btw. It's hard not to want to trust people, yet its important to use all the tools you have to access a situation. Thanks, Veronica
Wasn't involved in the Plurk situation, but similar situations in the past have taught me to listen to my own inner radar. And you're absolutely right--it sucks to be "that person" who has to call a spade a spade and look out for the best interests of the community. It doesn't help that it seems like people who perpetrate these kinds of scams are almost invariably really charismatic people.
A sad, but necessary and informative post.
You hit the nail on the head with the "charismatic" - that is the hallmark of a good scammer, and probably even a really good warning sign. The old adage saying, if it's too good to be true it probably isn't, applies.
this isn't something that's widely advertised, you pretty much have to either be in health care management or be a kidney patient to be familiar with this bit of info.
but it does make LillyBarb's deception that much uglier, doesn't it?
- temple
Not sure what disturbs me more, the fact that there are people out there so willing to believe or so willing to decieve. I am a marrige and family therapist with a doctorate degree and have my own online counseling website. I here time and time again how hard it is to find a good online therapist and how do you trust someone that they are who they are. Well, this post clearly makes you question who to trust.
I have been decieved by clients and how they pay me. My only answer to that is that they have there own conscience to deal with and I guess all of these other people do too.
Jennifer Baxt, NCC, DCC
jennifer@completecounselingsolutions.com
http://www.completecounselingsolutions.com
that's no excuse of course. i should not have made that error.
in this case it took extensive research by a good number of people (who contributed in threads on Plurk and on my research blog posts), to uncover the truth. it isn't easy, but it is worth the effort.
not everyone who has emergency needs is able to receive help from an organized charity, so there is still need for grass-roots community support. i just hope that people consider carefully all the factors before they commit themselves, either emotionally or financially.
and thank you, Tamar, for giving me a platform to reach more people in the social media sphere than i could have on my own.
Now I'm always suspicious of a sob story. I hate being that way, but I am. If a teenager in the community claims his mother died, and his father is already gone, I ask him where her funeral is being held so that we can send a card and flowers. It's a non-accusatory way we can get "proof" that we're not being scammed.
it is a very polite way to make sure there's something really going on, and not another sob story.
Last week, after learning the details of this scandal, I asked DaveJazzHound, who I noticed was hounding (no pun intended) people's profiles about helping Lilly via StumbleUpon, if he knew about the truth to her ailments.
Dave said, and I quote:
"Greetings Tamar,
Yes, I know her personally. No, the Lupus disease of which she suffers from is not a scam. It is very real and usually fatal. You can read all about her long battle with this disease from her blog here on SU and the links I have supplied. Feel free to contact me if have any more questions.
Sincerely,
Dave"
So I followed up with him, because yes, I did have more questions. I asked him if he's absolutely sure of her illness and if he can give me proof that LillyAnn is in the hospital. I also linked him to the Plurk discussion where the truth was unfolding.
That was on July 15th.
I received no response and made sure that I published this blog post, thanks to Kelly.
Silence often speaks louder than words. In this case, I think Dave proved that this is nothing but a scam, and I feel sorry for all those people who fell for it. I also feel sorry for Dave, LillyBarb, and anyone else who thinks it's appropriate to manipulate the minds and take advantage of trust within such close knit communities. I hope this serves as a lesson for everyone, though it may be a rather rude awakening for some.
this kind Stumbler has likened this situation to giving a few dollars to a homeless man on the street, even though he might drink with the money, she does not judge. i wrote back in no uncertain terms that i often give money to panhandlers but i refuse to hand over my money, earned honestly, to someone who has been stealing the content of others for financial gain for years, and using it to represent her skills as a counselor. Not to mention posting articles on Squidoo, and receiving direct compensation for *stolen* essays. this is not a poor, pathetic soul crying out for help and a bottle of Thunderbird, this is a sophisticated scammer who got caught short.
at this point the medical needs are a moot point to me. i'm sure the criminals of this world would all like it very much if honest, hard-working people were to take up the cause of helping them in their time of need, no questions asked. i fail to see any virtue in that sort of giving.
i'm beginning to think that a concerted effort needs to be done to notify the copyright holders of the stolen content. i know a few people have sent a few emails here or there, but the very fact that LillyBarb's close associate is quietly reaching out to people he perceives as sympathetic to his cause tells me that this unrepentant fraud is going to continue until someone makes it stop.
the fact she's not made the effort to take down any of the stolen content suggests she has no intention to change the way she makes money. am i just being reactionary and fussy right now?
I'd also talk to the people where the content is located and have the content (specifically those that are making her a profit) removed.
Either way, it certainly is a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Agreement (DMCA) and if the rightful owners of the content come up, she can be held legally accountable in a court of law.
I'm tired, so I hope this comes across the way I mean for it to: The above quote, the amount of energy and time and human thought and thinking that goes into such an endeavor, both the "good" side and the "evil" side, just staggers me.
I don't find it much different in the fact that someone spends countless hours becoming a great software wiz only to create a virus that will wipe out countless hours and gigabytes of much needed data from hapless victims.
I mean, we are in the year 2008. Did our parents or grandparents live their lives having to worry about such crap? (Viruses and scams) I don't think so. We are making progress here right, on this great invention of Man called the Internet?
We are creating a better environment for our children, right? Or are they going to have to be even more consumed with keeping a wary eye out for the works of their fellow human being?
I really sometimes wonder about the deep thinking processes of some of my fellow human beings, Scary stuff at times. And you don't even have to pay admission to a horror movie.
Beamer
see back in the day, it was the archetypical "snake oil salesman" who roamed the wild west selling magical potions and elixirs off the back of his buckboard -- the townspeople were still taken in, but it took a LOT more effort. perhaps i shouldn't have implied that doing due diligence on LillyBarb was such hard work, when you consider the trials and tribulations endured by the con men and the sheriffs who would run them out of town, back in those good old days. that was hot sweaty work for all involved, and all we did was sit at our computers and click things.
but, the fact is, technology does make it easier -- it doesn't require taking your show on the road in order to find fresh, unsuspecting victims. maybe because we can just sit at our computers, we're lowering the threshold, and more people will cross it and become scammers? possibly.
when you contrast this with the benefits: the availability of information, the connections, the amazing friendships that are made possible by the technology of the new millennium, i'd say it's totally worth it.
just be as careful as you would if someone sidled up to you on a bus bench and said, 'hey look i won this lotto ticket but i'm not a citizen. i'll sell it to you for half the winnings, and you can go cash it in!'. you know? be careful out there. we've always had to be careful out there. we just have to adapt, grow, and evolve in the ways we take care.
Around here, we see an amazing proliferation of very high-quality posters of sad-looking children. Supposedly local, with please "visit XYZ site and donate so Tommy/Janie/Susie can see another birthday".
And I always wonder - if you are SO hard up for $$, who paid for the fancy 11x14 glossy posters, and the hosting, and the web dev? Prove to me it all was donated, and then we can talk.
I hate having to be that cynical.
I know quite a few College students with semester long reports with proper footnotes and references duly noted that didn't help them one bit, due to the fact that they were totally screwed by some damn virus.
Still, that doesn't give some one in this day and age the right to play on our fears STILL. When, or do we ever, evolve past screwing royally our fellow man?
Beamer
I kept wondering why a personal growth expert seemed to fall apart emotionally in every message and I also knew no medical treatment would be denied. The worst case was someone would be saddled by bills after, but it was clear no one needed my money in order to have life saving surgery.
I stopped replurking and deciding against contributing any money and figured I'd wait to see what came of things. If it had turned out to be true the money would be needed down the line anyway and not right away.
After a few days and no more mentions I kind of assumed the whole thing was a scam. I'm glad to see this post shedding more light on the situation.
We all know scams like this exist and will continue to exist, but it's still sad to see people preying on the sympathies of others to make a few bucks.
I get upset, however, when people abuse others' compassion and trust, so that truly honest, sincere and needy people may end up paying the price in the future.
Thanks again for such a great article.
Cheers,
caile~
I am a little confused by the fact that some people call this woman LilyAnn and others LilyBarb....is this the same person?
my usage of LillyBarb was entirely snarky.
I suppose unsuspecting individuals should prepare to get scammed.
Trust-index
You can add any item you want to be rated by people all over the world. Express your trust, and check out what others think about.
I'd say that Gabrielle and LillyBarb were involved, unless Gabrielle set up all her mom's profiles and handled them up until the time things switched to the "I'm logging in as my mom and she needs help" etc. Seems likely that it's turned into a family business at this point.
I think the most challenging aspect of trying to prosecute such crimes would be the majority of victims not wanting to identify as victims, since in doing so they forfeit any illusion of benefit they may have gotten from the situation - and illusory benefits are important to the emotionally distressed.
Your direct personal knowledge would be a great help towards putting together a case that would have the possibility of being prosecuted.