Nothing new under the sun

Yes, we do have some new faces on staff now, and some internal confusion involving two employees named Brooke and two others named David. But no Kelly.

We were immediately put on the alert when the question pointed to $179.

There’s a “new” scam brazenly in operation now where some online company clips news articles from a hometown newspaper, this hometown paper, and mounts the story on a handsome wooden plaque. Besides displaying the good news, our newspaper’s flag is prominently displayed as if we’re offering the product. This outfit then further implies that the offer to buy comes from Gallatin Publishing Company in unsolicited email targeting likely prospects.

It’s an old trick. Scavengers preying on a person’s pride, leveraging something they didn’t produce to bilk the unsuspecting into spending an excessively high price.

The real damage, at least to us, is the lasting impression leveled against us. This friend, who wanted to speak to Kelly, was willing to overlook the high price assuming at least some of the benefit would go in support of the local hometown newspaper. Without explanation, we’re left shackled to the impression that all the other services we offer are just too high priced. And worse follows with this question: Why should I buy a subscription when I’ve already supported my local newspaper so handsomely?

We’ve endured similar schemes in times past. One outfit produced a rather large hardback book under the guise of “Who’s Who.” Rather than mount a newspaper clipping on a $20 plaque, the scam enticed the victim into buying a book (just how many books actually printed could be counted by the names listed inside) for slightly less than $200. The price included a news release the victim was to present to the local newspaper because, after all, what’s a “prestigious” award worth if nobody knows about it?

Then there was this outfit I recall hailing from Texas. Their rep would waltz into a small town of busy shop owners, convincing them that their 3-paragraph write-up would do wonders for building business. Only the “best” businesses were being approached, all assembled under one large banner in a special 2-page feature to be printed in the local newspaper.

The publisher also was seduced in this scheme, too. Whenever some guy you’ve never known comes in to purchase two full pages in next week’s newspaper without even dickering on the price, well, you know what they say about things that seem too good to be true. After publication the publisher would learn that each participating business spent many times over the price of everyday advertising rates — for a “canned” message of questionable value.

This breeds ill will. When some business owners later contemplated the bill, a few decided against ever advertising through the newspaper again — as if the local publisher was the one instigating and executing the scam!

So, yes, it wasn’t hard to explain what was going on a $179 plaque and why there was no Kelly. And yet, I felt floored as my friend walked out the door. Here it was again, another round of the same ol’ same ol’ but offered in a different way via email and an internet website — the copyright emblem to protect our work notwithstanding.

As she walked out the door, disgusted as much as I was, I stood there thinking, “Well, I’ll be … scammed.”

Solomon was so wise when he wrote, “Nothing’s new under the sun” as recorded in scripture. He probably had a few cheats and swindlers in mind. Technology may seem to make some things new, but in many respects, technology just means more and convenient ways to counterfeit and abuse.

Scams are a dime a dozen. No, nowadays make that $179. Apiece.