Crime & Safety
Letter to the Editor: A Student's Response to Recent Frightening Phone Scams
Recently, at least two Fairfax City victims received calls claiming that their loved ones were being held hostage in exchange for payment.
Phone scams have become a common way to extort money. As seen in recent events, phone scams have been taken to a new level.
Fairfax locals were told their loved ones had been in a car accident and were being held hostage for a ransom. Similar incidents occurred in Minneapolis, MN in November.
These extortionists find safety in anonymity and physical distance. Despite the negative connotations of criminals, many hold the same conventional values as law-abiding citizens. While extortionists threaten violence, they do not usually want to be violent; they just want the money.
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It may not be comfortable to relate to criminals, but they employ a very rational thought process, weighing costs against benefits. Phone scam artists view their chances of being caught as very low due to untraceable prepaid phones and wire transfers. Contrastingly, the benefits of inciting immediate fear include a timely payment.
This rationalization and level-headed thinking occurs every day. Law-abiding citizens weigh the cost of more expensive shampoo against the benefit of nicer quality products. Humanizing criminal thought processes will lead to a better understanding and a possibility for rehabilitation in the future.
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Jessica Zelenack is a Fairfax native currently in her senior year at Elon University in North Carolina.
Letters to the editor can be sent to jennifer.vanderkleut@patch.com or uploaded anytime to our Speak Out board.
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