Letter of the Day | Lotto scammers are criminals
Published:Monday | April 1, 2024 | 12:06 AM
THE EDITOR, Madam:
The Gleaner dated March 30 published a letter to the editor headlined ‘Are people turning to scamming out of desperation’, written by Abigail Edwards. The writer wrote inter alia, “Further, the lack of viable alternatives and support may lead some down the path of scamming – a desperate measure born out of necessity.”
As one who regularly speaks on the radio talk shows relating to issues of crime, national security matters and the deadly lottery scamming crimes, I am morally compelled to respond to this letter. It is the engrained, all-pervasive and intrinsic get-rich-quick mentality which has directly caused the majority of persons to get involved in lottery scamming, which is prodigiously destroying this country in a plethora of negative and disgusting ways. Scammers are of the warped and preposterous opinion as well that lottery scamming is a way to extract and steal monies from United States’ citizens as reparation – a most ludicrous and despicable way to think.
The scandalous, disgraceful, and reprehensible mentality among the young population is to live above their means, and not being prepared to work hard to build an honest wealth from honest work. A Gleaner editorial wrote that Jamaica’s productivity rate has fallen over the past several decades spanning 40 years, which is correct. The mindset of the majority of the young people of this country is to scam innocent people, which is a national disgrace, damaging the overall reputation of Jamaica. I recently told Dervan Malcolm on his Power 106 FM talk show, ‘Both Sides of the Story’, that lottery scammers are lazy, unproductive and have an inherently corrupt, depraved and scandalous mentality, taking pleasure in scamming persons and are proud of it.
That is why it is imperative that the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s lottery scamming task force should restart by going into public schools and comprehensively inform the young students of the dangers with getting involved in lottery scamming. Commissioner Kevin Blake should ensure that.
Lottery scamming and cybercrimes are out of control, and substantial funding is required to enable the police and army to go after the lottery scammers, most of whom are operating with impunity across Montego Bay and western Jamaica.
Lottery scammers are savage criminals who are involved because of their criminal mindset, not because of a lack of job opportunities.
ROBERT DALLEY
Montego Bay, St James