by Cheryl, Gulf Coast Poet

Flimflam World

Homebuyers talking to a real estate agent. Photo by Anthony Shkraba on Pexels.

Diogenes carried a lamp through city streets in the daytime “looking for an honest man.”

“There’s a sucker born every minute!” P.T. Barnum

“I believe that people are basically good.” Anne Frank

“Trust but verify.” Old Russian Proverb

Flimflam World

The longer you live, the more crooks you will find

bound and determined to rob you blind!

They do so many things that just aren’t right.

which makes me wonder, how do they sleep at night,

these con artists, schemers, and scammers,

charlatans and flimflammers?

Call Center. Photo by Yan Krukov on Pexels.

The world is crawling with dirty dealers,

false advertisers, chiselers, and cheaters.

Swindlers make promises too good to be true.

Fly-by-night tradesmen are targeting you.

Annoying junk mail and phone soliciters

are high-pressure hucksters and time wasters.

Hacker. Photo by Sora Shimazaki on Pexels.

There’s no end in sight for white collar crime,

false advertisers, identity thieves online,

snake oil salesmen, online quacks,

weight loss gurus, and computer hackers.

Dressed for success are those insider traders,

predatory lenders, and pension fund raiders.

Photo of an incarcerated man by Rodnae from Pexels.

On social media, conspiracy theories confuse.

Questionable sources proclaim, “Fake news!”

Who can we trust to make criminals stop?

Not corrupt politicians or crooked cops!

With so many people who intend to deceive,

how can we ever know what to believe?

Photo by Laurenz Kleinheider on Unsplash.

My suggestion of the place to start:

Make sure you, yourself, are pure in heart!

Do an honest day’s work, treat others fairly,

and set an example of honor and integrity.

Don’t value leaders above ethical beliefs…

Charismatic leaders may be liars and thieves.

Don’t believe everything you read or hear!

Consider all opinions until the issues are clear.

Avoid anything that seems too good to be true.

“Trust, but verify!” is a motto to pursue.

Crooks are vastly outnumbered by honest folks.

Believe in yourself, and don’t give up hope!

Photo by Gabriel Chrismariu on Unsplash.

Copyright © 2021 by Cheryl Batavia

40 Comments

    1. David, I also have little for anyone to steal, but that doesn’t stop the calls and emails. I have blocked numbers, but they change numbers frequently. Turning 65 puts a target on you: prepaid burials and cremations, free lunches to sell you insurance or investment opportunities, hearing aids, miracle cures, politicians and charities, vacation packages…

      Where we live, there is no public water or sewer. When we moved here two years ago, the water treatment maintenance guy came and charged $400 for work he did not do! Robert went on YouTube and learned how to maintain the system himself, but won’t be able to do that forever.

      Thank you for asking about Robert. After all the dental work, his cataract surgery had to be postponed because of eye irritation. He has tried several medications but doesn’t tolerate them well. They use eye drops during and after the surgery that are problematic. It’s been an ordeal. His vision is declining rapidly and he can no longer drive.

      I hope all is well with you. ❤

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    1. Thank you, Joanna, for your kind comment. You are so right. I have gotten to the point where I don’t even try to be polite anymore, just hang up. Thank you for asking about Robert. His cataract surgery is still on hold. It is a challenging time, but we are hanging in there.

      Have a great week! ❤

      Like

      Reply

  7. I fully resonate with you, Cheryl. I think it’s relatable to all. Daily I also receive suspicious messages and mails. The best way is to ignore and don’t respond or open the given link, that’s nothing but a trap. Some mails try to blackmail you on flimsy grounds and demand money in Bitcoins. Actually this is their profession to get easy and quick money. All the best to you and Robert. 👍💐💖

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. Wow, KK! I have not yet had any Bitcoin solicitations, just ads. We have had some calls purporting to be the Internal Revenue Service and telling us the police were on their way if we didn’t pay several thousand dollars.

      Maybe some of these folks can find a better type of employment. There are many job openings here now. Naw! That’s too much to hope for!

      Thank you for your informative comment and good wishes! Have a great week! ❤

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    1. I second that opinion Cindy. Some calls are actually threatening. We have had callers saying they are from the IRS, and the police are on their way if we don’t pay the thousands of dollars we owe the IRS. (We don’t owe anything, of course.). Thank you for your thoughtful comment. ❤

      Don't take any wooden nicklels!" 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  14. Very nicely penned. We are inundated daily with these things I love your wise and true message. We ourselves need to be ethical, responsible and use our critical thinking skills to navigate this world. And, I agree there is alot of good among us too “Crooks are vastly outnumbered by honest folks”. ❤

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

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