Damn It is Expensive to be Stupid

You see, I really wanted to go.  Really badly, I wanted to go to the WTA&M Writer’s Academy. Waiting for my second book to be published, I had hoped that it might fund going, then, my back up had been an income tax refund, but we only got a fifteen dollar refund.  I started getting odd jobs like pet sitting a cat, and tutoring but those were only paying a few dollars each time.  My time was running out.  I had to sign up by the end of March to get the discount.  Then the creme de la creme happened.

I hate SuperStore  I never shopped there. Their stores were dirty and unorganized, the people who shopped there were weird and the clerks were, well never anywhere to be found.  Then they built a new prototype store a mile from my house.  I had to go by it every time I went to the gourmet grocery store.  Finally in a hurry I rushed into SuperStore.  I could almost hear those bells of amazement, ringing in my head, like when something amazing happens on a TV show.  This SuperStore was not dirty.  It was well organized and appealing. Dr Peppers were $2.50 for six, instead of $3.60. I was hooked…but only for Dr. Pepper.

Soon I really was hooked.  I was not only buying Dr. Pepper but toilet paper and laundry detergent and it only got worse.  I had become a 2 time a week SuperStore shopper.  To reward my addiction I got an email from SuperStore (at least I thought).   Since I was such a good customer they wondered if I was interested in being a secret shopper to evaluate their employee devotion.  Did they say, “Welcome to SuperStore when I walked in checked out? Did they smile and offer to help me when I couldn’t find something?  Of course! I could do that!!  And they would pay me handsomely for these services……$350 per survey.  I filled out the form, name, phone number and email address.  I could already see my money piling up to go to the seminar.  I started to go ahead and register for the Academy but wanted the money in the bank first, so I did not.

It took several months but on March 24th my packet arrived.  It had all the information of what I had to do, none of which looked too complicated and a check for $2750.   $350 of which was mine to keep.  The instructions said, “Do not deposit in your checking account, take it to your bank and get cash.”  Then I had 3 things to do. First, buy an item for less than $30 and evaluate the checker, "Did she say Welcome  to Super Store?" Was she wearing her name tag, was she polite etc.  Second, send a SuperStore to Super Store transfer to the name and address provided for $1300, plus the $50 transfer fee. Third, purchase a Money Gram for $1000 and send to the name and address provided, for $1000  plus the $50 transfer fee.

I followed the instructions carefully.  The transfer fee however was only a total of $26, so I had a surplus of $74 dollars.  When I got home I called the number given to me for questions to tell them that I had a surplus and asked what to do with the extra money.  I left a message, a man immediately called back. He was gruff and talked with a heavy middle eastern accent.  When I was explaining, he cut me off and said, “Be quiet and just listen!  I text you later and tell you how give money back. Email me copies of receipts.”  He specifically wanted the 8 digit number of the transaction for the SuperStore to SuperStore transfer and the Money Gram transfer. Then he kept texting me and asking me why wasn’t I sending it faster.   When got it, SLAM went the phone, and he was gone. I thought about this, it was very odd, he wasn’t very professional but that was pretty normal for inquiry calls today, whether it was AT&T or Capital One.  

At 11:00 PM the man called again.  This time he said, “You go now to Super Store, buy me iTunes card for $75 dollar.”  Surprised I told him no, I would not go out in the middle of the night to do this.  It would have to wait until morning.   At 7:00 am he called again waking me up, “You get me card?  Why not?”  I told him I would get it at 10:00 am, no sooner.  

Finally after many punches my stupidity button had finally been pushed.  This had to be a scam. I went to my laptop and put in SuperStore Scams.  Up popped the list, I scanned down and there before me was the scam.

I called the police and gave them all the information. They told me to answer no more of his calls or texts.  He kept texting and said, “Why not you send me iTune card? I wait to read from you next communication.”  The police told me the check was probably hot and would bounce back to my checking account.  He had  made away with $2300 of my money.  Then I went to the bank to get a copy of the check I had cashed.  To cover it,  I had to take out a personal loan for the $2300 that would soon be missing from my account.  

Then I drove to the police station downtown.  I presented all the receipts, my transaction for the cashing the check, a copy of the check I had gotten at the bank, and the envelope the check had come in, with a return address.

Not only did I have no money for the Academy, I owed my bank, $2300 for the personal loan plus the $379 of interest I would have to pay back.  Damn, It’s expensive to be stupid. It was not SuperStore’s fault, it was the people running the scam.  I have reverted back to my old feelings about Super Store however, maybe I will only buy Dr. Pepper there from now on.....and I will not be going to the Academy this year.  Damn it is expensive to be stupid!