General Chat

This is a problem with the internet especially - that people, for whatever reason, fabricate illnesses or dramas and take advantage of other people's compassion.

Has it hardened you or do you generally still feel for people you don't really know online?

Its not hardened me, but its made me cautious. & I do think twice when reading a sob story on the net, and I do tend to look for flaws which may not even be there.

I think that's about what I'm like, Mildred. Sad isn't it:(

I don't think it has hardened me but because there are so many scams of all sorts I tend to look hard at anything I am told to try and verify it. It is more difficult on here where I tend to go with 'gut' instinct which is not always right. I always have been a 'sucker' for lame dogs, ask my OH.

Hmm yes maybe it should be ducks sorry!!!!

Ann, I knew an old woman once who said you can only take on so many lame ducks;) But I'm a sucker for a sob story if I feel it's genuine too. I'm just more cautious these days - there have been a few on here in the past who have fooled us all for a bit aren't there?

I used to fall for every hard luck story, hook line and sinker...... that carried on into the cyber world, and I did have a tendency to believe everything I was told.

I am a little more cautious now, though, and although I still feel sympathetic, and empathetic (is that a word?) towards many people regarding all sorts of things, I also have learnt to discriminate a little. Oh... and to trust my gut feelings a little more, lol!!

Love

Daff xxxxx

Been burnt too many times........I'm afraid I'm way more cynical than I used to be xx

Most of the ones I supported in real life were genuine if not all of them. However on here it is so easy to be fooled, which is so sad because it has disillusioned us all and made us wary. I am worried that one day somebody will really need help and wont get it on here.

Evening Daff and Muffy:) Some of them are a bit easy to spot aren't they lol. Not very long ago I noticed someone on General tripping themselves up with a lie on a long running saga that I didn't usually look at - it may be that a lot of it's true but I just think naaaah

Evening Uggers.

Yep way too easy to spot.......I do resent having the little intelligence I possess insulted by fibbers and pretendy victims !!!lol x x

And now we are all wondering which long running saga on General did someone tell a porky on......lol.....

I hope I was vague enough, Shona - there are enough of them;)

*checks my Daff fred*

*blushes*

Well.... there are some porkies on that one, lolol!!

I promise, I didn't harm any dust.... just swished it around and ruffled it up at the corners a bit!! lol ;¬))

Love

Daff xxxxx

lol Daff - I probably shouldn't have mentioned it should I. Needless to say , it wasn't yours and that's my very last word on the subject:)

Evening all.

I can never understand why anyone would want to tell people about their illnesses, especially on line.

There seem to be quite a bit of it on the general board, strange...!!!!

George

i cant see why anyone would want to fabricate, any illness, yes ok the old iv got man flu i can deal with
but to actually make up they have any "serious" illness when they havent is mind bogling

it has made me cynical but then i no there is genuine people, who are genuinly ill, and those ya can normally spot from the "fakers"

obv, somthing is missing in there life, or head, to have to gain sypathy online from making things up

I don't think anyone has a problem with genuine people letting off steam or sharing parts of their lives with others.

Hell..........I was a real wuss when my back went a few months back.....and got great support on here !!!!

99% of posts and posters are genuine.......it's the 1% who take the pee that spoil it for others

Good luck at the hospital tomorrow..........I hope all goes well for you.xx

I see no harm in sending positive thoughts, be they really needed or just someone trying to 'pull a fast one' (after all they must be sick to put up such threads).
However, when it comes to gaining someone's trust to fleece them - they seem to back off from me. I don't have a credit card and rarely use my debit card - I usually say I'll send a cheque, ask for their address - and hear no more from them!
This applies to everything, renewing with GR, the GRO and other things I may buy/use on the internet, not just pleas for money.

It's obvious anyone can say/claim anything in the anonymity of the internet , but, as other's have said - liars slip up eventually.

it would deeply sadden me
if somebody faked an illness for attention
they would in my mind be sick in the head
some people dont bring stuff like that to the boards
and uses the boards as an escape
from the sadness of their real world

but others are blessed in been able to share their experiences
and bring hope to others who have no hope left

No I aint a sucker in cyber or real life,,,seen too many,deal with too many and cant be fannying about with sob stories that are part of everyday life and easy dealt with .like a splinter in my finger or what ever.....

But going on Amandas thread.....I wouldnt have got that involved from the start as there must have been flaws.....