[Milsurplus] Crooks

[David Stinson]

(Forwarded from a different list.  Your opinions sought.)
 
Zoram wrote:
> 
> I've learned that honesty usually pays in the long run...

Please let me second you and Phil on this.
I once heard a good man at the Houston radio club say:
 
 "If you cheat people, you win and they lose.
  But you'll only do it once or twice.  
  Then the word is out on you.
  If you are straight with people, 
  you and they can win many times.
  I'd rather make a hundred honest nickels
  then one cheated dollar."

That is very sound advice.
Crooked dealing is self-destructive.

That brings me to some interesting questions.
99 44/100ths percent of us 
(how many of you are old enough to know were that number came from?)
are honest folk who wouldn't intentionally cheat anyone.
But there are a few who do, or attempt to do it over and over.
Even when caught, they just "lay low" for awhile and then
resurface, looking for new victims.  We've got a prime example
over on the military radio reflectors right now.
The word's been out on this guy for years.  
Yet he shows up every six months or so,
posts a list of very juicy goodies (he doesn't have them) 
and cons a new group of people.
He also offers to buy (with bad checks).
I might send my momma something before the check cleared,
but it would be a near thing.

The snookered guys start to howl
(even though they were warned), so he submerges again,
waiting for a new crop of "virgins" to come along.
He never changes his M.O., either.  It's always the same.

Two questions:

How come these guys never learn that they'd make more money
and have less trouble if they were just "straight?"

Whenever this guy surfaces, people on the groups tell everyone
he's a crook, yet some guys still fall for the lure
of all those phantom "goodies."  Why won't they listen?

I know we're not psychologist, but most people here
are at least intellectually above average.
Your insights would be interesting.