There are scams and there are scamsters with numerous ways in which they try to pull off their cons

There are scams and there are scamsters with numerous ways in which they try to pull off their cons. The Mumbai police recently arrested a 27-year-old man for allegedly posing as actor Salman Khan's brother-in-law on social media, and cheating a Kolkata resident of approximately Rs 1 lakh on the pretext of getting his son into an international school in the city, a report in this paper had said.

This Kalyan resident posed as an influential person also telling his victim that he would get his wife a role in a forthcoming Salman movie. The Kolkata resident, who was supposed to move to Mumbai shortly, paid the money. The scam was unearthed after he called the school and asked about his son's admission, as the conman had given a false 'receipt' for the money he had paid.

We certainly see the most ingenious ways in which conmen spin their spiel and plan their moves. This is a relatively smaller amount; consider people who have been duped in crores or of their life earnings.

When people are told they will get roles in Bollywood, they should think how they will get it. Why should we be asked for money to get a break in a movie? Who are these connections that the fraud seems to dangle like a bait? Is there a way to check those claims? In today's age of Internet, it is certainly possible to do background checks.

Take these 'agents' who promise admissions to top schools with a healthy dose of cynicism. Check with the school authorities themselves. It takes a phone call or two. Top schools will certainly not allow outsiders to help students get admissions and issue fee 'receipts' from the outside. While conmen will always look for their prey, a little patience, background checks and homework will guard against getting duped. And that goes for all scams, big or small.

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