We live in interesting times. Such a nice way of saying “the world is a mess”. My faith in humanity has become as worn down as Ron Jeremy’s bed springs; and the more I hear the word “woke”, the more the option of permanent self-isolation appeals to me (perhaps with Ron… that man has some stories to tell).
Yet even with all that is going on and as the planet continues to eat itself, I find it really intriguing that so many businesspeople and individuals still conclude business transactions, online sales, and internet relationships all based on trust. Seriously, who in the world trusts anything anymore?
Yes… I know; I am cynical but, hell, who can blame me? I am, after all, a product of spending just on 30 years investigating, uncovering, and consulting on the criminal underworld in the business sector. God knows I’ve seen my fair share of the evil that men and women do.
Now don’t get me wrong, I love my job. In fact, my job is me and I’d choose to be nothing else other than one of South Africa’s leading forensic private investigators. However, I do still ponder how so many of my clients get themselves into really bad (and often costly) situations. All due to their blind faith in the perceived “good” of all humanity. Not every person is good!
One could argue that, like all good investigators or doctors, we are the counterbalance to the scales of trust. Rumour has it that I’ve threatened to polygraph my daughter’s boyfriend every last Sunday of the month when she starts the dating game (she’s only 12). Perhaps I will, perhaps I won’t, but the point remains that I am in awe of how so many seem to trust so easily, give so freely, and then cry so loudly when they get poked by the filthy fingers of evil.
This brings me to crux of this post. Why do more of us fall victim to scams than ever before?
Seriously, in the age of social media, surely one would think getting conned out of money via some random email scam would seem impossible. Yet every day, when I open my mailbox, I find requests from victims seeking assistance with an investigation into their loss.
Then came COVID-19 and the online scams and frauds got worse. Heck, it’s bad enough having to wear face condoms everywhere, but now people are being conned and defrauded into parting with their money to buy these bloody things. Folks it’s called Due Diligence… two words simply meaning verify things first. If you aren’t sure how to go about it, hire someone. There are private investigators that can save you a lot of pain – provided you choose a professional one, via… that’s right… Due Diligence!
Being prudent before you engage is no longer a trust breaker, it’s a bloody prerequisite. I would go as far as to say that Due Diligence prior to marriage may not be such a paranoid idea after all. Shit, the four unfortunate husbands of the infamous Daisy De Melker would’ve lived a lot longer had they discovered her penchant for strychnine and life policy pay outs prior to consummating their nuptials.
Certainly, there are many times where trust is the basis for making a decision. For example, when choosing between whisky and ice, or whisky and no ice… but anything deeper than that and it’s best to rather err on the side of finding out first.
Talking about finding out first, my firm recently opened a comprehensive background screening and criminal record check subsidiary, trading as: Searchlight Background Screening.
Do yourself a huge favour and keep that address handy, especially if you are wanting to partner with or employ anyone.
Until we read again… stay safe, stay warm, and – most importantly – stay informed!
Kyle Condon
082 820 5363
For more information, contact Kyle Condon on saint@intrigue.co.za, follow him on Twitter @investigatorsZA or visit www.investigators.co.za.