Thanks to Brian Dunning for providing this. Great video. My favourite part is when he asks the young child about the telephone game. Brilliant!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfAzaDyae-k
Monday, August 30, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
How To Spot Health Fraud
A great article from the FDA showing how to spot possible health fraud.
http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/EmergencyPreparedness/BioterrorismandDrugPreparedness/ucm137284.htm
http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/EmergencyPreparedness/BioterrorismandDrugPreparedness/ucm137284.htm
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Some New Logical Fallacies
A very interesting blog entry from Brian Dunning in regards to some "new" logical fallacies.
http://skeptoid.com/episodes/4217
http://skeptoid.com/episodes/4217
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Live Auctions
Interest in live and online auctions has increased greatly. With EBay and other online sites, auctions have become a business option for a lot of people. Live auctions as a result have also increased. As you may already be aware though, auctions are no stranger to frauds and scams.
Recently a friend of mine attended a live auction near his home. He found the experience exciting, but also realized some "shifty" things going on. He asked my opinion on the auction, showing me the stuff he purchased and the flyer. I found many red flags which I will discuss below as what to look for at live auctions.
First, how does a live auction work?
Here's how the typical live auction process works:
-Bidders must receive bidder cards from a cashier in order to make a bid on any item. In most cases a refundable cash deposit is required to receive a card.
-When the auction is about to begin, the auctioneer announces the terms of the sale so all bidders are aware of their responsibilities in bidding.
-When a bidder is ready to make a bid, they simply raise their hand or their bidder card and the auctioneer or ringmen acknowledges the bid.
-Phone and online bids are recognized by the phone person and these bids are considered the same as if the bidder were present.
-The ringman assists the auctioneer in spotting bids, holding up merchandise so the bidders can see the item for bid and marking the item with the bidder's number once it has been sold. Upon successful winning of the bid, the auctioneer tells the clerk what the bidder paid for the item and their bidder number.
-This information is recorded and given to the cashier who tabulates the bidder's purchases for check out from the sale.
-The bidder pays by either cash or cashier's check. In most cases, the bidder must remove their property from the auction location immediately following the sale.
So what type of scams can occur at a live auction?
-Most common is SHILLING. The sellers and their cohorts bidding the price of an item higher so that the winning buyer (you) ends up paying for the item at a higher price than you would otherwise have.
-The OLD SWITCHAROO. This is when the tag number on the item you bid on is switched to a damaged or less expensive item.
-KNOCK-OFFS/STOLEN. The scammers have products that are knock-offs of high-end name brands. There is also the chance that the items are real, but have been stolen.
-MISLEADING/UNTRUE DESCRIPTIONS. Anything can be written about anything. Sellers may fail to mention things they see as minor but you see as major faults. Does the description match the product? Is it a detailed description or just the make and model, sellers should give detailed descriptions and even point out faults, if you contact a seller before bidding and find that a lot of bad stuff has been left out of the description ask yourself if you want to do business with this person. Always make sure you are able to view the item.
-ORAL CONFUSION. Some scammers will use the fast-paced element of auctioneer speaking to confuse participants into bidding or accepting higher bids when it wasn't so. They rely on the fact the we can only remember so much in a fast, over-stimulated environment. So, the auctioneer can say the bidder said 300 when 200 was actually said, but since it goes by so fast, the next bidder can actually up the bid to 350 before the first bidder has time to complain or know what happened. The other scenario is the bidder "wins" at 300 when they said 200 but feel obliged to pay the 300 either due to not wanting to cause a scene and cause embarrassment or think they may have unknowingly said 300.
What can you look for in an auction?
*Before going to the auction, research the auction company/auctioneer through internet searches, Better Business Bureaus, Local and Federal police and word of mouth. Does the auctioneer or business have a business address, website, or phone number that you can contact them with?
*Most Auctioneers need to be licensed (depending where you live of course). So check for that.
*Know the value of the goods you are looking at. With new technology with smart phones, you can easily access the internet to do comparisons (this is how most pawn shops value your items nowadays).
*Know the terms and conditions of the auction before participating in the auction. Find out whether you could be on the hook for entry fees, prebid deposits, buyer's premiums (fees paid by the winning bidder), taxes, or shipping. You should also find out about return policies and warranties. Often auctioneers do not have return policies and warranties to back up purchases.
*Do not get caught up in the excitement of auction buying. Establish spending limits before the auction and stick to them.
*Save all the transaction information. Print or make note of the seller's identification, the item description and the time, date, and price you bid on the item. You should get a copy of the transaction from the auction. If you do not, something is wrong.
Recently a friend of mine attended a live auction near his home. He found the experience exciting, but also realized some "shifty" things going on. He asked my opinion on the auction, showing me the stuff he purchased and the flyer. I found many red flags which I will discuss below as what to look for at live auctions.
First, how does a live auction work?
Here's how the typical live auction process works:
-Bidders must receive bidder cards from a cashier in order to make a bid on any item. In most cases a refundable cash deposit is required to receive a card.
-When the auction is about to begin, the auctioneer announces the terms of the sale so all bidders are aware of their responsibilities in bidding.
-When a bidder is ready to make a bid, they simply raise their hand or their bidder card and the auctioneer or ringmen acknowledges the bid.
-Phone and online bids are recognized by the phone person and these bids are considered the same as if the bidder were present.
-The ringman assists the auctioneer in spotting bids, holding up merchandise so the bidders can see the item for bid and marking the item with the bidder's number once it has been sold. Upon successful winning of the bid, the auctioneer tells the clerk what the bidder paid for the item and their bidder number.
-This information is recorded and given to the cashier who tabulates the bidder's purchases for check out from the sale.
-The bidder pays by either cash or cashier's check. In most cases, the bidder must remove their property from the auction location immediately following the sale.
So what type of scams can occur at a live auction?
-Most common is SHILLING. The sellers and their cohorts bidding the price of an item higher so that the winning buyer (you) ends up paying for the item at a higher price than you would otherwise have.
-The OLD SWITCHAROO. This is when the tag number on the item you bid on is switched to a damaged or less expensive item.
-KNOCK-OFFS/STOLEN. The scammers have products that are knock-offs of high-end name brands. There is also the chance that the items are real, but have been stolen.
-MISLEADING/UNTRUE DESCRIPTIONS. Anything can be written about anything. Sellers may fail to mention things they see as minor but you see as major faults. Does the description match the product? Is it a detailed description or just the make and model, sellers should give detailed descriptions and even point out faults, if you contact a seller before bidding and find that a lot of bad stuff has been left out of the description ask yourself if you want to do business with this person. Always make sure you are able to view the item.
-ORAL CONFUSION. Some scammers will use the fast-paced element of auctioneer speaking to confuse participants into bidding or accepting higher bids when it wasn't so. They rely on the fact the we can only remember so much in a fast, over-stimulated environment. So, the auctioneer can say the bidder said 300 when 200 was actually said, but since it goes by so fast, the next bidder can actually up the bid to 350 before the first bidder has time to complain or know what happened. The other scenario is the bidder "wins" at 300 when they said 200 but feel obliged to pay the 300 either due to not wanting to cause a scene and cause embarrassment or think they may have unknowingly said 300.
What can you look for in an auction?
*Before going to the auction, research the auction company/auctioneer through internet searches, Better Business Bureaus, Local and Federal police and word of mouth. Does the auctioneer or business have a business address, website, or phone number that you can contact them with?
*Most Auctioneers need to be licensed (depending where you live of course). So check for that.
*Know the value of the goods you are looking at. With new technology with smart phones, you can easily access the internet to do comparisons (this is how most pawn shops value your items nowadays).
*Know the terms and conditions of the auction before participating in the auction. Find out whether you could be on the hook for entry fees, prebid deposits, buyer's premiums (fees paid by the winning bidder), taxes, or shipping. You should also find out about return policies and warranties. Often auctioneers do not have return policies and warranties to back up purchases.
*Do not get caught up in the excitement of auction buying. Establish spending limits before the auction and stick to them.
*Save all the transaction information. Print or make note of the seller's identification, the item description and the time, date, and price you bid on the item. You should get a copy of the transaction from the auction. If you do not, something is wrong.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Chemically Speaking
A great site to learn and to curb the fear of the word "chemical".
http://www.chemicallyspeaking.com/
http://www.chemicallyspeaking.com/
The Quackometer
Just for fun I put my Scambusting blog http://scambusting101.blogspot.com/ into the quackometer....see the results!
http://www.quackometer.net/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fscambusting101.blogspot.com%2F
I haven't tried their quacksafe search yet, but would be interested in knowing other people's results
http://www.quackometer.net/quacksearch.php
http://www.quackometer.net/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fscambusting101.blogspot.com%2F
I haven't tried their quacksafe search yet, but would be interested in knowing other people's results
http://www.quackometer.net/quacksearch.php
Counterfit Items At Farmer’s Market
This is always something to be on the lookout for.
http://www.news.com.au/national/fortune-teller-blamed-for-teen-torture/story-e6frfkvr-1225900949467
http://www.news.com.au/national/fortune-teller-blamed-for-teen-torture/story-e6frfkvr-1225900949467
Goes into the "What's the Harm" file.
A very bizarre story sent to me by Jason Delaat.
http://www.news.com.au/national/fortune-teller-blamed-for-teen-torture/story-e6frfkvr-1225900949467
Note that the actions are alleged at this point, but the bizarre twists and turns are hard to get one's head around.
http://www.news.com.au/national/fortune-teller-blamed-for-teen-torture/story-e6frfkvr-1225900949467
Note that the actions are alleged at this point, but the bizarre twists and turns are hard to get one's head around.
Microwave Oven Dangers
A video debunking some of the myths and also noting a few true dangers of microwaves
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djBAMazLy0I
Unfortunately, the "dangers" are still being used by the alternative medicine industry. http://products.mercola.com/turbo-oven/ is a perfect example....using some valid points with questionable ones, it's hard for some people to sift through what is correct.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djBAMazLy0I
Unfortunately, the "dangers" are still being used by the alternative medicine industry. http://products.mercola.com/turbo-oven/ is a perfect example....using some valid points with questionable ones, it's hard for some people to sift through what is correct.
Accupunture...putting holes in it.
An Intersting paper on Accupuncture
http://www.csicop.org/uploads/files/Acupuncture_Paper.pdf
A study by the cochrane organization on acupuncture, laser therapy, electrostimulation or acupressure and whether or not it is effective in helping to stop smoking.
http://www2.cochrane.org/reviews/en/ab000009.html
http://www.csicop.org/uploads/files/Acupuncture_Paper.pdf
A study by the cochrane organization on acupuncture, laser therapy, electrostimulation or acupressure and whether or not it is effective in helping to stop smoking.
http://www2.cochrane.org/reviews/en/ab000009.html
The Truth Behind a Space-Age Cure for Back Pain
An article from Harriet M Hall, the Skepdoc, in regards to some chiropractic treatments.
http://www.livescience.com/health/070927_skeptical_back_pain.html
http://www.livescience.com/health/070927_skeptical_back_pain.html
Phone Busters
For reporting Canadian phone scams and also looking up warnings.
http://www.phonebusters.com/english/index.html
http://www.phonebusters.com/english/index.html
Science Based Medicine blog
Some further reading you can take in at this blog. Just started reading it. The blogger seams to be very open and honest which is a great attribute from a blogger.
http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/
http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/
"here’s the thing: most pseudoscientific beliefs are not stupid. They’re just wrong"--Daniel Loxton
"here’s the thing: most pseudoscientific beliefs are not stupid. They’re just wrong"--Daniel Loxton
This is taken from the below article from http://skepticblog.org/.
( http://skepticblog.org/2010/07/26/the-reasonableness-of-weird-things/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+skepticblog%2FcxSs+%28Skepticblog%29 )
Although I agree with the intended spirit of this quote, it's wording can cause some confusion. The english language is not always the best language for expressing things since many words have multiple meanings. I think it would be better said that "Most psudoscientific claims are not stuipid. They're just wrong."
We walk a fine line when using the word belief and saying it is wrong. Yes some beliefs can be dangerous, while others are relatively benign. 9/11 definitely showed the dangerous side of beliefs, or more accurately fundamentalism. Some beliefs can be viewed simply as opinions. Opinions are not wrong. Claims of fact can be.
I am finding that it can be counter productive in taking an overbearing stance on some issues. If you give someone the information we have been sharing, and they continue to disregard it because they truly believe in it, any type of belittlement would be seen as counter-productive or as some would say "beating a dead horse". It is better to just say something like "do what you will with the info". Your job is done.
I fully understand the desire to help people and to stop some of this stuff we share here. Some people just will not listen to you if you are insulting.
Recently I was talking to a person involved with a ghost-hunting business. She was asking about spreading the info about it on Facebook. I politely replied:
" It's not so much a matter of ghosts existing or not, but merely a matter of interpretation of events and the improper used of equipment (i.e. how is the equipment calibrated to detect supernatural phenomenon....or how does one discern that certain readings are ghosts and not just normal occurances. EMFs are everywhere, especially in any building.).
I hope you understand and I do appreciate your passion for what you do. I am sure it is a lot of fun."
She replied "Thank you for your honesty and view point. i appreciate that you took the time to explain rather then the name calling route."
This is the type of exchange we should strive for with most people (yes there are always exceptions). It allows for a better understanding of the issues. Yes you may run into people who will be all over you no matter how you put it. Understand that they are all too often so used to everything being an all out attack (at least percieved by them) that they take any type of skepticism as negative.
Well that is all I have to say but wish to end with the article's mention of Wil Wheaton's law of "Don't be a dick"
This is taken from the below article from http://skepticblog.org/.
( http://skepticblog.org/2010/07/26/the-reasonableness-of-weird-things/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+skepticblog%2FcxSs+%28Skepticblog%29 )
Although I agree with the intended spirit of this quote, it's wording can cause some confusion. The english language is not always the best language for expressing things since many words have multiple meanings. I think it would be better said that "Most psudoscientific claims are not stuipid. They're just wrong."
We walk a fine line when using the word belief and saying it is wrong. Yes some beliefs can be dangerous, while others are relatively benign. 9/11 definitely showed the dangerous side of beliefs, or more accurately fundamentalism. Some beliefs can be viewed simply as opinions. Opinions are not wrong. Claims of fact can be.
I am finding that it can be counter productive in taking an overbearing stance on some issues. If you give someone the information we have been sharing, and they continue to disregard it because they truly believe in it, any type of belittlement would be seen as counter-productive or as some would say "beating a dead horse". It is better to just say something like "do what you will with the info". Your job is done.
I fully understand the desire to help people and to stop some of this stuff we share here. Some people just will not listen to you if you are insulting.
Recently I was talking to a person involved with a ghost-hunting business. She was asking about spreading the info about it on Facebook. I politely replied:
" It's not so much a matter of ghosts existing or not, but merely a matter of interpretation of events and the improper used of equipment (i.e. how is the equipment calibrated to detect supernatural phenomenon....or how does one discern that certain readings are ghosts and not just normal occurances. EMFs are everywhere, especially in any building.).
I hope you understand and I do appreciate your passion for what you do. I am sure it is a lot of fun."
She replied "Thank you for your honesty and view point. i appreciate that you took the time to explain rather then the name calling route."
This is the type of exchange we should strive for with most people (yes there are always exceptions). It allows for a better understanding of the issues. Yes you may run into people who will be all over you no matter how you put it. Understand that they are all too often so used to everything being an all out attack (at least percieved by them) that they take any type of skepticism as negative.
Well that is all I have to say but wish to end with the article's mention of Wil Wheaton's law of "Don't be a dick"
Desiree jenning
An interesting article about the case of Desiree Jennings which you may have seen on 20/20 or through viral youtube videos.
http://skepticblog.org/2010/07/26/desiree-jennings-on-2020/
http://skepticblog.org/2010/07/26/desiree-jennings-on-2020/
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