Author:Becky Holmes
It might seem surprising that that a former PR Manager living in Warwickshire would become a romantic interest for not just Keanu Reeves and Liam Neeson but also Princes Harry, Wills and even Andrew, but these were just some of the celebrity names that slid into Becky Holmes direct messages after she joined Twitter at the start of the pandemic.
Holmes found it surprising too. So much so that she decided to post her exchanges with her love struck suitors on Twitter, gathering over 150,000 followers in a matter of months. It didn’t seem to matter how absurd her answers were, the DM’s kept rolling in, even after a few of them spotted her piss taking tweets. She was even once contacted by someone claiming to be her sister. Called Becky.
Although not a victim herself, her Twitter feed led to a number of victims to get in touch, prompting Holmes to investigate further (one of the few jokes she doesn’t make at her own expense*). Given the books origins in Holmes role reversing Twitter feed, it invites us to continue to laugh at scammers getting rinsed, but there’s quite a shift in mood required when reading the stories of those who were defrauded.
Holmes explains why fraudsters adopt fake names that are often two Christian names, and have a high disposition to pretending to be doctors working in the field for the UN, oil rig workers, pilots or soldiers on peace keeping missions; all occupations that make can add some plausibility to being off line for periods of time, and unable to discuss the details of their work. Anyone responding to their phishing is quickly invited to move their conversations to Google Chat or WhatsApp as dating site or Twitter accounts can get closed before requests for money for replacement phones, or Amazon gift cards can commence.
There are some genuinely amusing moments – setting up a Google Chat group for the five Keanu Reeves she had been exchanging messages with so they could get to know each other. Holmes tells one she lives in a town called Rectum and “Keanu” tells her he’s been there. “Brad Pitt” tells her to stop talking to Liam Neeson as he knows Liam and it must be a fake account.
But there’s a darker side. Death threats for reporting and getting closed down scammers bank accounts. Holmes sets aside the puns to address a number of issues, one of which is the way victims are described as “falling for” the scams, and the victim blaming that inevitably arises. Drawing on her own experience of a relationship with a compulsive liar boyfriend and admitting she’s an online gambling addict in recovery, she points out that most victims initial involvement came at a time in their lives when they were vulnerable, which is not the same as gullible. Many victims sensed that something might not be “right” early on but felt they were too far in to back out, or were simply too ashamed. As much as Holmes plays the fraudsters for laughs, she also wants the book to remove the stigma of being defrauded, in the hope it reduces the number of victims as well as making it easier for those who have suffered losses to seek help.
What should you do if you’ve been scammed and defrauded? Holmes points out that attempting to engage your local constabulary will just result in a handoff to the Action Fraud website, who currently have 858 reviews on Trustpilot, of which 806 are 1 star. Fraud accounts for 40% of crime in the UK, and yet gets 1% of police time. Fake accounts are rarely taken down and banks will maintain they have no responsibility despite providing accounts to scammers, although Holmes found one victim who the Financial Ombudsman ruled in favour of, and ordered the return of £100,000. With the bleakly amusing irony that when she tried to use the returned money to pay down her mortgage, she was told she could only move £8,000 at a time. To prevent fraud and money laundering of course.
The book closes with Holmes making the case for better education and awareness, cautiously optimistic about the possibility of a new improved Action Fraud The indifference of Instagram (bordering on belligerence at Twitter) and the fact that as soon as she opened an account on Threads, the scamming DMs started to pour in suggest any improvements may well be some way off.
* An elementary joke, my dear Watson.
Length of Read:Medium
Might appeal to people who enjoyed…
Becky Holmes Twitter feed @deathtospinach
One thing you’ve learned
Keanu Reeves has absolutely no social media presence. Not even a personal website. He maintains “I don’t really have anything to say about anything”. Bodacious.
Not many people know that Mr. Reeves’ actual internet alter-ego name is based upon the latin binomial for the Red Fox.
Come on now, Vulpes! Your lips really ought to be sealed about such an important piece of personal info.
Great review @fortuneight.This sounds like a rather important book for vulnerable people who are in danger of being dragged into this shadowy, sock-puppet world.