Comments on: Livin’ it Up: Young Philly Couple Charged With Identity Theft

By: vh

vh — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 13:39:12 +0000

I dunno. Maybe they’re only “stupid” because they got caught. How many brighter crooks are out there who don’t get caught?

You have to be excruciatingly dumb to get caught at some of these scams. I have acquaintances–some of them, alas, veterans of private schooling and some just middle-class young people who have no intention of working to continue living in the style to which–who have gotten away with insurance fraud (repeatedly!), fraud of parents and other family members, theft, drug use, attempted murder, and I’m sure many things we don’t know about. Some of their scams have been mighty heavy-handed (like burning down the house with the wife and an unwanted baby in it) and nothing was done about them.

Did you know that if you take your car to a busy mall parking lot and leave the keys in it and it gets stolen, you can claim you “accidentally” left the garage door open and it was stolen from there, and presto-changeo, you get a nice new car? And, oddly enough, the insurance company doesn’t do much to investigate.

By: henry

henry — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 14:15:29 +0000

@ Mapgirl

I know people who went to private school too, and you’re quite right, they are fine people. We’re not indicting all private schoolers, we’re just talking about these two kids.

By: mapgirl

mapgirl — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 19:35:56 +0000

Excuse me. I had a private school upbringing (on financial aid) and very supportive parents. That does not instantly mean you should group all private school students with people who cheat, defraud and lie. I recently went to an alumni function and the number of people who work in public service and non-profit industries was well represented.

They are two very stupid adults, but they aren’t stereotypical of people who go to private school, OK? Chip and Buffy still play squash at the club, etc. But thieving still remains outside the norm.

By: Kira

Kira — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 01:38:41 +0000

“Private school upbringing and supportive parents”? Why does everyone take this to mean they were raised with good morals? Private school means priveleged and supportive means pushovers. Henry is right, they grew up like that, stuck it on their own and then realized you actually had to work for it. My opinion is people who grow up priveleged are MORE likely to do this stuff, not less. How do you explain Lindsay Lohan and Nicole Richie?

By: Mrs. Micah

Mrs. Micah — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 21:52:19 +0000

Somehow I can’t imagine that being a fun life. Then again, I have a conscience…

By: Anca

Anca — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 21:46:06 +0000

I came across another financial crimes story today, in which an elderly woman was taken advantage of:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004047709_frances02m.html

By: The Saving Freak

The Saving Freak — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 14:28:41 +0000

Some people think they can get away with anything and this is why they get caught. The truth is most millionaires play everything as straight and narrow as humanly possible and they get ahead by forming good relationships. Not, by scamming people.

By: henry

henry — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 14:23:32 +0000

They were brought up in somewhat of a privileged life and once they struck out on their own, they realized that privilege can have a hefty price tag. Probably couldn’t let go of the good life.

Either way, given what the cops found in their apartment, it looks like they got some explaining to do.