Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. This evening I will be presenting on the impact of lottery scamming in the Jamaican society. Lottery scam is a type of advance fee fraud which begins with an unexpected email notification or phone calls explaining you have won a large sum of money in a lottery.
Scamming is very deep rooted in the Jamaican society. We have seen publications in the media such as T.V, radio and newspaper. At least 90% of the class might have seen or heard of persons involve in the scamming in some shape or form.
Scamming has become so widespread that it has attracted the attention of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and veteran American news anchor Dan Rather, who visited Jamaica to produce a segment of a documentary on the lottery scam. According to the Gleaner dated Tuesday March 12, 2013, their move was fuelled by reports that Jamaican 'phone scammers' had bilked some 200 elderly victims of more than US$13 million.
According to a report in the news it was stated that the lotto scam is a major source of embarrassment and danger for the Jamaican people because it tramples on Brand Jamaica. This global negative publicity has the potential to severely impact key industries such as tourism. This could damage vital relations with other countries which Jamaica so desperately needs to maintain.
Crime and violence if a major factor as it relates to scamming activities. Scamming is used by these lawbreakers to finance their criminal activities. According to the security minister Mr Peter Bunting, the lottery scam is responsible for more than a 100 deaths across the island. Bunting, estimates from the police revealed that in 2012, between 40 and 50 per cent of violent crimes in St James were connected in one way or another to lottery scamming.
The breakdown in values is another major impact that has resulted from scamming. Due to financial difficulties parents are now widely condoning the act of their children participating in scamming related activities. Parents as well as other role models in these youths lives are benefiting from the money obtained from this illegal activity and in turn have turned a blind eye.
A major contributor to the expansion of scamming in Jamaica has to do with the high unemployment rate within the country. This was confirmed in a report from the Jamaica Gleaner, where it was said that youths were now staying in school longer compared to in the 90s. These youths which had a better mastery of the English language had little or no jobs to keep them gainfully occupied which led to the utilization of their talents for scamming.
In concluding, the destruction of brand Jamaica, heightened crime and violence, the breakdown in society’s values as well as the heightened unemployment rate are important subjects to consider in understanding the root of scamming in the Jamaican society. Understanding these subjects will better assist in combating and eventually putting an end to the spreading of these activities within our country.