I lost 30 minutes of my life this week, dealing with a series of emails from a Chinese company trying to get us to believe that some of our intellectual property was under threat (in this instance, some of our domain names).
Whilst it looked immediately obvious to be hokum to me, explaining why proved a bit of a challenge, so I resorted to showing how many incidents of the same text had been referenced on the Internet (including one with the joyously amusing name of Jacques Tits – who says nothing interesting ever comes out of Belgium?).
It's got me thinking, though, about how one might categorise potential scams, and have a quick and methodical way of identifying what should be investigated further, and which should be quickly filed in the bin.
A few years ago, whilst working helping to develop leadership skills in various companies across the UK and Europe, I used a simple framework to explain the factors by which people could build trust in you (and you in them). This four-stage “trust ladder” looked a bit like this:
1. Looking the part.
It's sad to say, but the superficial is so very important. If you don't look like the role that you are supposed to be, then it will be near impossible for people to build trust in you. A solicitor in flip-flops? A plasterer in a three-piece suit? You're not going to give them the time of day.
2. Demonstrating competence.
If the 'face fits', the next stage is to show that you know what you are talking about. Not necessarily the same as actually being competent (because if you are hiring someone with skills or expertise because you don't have them yourself, how would you necessarily know?).
3. Establishing a common interest
Ah, the empathy thing. Empathy is a remarkably powerful thing, and very empathetic people are often perceived as more trustworthy and more intelligent than others, even though there is little to be said about the measurement of either concept. Not, however, to be confused with sympathy…
4. Acting with integrity
AKA not bollocksing the whole thing up. It can be incredibly challenging to build the trust of others, and remarkably quick to see the whole thing crumble. A misplaced joke, too many negative comments or a betrayed confidence, and trust can erode quickly and deeply.
This ladder, when I once explained it to a telecoms field engineering manager, was described to me like “climbing up a telegraph pole in a howling gale. Each step is hard work, and then your clinging on for dear life once you get to the top”. There again, he might have had a more complex childhood than me…
So, how can we use this trust ladder to examine and make assessments on potential scams? Let's use two case studies: my domain name emails of this week; and a case where I was well and truly scammed by a plumbing company back in 2001.
1. Looking the part
The domain name company sent a fairly poorly worded email, which was in plain text. However, it appears to have company registration details, a credible ish website, and it was addressed to someone in the company who would have business responsibility for such matters. The perils of the need for companies to publish such information and of having easily guessable (firstname.lastname) email addresses…
The plumber had a half-page display add in the Yellow Pages, all nicely branded and with CORGI details. I had contacted them after my boiler had broken down in September 2001 and subsequently had waited in all day for British Gas to not turn up. The chap turned up on the dot of the time that he was scheduled to do so, and wore a smart, branded polo shirt and “workman's” trousers and boots, and got out of a liveried van. That he'd turned up at all put him well into my good books.
2. Demonstrating competence
For the domain company, technically what they were saying just didn't add up- but only if you know about the way in which domain name registrations work. Hence targetting of a senior business manager rather than a senior technical person.
The plumber took the front off the boiler, banged some things around a bit and sucked air in through his teeth. He obviously knew what he was talking about. He then told me that it might be some months before he could get spares.
3. Establishing a common interest
The email contained a series of alternatives as to how a third party might be trying to steal our domains. The domain name company could help us… Clever stuff.
The plumber got a bit lucky with his timing. I'd been contemplating the replacement of the boiler for some time, so when he suggested that that would be the quickest route to resolving my lack of heating and hot water, I jumped at the chance, paying half up front and half on completion (which would happen two days later).
4. Acting with integrity
For the domain name people, a quick search on Google blew their cover. Copy and paste of a short extract from their mail into the search engine quickly revealed dozens of similar attempts, with exactly the same wording, from various companies claiming to be there to help.
For the plumber… well. If you thought that I never saw him again after he'd taken my first installment, you'd be wrong. Two days later, at the exact time allocated, another liveried van turned up, another plumber knocked at my door, and over the course of the next two days the old boiler and tank were removed and a spangly new combi boiler installed.
At the end of two days without heating or hot water (and during which I'd been working from home) I was in desparate need of a shower. The plumber was packing up to go, and just asked if he could use my loo before he went. Of course, I said. Five minutes later he flushed, left, and I was able to enjoy hot water from my lovely new boiler for the first time.
The stench that the plumber left in the bathroom made my hair fall out. It was horrendous. Quite what he'd been eating, I don't know, and more importantly don't want to find out.
But as we went into the Winter, the boiler worked perfectly.
The following Spring I happened to be watching an edition of the BBC's Rogue Traders when I saw a very familiar face on the screen. The plumber that I'd originally met with – who was being exposed for all sorts of scams that he and his company were up to. It was then I realised that I had paid about double the going rate for the installation of a new boiler…
mmitII 