Meaningless Scam Artists

I am not confused by criminals that commit crimes for personal gains. I don't like them, but I understand their reasons for doing it. I can't wrap my brain around the criminals who commit crimes for the sole purpose of doing harm to other people. I guess it gives them a sense of power or perhaps they just find it entertaining in some twisted way.

My mother was almost the victim of a totally meaningless scam. Luckily she talked to me before falling for it and no harm was actually done. She received two postal money orders out of the blue in the amount of $950.00 each. She didn't know what they were for but called me quite excited, "They are real postal money orders made out to me with my address on them and everything!" I advised her to call the post office. Nobody sends money to people for no reason. She called and sure enough they were fake. She would have been forced to pay that money back. I've thought long and hard about this and can't see what gain the perpetrator would have for doing this. The person would gain nothing him or herself. I don't understand the point. It's the same with people who make computer viruses for the sole purpose of messing up someones computer. It's just so senseless to me.