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How Guy Sebastian was conned by a Telstra worker

Guy Sebastian was allegedly duped into performing at a young girl's birthday party, when he thought the event was for a charity. The singer was one of many people who were scammed by former Telstra salesman Gerard Cecil Vamadevan, 56, who has been sentenced to a maximum two years jail after pleading guilty to making hundreds of harassing phone calls to 19 separate victims. On Monday, the NSW District Court heard how Vamadevan would tell victims he was either a “talent scout” or a “TV agent for Channel 7” to gain their phone numbers before making “sexually explicit” and “vulgar” anonymous phone calls to them. In addition to his 19 seperate victims, Guy Sebastian was also conned by Vamadevan, who he met over a decade ago, as his claims came to light following the conclusion of the case in court. At the beginning of their relationship, Sebastian was tricked into performing at Vamadevan's daughter's birthday party, although he told the singer it was a charity event for Telstra. The court heard how Vamadevan would use social media pictures with Sebastian, other celebrities and business leaders he had met through work to convince his victims of his “connections” to the entertainment industry. Sebastian’s manager said the pair knew each other about a decade ago and said the singer was used “for the convicted’s own personal benefit”. In a statement to news.com.au, a spokeswoman for Telstra said they were “very concerned” about allegations the former employee had “misrepresented his relationship” with the company, as Vamadevan long claimed he worked for the Telstra "charity arm". Vamadevan was sentenced to two years imprisonment, although will be eligible for release June 30th 2025 on good behaviour. Image credits: Facebook

Legal

How scammers use psychology to create some of the most convincing internet cons – and what to watch out for

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/stacey-wood-473147">Stacey Wood</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/scripps-college-2153">Scripps College</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/yaniv-hanoch-1341108">Yaniv Hanoch</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-southampton-1093">University of Southampton</a> <a href="https://www.experian.co.uk/blogs/latest-thinking/fraud-prevention/cybercrime-fraud-most-common-crime-uk/">Online fraud is today’s most common crime</a>. Victims are often told they are foolish for falling for it, but fraudsters use psychological mechanisms to infiltrate the defences of their targets, regardless of how intelligent they are. So it’s important to keep up with the latest scams and understand how they work. Recently, consumer protection magazine Which? <a href="https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/the-4-most-convincing-scams-weve-seen-in-2023-so-far-a7bRP9s0KJvG">identified some of the most convincing scams of 2023</a>. These scams all have one thing in common – they insidiously take advantage of people’s cognitive biases and psychological blind spots. They included “pig butchering” a way of fattening up victims with affection, the missing person scam which involves posting fake content on social media pages, the traditional PayPal scam, and a new scam called the “fake app alert” in which malware is hidden on apps that look legitimate. <h2>Pig butchering</h2> In our work as fraud psychology researchers we have noticed a trend towards hybrid scams, which combine different types of fraud. Hybrid scams often involve crypto investments and <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-fraud-crisis/202210/new-scams-committed-forced-trafficked-labor">sometimes use trafficked labour</a> In the US alone, <a href="https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/springfield/news/internet-crime-complaint-center-releases-2022-statistics">the FBI recently reported</a> that people lost US $3.3 billion (£2.6 billion) in 2023 to investment fraud. Pig butchering is a long-term deception. <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/05/02/pig-butchering-scammers-make-billions-convincing-victims-of-love.html">This type of scam</a> combines elements of <a href="https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/a-z-of-fraud/romance-scams">romance scams</a> with an investment con. The name comes from the strategy of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/money/2023/may/22/dating-cons-and-dodgy-apps-among-most-common-scams-says-uk-watchdog">“fattening up” a victim with affection before slaughter</a>. It will usually begin with <a href="https://www.which.co.uk/policy-and-insight/article/pig-butchering-among-most-convincing-scams-of-2023-so-far-which-warns-aDRtr4I1UT1R">standard scam approach like a text</a>, social media message, or an introduction at a job board site. Victims may have their guard up at first. However, these scams can unfold over months, with the scammer slowly gaining the victims’ trust and initiating a romantic relationship all the while learning about their vulnerabilities. For example, details of their financial situation, job stresses, and dreams about the life they want. Romance scammers often saturate their targets with affection and almost constant contact. Pig butchering sometimes involves several trafficked people working as a team to create a single persona. Once the victim depends on the scammer for their emotional connection, the scammer introduces the idea of making an investment and uses fake crypto platforms to demonstrate returns. The scammers may use legitimate sounding cryptocoins and platforms. Victims can invest and “see” strong returns online. In reality, their money is going directly to the scammer. Once a victim transfers a substantial amount of money to the con artist, they are less likely to pull out. This phenomenon is known as the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0749597885900494">“sunk cost fallacy”</a>. Research has shown people are likely to carry on investing money, time and effort in activities they have already invested in and ignore signs the endeavour isn’t in their best interests. When the victim runs out of money or tries to withdraw funds, they are blocked. The victim is left with not only financial devastation, but also the loss of what they may imagine to be their most intimate partnership. They are often <a href="https://cloud-platform-e218f50a4812967ba1215eaecede923f.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/sites/6/2021/12/VC-Who-Suffers-Fraud-Report-1.pdf">too embarrassed to discuss the experience</a> with friends and family or to report to the police. <h2>PayPal scams</h2> Fake payment requests are a common attack that works by volume rather than playing the long game. Payment requests appear to come from a genuine PayPal address. Fraudulent messages typically begin with a generic greeting, an urgent request and a fake link. For example, Dear User: You’ve received a payment, or you have paid too much. Please click link below for details. Users are directed to a spoofed website with a legitimate sounding name such as www.paypal.com/SpecialOffers and asked to enter their account information and password. Both of us have received these scam requests – and even we found them difficult to discern from legitimate PayPal request emails. These scams work through mimicry and play on the human tendency to trust authority. Legitimate PayPal correspondence is usually automatic bot language, so it is not difficult to imitate. But remember, genuine messages from PayPal <a href="https://www.paypal.com/ca/for-you/account/security/fraud-dangers#:%7E:text=Any%20email%20from%20PayPal%20will,bank%20account%2C%20or%20credit%20card.">will use your first and last name</a>. <h2>The missing person scam</h2> This seems to be a new scam that exploits a person’s kindness. In the past, charity scams involved posing as charitable organisation responding to a <a href="https://www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/info-2019/charity.html">recent, real calamity</a>. The new missing person scam is more sophisticated. The initial plea is a <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/tech/20875699/facebook-fake-missing-child-scam-warning/">fake missing person post</a> that generates likes and shares, increasing its credibility and exposure. Then the fraudster edits the content to create an investment scheme which now has the veneer of legitimacy. This scam may work because the initial consumers are unaware that the content is fraudulent, and there is no obvious request. In psychology, this type of persuasion is known as “<a href="https://thedecisionlab.com/reference-guide/psychology/social-proof">social proof</a>” – the tendency of individuals to follow and copy behaviour of others. <h2>Fake app alerts</h2> People post mobile apps, designed to steal users’ personal information, on the Google Play or Apple app store. The app often has a <a href="https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/crime/another-person-comes-forward-after-banking-app-scam-3584340">legitimate function</a>, which gives it a cover. Consumers unknowingly jeopardise their private information by downloading these apps which use malware to access additional information. Although there has been <a href="https://tech.co/news/fake-android-apps-delete">media coverage of Android security issues</a>, many users assume malware <a href="https://www.ben-evans.com/benedictevans/2020/8/18/app-stores">cannot bypass app store screening</a>. Again, this scam plays on people’s <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2F0021-9010.92.3.639">trust in authority figures</a> to keep tjem safe. Discuss any investment opportunities with friends, family members or professionals. It’s much easier said than done, but exercising caution one of the best strategies to reduce the chance of becoming a fraud victim. Scammers count on people paying little to no attention to their emails or messages before clicking on them or providing valuable information. When it comes to scams, the devil is in the missing details.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/207759/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/stacey-wood-473147">Stacey Wood</a>, Professor of Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/scripps-college-2153">Scripps College</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/yaniv-hanoch-1341108">Yaniv Hanoch</a>, Professor in Decision Science, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-southampton-1093">University of Southampton</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-scammers-use-psychology-to-create-some-of-the-most-convincing-internet-cons-and-what-to-watch-out-for-207759">original article</a>.

Technology

"How could they be so cruel?" Elderly woman conned out of life savings

An elderly woman from Sydney says she feels "violated" her after savings account was emptied in a cruel impersonation scam. Maureen Deans, 86, was left with next to nothing in her bank account after the scammers took $25,000. "How could they be so cruel? I'm horrified that people would do this sort of thing," Maureen told <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/banking-scammer-steals-23k-from-pensioner-after-pretending-to-be-st-george-bank/4fb1c21c-f024-4c26-9ab0-de5a7b7f64bf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9News</a>. "I was left with no money to pay my bills." On July 29th Maureen's daughter Joanne got a text from a number claiming to be Medicare, saying she had been in close contact with a person who had tested positive for Covid-19. The message included a link to order a coronavirus test kit. At the time, Joanne was not aware of similar text scams and clicked on the link. "Someone at my work had just tested positive to the coronavirus. I could just kick myself now, but that's the reason I clicked on the link," she said. Joanne was then asked to enter her credit card details to complete her purchase, along with her home address for delivery. Soon after handing over the information, Joanne realised it was likely a scam and went into her local St George branch to report the incident and express her concern that her card details had likely been compromised. Then, less than a week later on August 3, Joanne got a call on her mobile phone from a man named "Simon" who said he was from St George's fraud prevention team. The man informed Joanne her account had been hacked and said her mother's account, for which she is a signatory, was now compromised. "He said that he had been authorised by St George Bank to move mum's money over to a brand new account, with a new BSB and account number," Joanne said. Joanne was originally skeptical of the call, but his professionalism convinced her that the call was legitimate. "I said, 'Why can't we just go into the bank tomorrow and sort it out there' and he said, 'No, the money will be gone by then,'" she recalled. "He gave me a reference number and he was very convincing. "He knew exactly how much money mum had in her pensioner account down to the last cent." The man then asked Joanne to log onto her mother's internet banking account, and transfer the money to the "new account" in three different transactions. Joanne was on the phone to the scammer for over an hour, with Maureen growing increasingly suspicious about why the process was taking so long. "My mum rang my brother who is a lawyer and he said, 'No, no, no it's a scam, get off the phone.' "But the damage had been done, the money had already been transferred." Joanne said she was devastated to have been tricked by the scammer. "It's absolutely awful. It's a lot of money and it's my fault, I should have hung up," she said. Maureen, who lives in an aged care home and receives the pension, said she had to accept help from her son to pay her bills. "Fortunately, my son came to my aid and put money in my account, but I have never been in that situation before - I feel violated," she said. "It took me ages to save up that money and we were going on a cruise next year, which we've had to cancel. "There's quite a few things we've had to cancel because of this." Maureen said she was "furious" with St George Bank for not protecting their elderly customers more. The bank has it had been experiencing a recent spike in impersonation scams where scammers pose as a known business to trick people into sending them money. "Customers should be wary of any unexpected calls, SMS or emails claiming to be from their bank or other reputable organisation, and always stop to consider what you're being asked to do. "If in doubt, hang up and call back on a publicly listed number to confirm if the call was genuine." Image credits: 9News

Legal

Woman cons her mother out of $82 million artwork by claiming it was “cursed”

A 48-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of swindling her elderly mother out of a painting worth $82 million, by making her believe it was “cursed”. Sabine Coll Boghici allegedly tricked her 82-year-old mother Genevieve into handing over Sol Poente (1949) by Tarsila do Amaral. The artwork belonged to Genevieve’s late husband, who was an art collector, as the artwork had previously been exhibited at New York’s Museum of Modern Art. Sabine’s art con is just one part of a haul of cash, art and jewellery worth almost $200 million allegedly defrauded by the Brazilian woman. The scam to obtain Genevieve’s artwork began in 2020, when a psychic approached the elderly woman with prophecies of her daughter’s imminent death. The victim was then taken to several more psychics, who police say used personal information provided by her daughter to scam her distraught mother into transferring money to pay for “spiritual treatment”. Sabine and an accomplice posing as a psychic “began to take the artwork from the (mother's) house, claiming that the painting was cursed with something negative, with negative energy that needed to be prayed over,” said Rio de Janeiro police officer Gilberto Ribeiro. After almost a year of being mistreated by Sabine and her accomplices, Genevieve decided to go to the police. Police say 16 paintings were stolen, including works by renowned Brazilian artists like Cicero Dias, Rubens Gerchman and Alberto Guignard. Police say seven people are suspected of involvement in the years-long crime, facing charges of embezzlement, robbery, extortion, false imprisonment and criminal association. Image credits: Rio de Janeiro Civil Police / AFP

Art

Family conned out of $1.1 million in house sale

Image: 9News A family from Sydney’s Northern Beaches are pleading with Australians to be aware of the kind of scam they fell victim to – with more than a million dollars at risk. The family have come close to losing their life savings and dream house in a sophisticated dupe. Cassie and Dennis Aviles transferred over $1.1 million to a person they fully believed was their solicitor in order to finalise the purchase of a new house. "It's basically everything," Ms Aviles said. "I've gone to the branch and transferred all of our money [into what] they are now telling us is in some kind of scam account and they're not sure if they're going to be able to retrieve it for us," she said. The couple, who have three young children, had sold their Beacon Hill property and were due to complete settlement on the new house. That's when they received what appeared to be a legitimate email from their solicitor, instructing them to transfer the huge sum of money. "[The email had] his name, his business name and all of the contracts we've signed for the new property were all attached," a distraught Ms Aviles told 9News. Ms Aviles alerted her solicitor that she'd paid the money into what she thought was the firm's Commonwealth Bank account. "He yelled into the phone, "Call the bank straight away!'." The Aviles' solicitor is just as baffled as the couple as to how the scammer obtained these details. "I've never even heard of anything like that," he said. "It's such a big amount, the bank should have more procedures in place." The story has a pretty satisfying ending though, as both banks involved have since been contacted and the funds frozen. The money is set to be returned to the Aviles family in the coming days.

Real Estate

Electronic surveillance considered for alleged stalkers

In 1993, Andrea Patrick was murdered by her ex-partner after a period of severe harassment and despite a restraining order being made against him. The public outcry that followed Patrick’s death impelled the New South Wales government to follow Queensland’s lead and <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/Hansard/Pages/HansardResult.aspx#/docid/HANSARD-1323879322-89176" target="_blank">enact an offence of stalking</a>. During the 1990s, all Australian states and territories made stalking a distinct crime. Evidence of stalking can also form the basis of civil law orders known as restraining, apprehended violence or intervention orders. However, there are concerns that little has changed since Andrea Patrick’s death. <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-12-09/celeste-manno-mother-calls-for-tougher-stalking-laws/12964622" target="_blank">There is a view</a> that stalking is not being treated seriously enough and intervention orders may be breached without serious ramifications for alleged offenders. The Victorian attorney-general has asked the <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.lawreform.vic.gov.au/projects/stalking/stalking-terms-reference" target="_blank">Victorian Law Reform Commission</a> to consider new measures for responding to stalking, including whether electronic monitoring could be a condition of intervention orders. Before considering the advantages and disadvantages of such a measure, it is worth considering how stalking is defined. What is stalking? While definitions differ, in general, stalking refers to a pattern of behaviour intended to cause harm or arouse fear. Stalking can include: <ul> <li> <a rel="noopener" href="https://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/doi/pdf/10.1176/ajp.156.8.1244" target="_blank">surveillance</a>: obsessive monitoring through physically following or tracking the other person via technology or by loitering at the person’s home or workplace </li> <li> <a rel="noopener" href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/bsl.966" target="_blank">repetition</a>: there may be unwanted contact that occurs multiple times – it can happen over the course of one day, a few weeks, or many years </li> <li> degradation: this may involve verbal abuse, posting denigrating comments or images online, or humiliating the other person in public </li> <li> <a rel="noopener" href="https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007%2F978-1-4614-5690-2_535" target="_blank">intrusion</a>: this may include repeatedly approaching the other person, interfering with the person’s property, or entering the person’s home or workplace. </li> </ul> Stalking can involve actions that would, in another context, be legal or even welcome. For example, gift-giving is usually legal. But if someone repeatedly gives another person unwanted gifts and will not stop when asked, this may amount to stalking. Intervention orders Individuals can apply to a court for an intervention order that prohibits another person (the defendant) from behaving in a particular manner towards them. In addition to acting as a restraint on the defendant’s behaviour, an intervention order can direct the defendant to comply with certain conditions. In Victoria, for example, there are two types of intervention orders: <a rel="noopener" href="http://www5.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/vic/consol_act/fvpa2008283/" target="_blank">family violence intervention orders</a> and <a rel="noopener" href="http://www6.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdb/au/legis/vic/consol_act/psioa2010409/" target="_blank">personal safety intervention orders</a>. The first type covers situations between family members, including current or former intimate partners and some carers. The second type covers all other relationships. Lower courts may grant intervention orders if there is sufficient evidence of stalking. Electronic monitoring Electronic monitoring generally refers to “<a rel="noopener" href="http://www.antoniocasella.eu/nume/COE_electronic_16oct12.pdf" target="_blank">forms of surveillance with which to monitor the location, movement and specific behaviour of persons</a>”. It includes the use of devices such as ankle bracelets, which use radio frequency or Global Positioning System (GPS) technology to monitor the location of the person. While the use of such devices is usually associated with monitoring offenders after conviction, pretrial electronic monitoring is used in some places as <a rel="noopener" href="http://www6.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/legis/wa/consol_act/ba198241/s50l.html" target="_blank">a condition of bail</a>. Electronic monitoring is also permitted in South Australia and Queensland for some <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.ranzcp.org/news-policy/policy-and-advocacy/position-statements/electronic-monitoring-people-in-forensic-mh" target="_blank">individuals using forensic mental health services</a>. <img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/411150/original/file-20210714-13-69trd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="" /> Electronic monitoring devices such as ankle bracelets have been used pre-trial in some cases. Shutterstock It appears electronic monitoring has not been used in Australia as a condition of intervention orders. However, Matt Black and Russell G. Smith <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi254" target="_blank">pointed out</a> in 2003 that “modern restriction and surveillance capabilities may raise the possibility for consideration”. Pros and cons of electronic monitoring Electronic monitoring may help to ensure intervention orders work to prevent alleged stalkers physically approaching particular people. It can ensure they don’t enter proscribed areas and be used to track their movements. However, it can be expensive. The panel that reviewed post-sentence supervision of sex offenders in Victoria <a rel="noopener" href="https://files.justice.vic.gov.au/2021-06/cavsom%20harper%20report.pdf?A_rtu8pRp1SsqKDZxF2dWoGkzLvLLcmg=" target="_blank">observed</a>: <blockquote> […] the costs associated with electronic monitoring were considerable, particularly in proportion to other important functions undertaken by Corrections Victoria. </blockquote> Due to resource allocation, it is not feasible for every alleged stalker to be monitored 24 hours a day. Analysis of the electronic monitoring data is also not necessarily immediate. If electronic monitoring were an option in relation to intervention orders, it may also lead to more contested cases, thereby taking up more court time. There are human rights issues in relation to curtailing the liberty of those who have not been convicted of a crime. Wearing an electronic device may also be sitgmatising. The balance here is whether public safety considerations outweigh individual rights. A shift in focus Being forced to modify behaviour to avoid being stalked appears to be common for victim survivors of stalking. They may experience significant lifestyle changes such as: <ul> <li>avoiding places where their stalker might be</li> <li>changing routines</li> <li>quitting school or their job</li> <li>moving house.</li> </ul> A key question for the Victorian Law Reform Commission inquiry into stalking will be whether electronic monitoring can help shift the focus away from victims having to alter their own behaviour to forcing alleged offenders to alter theirs. Electronic monitoring may have a role to play, but it may be that the disadvantages outweigh the benefits. <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/bernadette-mcsherry-2559" target="_blank">Bernadette McSherry</a>, Emeritus Professor, <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722" target="_blank">The University of Melbourne</a> and <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/madeleine-ulbrick-312907" target="_blank">Madeleine Ulbrick</a>, Senior Research and Policy Officer, <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065" target="_blank">Monash University</a> This article is republished from <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/victoria-considers-electronic-surveillance-for-alleged-stalkers-164320" target="_blank">original article</a>.

Technology

Why do people believe con artists?

What is real can seem pretty arbitrary. It’s easy to be fooled by misinformation disguised as news and deepfake videos showing <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/09/technology/ben-nimmo-disinformation-russian-bots.html">people doing things they never did or said</a>. Inaccurate information – even deliberately wrong information – doesn’t just come from snake-oil salesmen, door-to-door hucksters and TV shopping channels anymore. Even the president of the United States <a href="https://www.worldcat.org/title/deciding-whats-true-the-rise-of-political-fact-checking-in-american-journalism/oclc/941139313&referer=brief_results">needs constant fact-checking</a>. To date, he has made an <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/politics/trump-claims-database/">average of 15</a> false or misleading public claims every day of his presidency, according to a tally from the Washington Post. The study of <a href="https://www.ideasworthteachingawards.com/2019-course-winners/market-manipulations">business history</a> reveals that people everywhere have always had a sweet tooth for the unreal, enthralled by what should be taken as too good to be true. Cognitive scientists have identified a number of common ways in which <a href="https://www.worldcat.org/title/not-born-yesterday-the-science-of-who-we-trust-and-what-we-believe/oclc/1099689542&referer=brief_results">people avoid being gullible</a>. But <a href="https://www.worldcat.org/title/ponzi-scheme-puzzle-a-history-and-analysis-of-con-artists-and-victims/oclc/851345711?referer=di&ht=edition">con artists</a> are especially skillful at what social scientists call <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/9781405186407.wbiecs107">framing</a>, telling stories in ways that appeal to the biases, beliefs and prominent desires of their targets. They use strategies that take advantage of <a href="https://theconversation.com/humans-are-hardwired-to-dismiss-facts-that-dont-fit-their-worldview-127168">human weaknesses</a>. Unpleasant reality Often, people who are “<a href="https://www.ft.com/content/7802f662-a7b2-11e9-984c-fac8325aaa04">emotionally vulnerable</a>” are <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/1f90bdfe-4522-11e9-b168-96a37d002cd3">unwilling to accept an unpleasant reality</a>. Consider Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the British author who created Sherlock Holmes, the ultimate deductive rationalist – a character who said, “<a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/files/2097/2097-h/2097-h.htm#chap06">When you have eliminated the impossible</a> whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.” Yet, after experiencing family tragedies and the horror of the deaths in World War I, <a href="https://www.worldcat.org/title/conan-doyle-and-the-mysterious-world-of-light-1887-1920/oclc/1052838293&referer=brief_results">Doyle publicly announced in 1916</a> that he subscribed to <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/10/silencing-the-dead-the-decline-of-spiritualism/264005/">Spiritualist beliefs</a>, including that the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2013/oct/20/seances-and-science">spirits of the dead can communicate with the living</a>. In 1922, Doyle visited Harry Houdini in his home in New York City and was shown a clever magic trick involving automatic writing on a suspended slate. Houdini could not convince a stunned Doyle <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170412193049/http:/www.csicop.org/si/show/houdinirsquos_impossible_demonstration">it wasn’t paranormal activity</a>. Envy and opportunism sideline doubt Sometimes <a href="https://www.worldcat.org/title/envy-at-work-and-in-organizations/oclc/945169819&referer=brief_results">people covet what their peers have already achieved</a> so badly that they will overlook the obvious and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1750-4716.2007.00002.x">deceive themselves and others</a> in an effort to claim better opportunities and a better life. In 1822, a Scottish con man, Gregor MacGregor, convinced countrymen seeking easy wealth and their neighbors’ better lives to buy bonds, land and special privileges, fill two ships and sail to an idyllic country, the <a href="https://www.worldcat.org/title/land-that-never-was-sir-gregor-macgregor-and-the-most-audacious-fraud-in-history/oclc/229019939&referer=brief_results">Land of Poyais</a>. MacGregor priced land in Poyais to make it affordable to Scottish tradesmen and unskilled workers who had heard of promising South American investments but lacked the means to take advantage of them. Poyais had a distinctive flag, its own currency and a diplomatic office in London. The only problem was that Poyais did not exist. Most of those who sailed died on the Mosquito Coast of Honduras. Some of the few survivors were so taken in that they refused to accept that Poyais did not actually exist and argued that it was MacGregor who had been defrauded. Greed is blinding <a href="https://www.worldcat.org/title/ponzi-scheme-puzzle-how-victims-get-caught-in-the-net-and-how-self-awareness-can-help-protect-them/oclc/809163533&referer=brief_results">Greed can prevent people from seeing</a> that they have made a decision that defies common sense. In 1925, the con artist Victor Lustig took advantage of the French government’s public complaints that it would cost more to renovate a decaying Eiffel Tower than to demolish it. He gathered together scrap iron dealers, convinced them the tower would be taken down and sold it to one of them. Then he sold it again. Lustig gained a reputation as the “<a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/man-who-sold-eiffel-tower-twice-180958370/">man who sold the Eiffel Tower</a>.” Ignorance of customs and business practices Swindlers can find opportunity in their marks’ ignorance and unfamiliarity with local customs. The confidence man George C. Parker <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/27/nyregion/thecity/for-you-half-price.html">sold the Brooklyn Bridge four times</a>, usually to recent immigrants who did not understand that the bridge could not be sold. He also sold Grant’s Tomb, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Statue of Liberty. Misery generates desperate belief <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health-news/why-people-fall-for-miracle-cures#6">Desperate people can suspend disbelief</a>. People believe promises have to be true when the alternative is too miserable. <a href="https://www.worldcat.org/title/titan-the-life-of-john-d-rockefeller-sr/oclc/866583942?referer=di&ht=edition">John D. Rockefeller’s father, William,</a> was a bigamist and seller of alleged cures and ineffective patent medicines to ailing people, riding the circuit through rural towns. Bill “Doc” Rockefeller is said to have tutored his son, the builder of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Standard-Oil">Standard Oil Trust</a>, in business. Sometimes it’s just about trust People believe stories because <a href="https://www.worldcat.org/title/ponzi-scheme-puzzle-how-victims-get-caught-in-the-net-and-how-self-awareness-can-help-protect-them/oclc/809163533&referer=brief_results">they trust those who tell them</a>. They don’t know how to, or don’t want to bother to, investigate the claims – or see no need to do so. Starting as early as the mid-1980s, swindler <a href="https://www.worldcat.org/title/wizard-of-lies-bernie-madoff-and-the-death-of-trust/oclc/1022907270&referer=brief_results">Bernie Madoff</a> sought investors in his <a href="https://www.sec.gov/fast-answers/answersponzihtm.html">Ponzi scheme</a> among wealthy Jewish retirees and their philanthropic organizations in the U.S., and, in Europe, among members of aristocratic families. His victims simply trusted others in the group who vouched for Madoff and his investments. Claims are difficult or costly to disprove In 1912, a skull, some bones and other relics were found in Piltdown in East Sussex in the U.K. The remains appeared to be from a creature who could be the long-sought “missing link” between apes and humans. It took over 40 years to confirm that <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/08/study-reveals-culprit-behind-piltdown-man-one-science-s-most-famous-hoaxes">Piltdown Man</a> was a hoax, and over 100 years to identify who forged it. It’s hard to disprove untruths – consider the ongoing searches for Bigfoot or the Loch Ness Monster. People want dreams to be true Sometimes, <a href="https://www.worldcat.org/title/not-born-yesterday-the-science-of-who-we-trust-and-what-we-believe/oclc/1099689542?referer=di&ht=edition">despite built-in skepticism,</a> <a href="https://www.worldcat.org/title/ponzi-scheme-puzzle-how-victims-get-caught-in-the-net-and-how-self-awareness-can-help-protect-them/oclc/809163533&referer=brief_results">people badly want improbable but wonderful things to be true</a> – to move the world with a dream. For instance, if alien spacecraft had really crashed and were being analyzed in <a href="http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1860871_1860876_1861006,00.html">Area 51</a> in Nevada, it could mean that interstellar travel is possible. Repetition – the hallmark of social media – creates belief <a href="https://theconversation.com/unbelievable-news-read-it-again-and-you-might-think-its-true-69602">Hearing a false claim over and over</a> can be enough to generate belief in it. A common advertising and public relations strategy is to be extremely visible by multiplying “<a href="https://www.investopedia.com/terms/i/impression.asp">impressions</a>,” so people see the message everywhere. Independent matching claims are seen as credible Repetition alone may not be sufficient. When people try to assess whether something is true, they often look for objective reasons on which to base their belief, such as finding two similar, independent judgments about events. In my research I call this the “<a href="https://ssrn.com/abstract=1278110">Rule of Two</a>.” On social media, users often see a claim repeatedly, posted by different friends or connections. The same information seems to come not only from everywhere but from apparently independent sources. But often there is <a href="https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2020/jan/07/nikki-haley/nikki-haleys-pants-fire-claim-top-democrats-are-mo/">just one source</a>, though easy online sharing makes it appear there are more than that. That is why so many observers worry about the role that social media has assumed in politics – it can lead people to believe that false claims are true. The 1938 radio broadcast of ‘War of the Worlds’ generated multiple reports and confused some, but did not cause mass hysteria. People believe what others appear to believe People have a built-in willingness to defer to confident assertions made by an <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1037/gpr0000111?journalCode=rgpa">apparently expert or legitimate authority</a>. In <a href="https://www.worldcat.org/title/obedience-to-authority/oclc/877329529?referer=di&ht=edition">experiments by Stanley Milgram</a>, ordinary people complied with directives from the scientist to administer to subjects what they (falsely) believed were painful shocks. A passionate and convincing swindler, often masquerading as an expert – for example, an art dealer or researcher of miracle cures – exploits that weakness to get people to believe false claims. A related mechanism introduced by Robert Cialdini is called “<a href="https://www.worldcat.org/title/influence-science-and-practice/oclc/476204687?referer=br&ht=edition">social proof</a>”: Seeing someone else do what you are thinking about doing frees you to act. It’s evidence of the correctness of the action. This is why con men often use “shills,” helpers who confirm to the victim that the con man’s scheme is legitimate. <a href="https://www.worldcat.org/title/not-born-yesterday-the-science-of-who-we-trust-and-what-we-believe/oclc/1099689542?referer=di&ht=edition">Research by Hugo Mercier and others</a>, as well as my research on the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/000765030003900405">theory of testaments</a> and ongoing work with <a href="https://ryanrc11.wixsite.com/robertryan">Robert C. Ryan</a> on the “skeptical believer model,” argues that human defenses against scams and falsehoods are more robust than the entertaining tales of bridges sold and voyages to nonexistent paradises would suggest. In more ways than one, social interaction can become a “con-test.” Society – including government – cannot function well if every claim requires fact-checking. Yet con artists thrive, year in and year out, in business, politics and everyday experience. Ultimately, however, a world of “<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/video/conway-press-secretary-gave-alternative-facts-860142147643">alternative facts</a>” is not the world that our dreams want to be true. Written by Barry M. Mitnick. Republished with permission of The <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-do-people-believe-con-artists-130361">Conversation.</a>

Art

The pros and cons of becoming an entrepreneur later in life

34-year old Mark Zuckerberg might seem like the poster child for successful entrepreneurs – but, as it turns out, his youth actually puts him in the minority. <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/nextavenue/2018/08/05/proof-that-the-most-successful-entrepreneurs-are-older-ones/#6efd3d4d42dd">Forbes reports</a> that the majority of successful entrepreneurs are middle-aged or older. According to <a href="https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/235357">Entrepreneur</a>, People older than 55 years of age have double the likelihood of launching a high-growth business venture as compared against people under the age of 35. Why is that? Let’s take a look at some of the reasons senior citizens tend to make <a href="https://www.inc.com/leigh-buchanan/next-act-why-age-isnt-the-only-thing-that-sets-older-entrepreneurs-apart.html">outstanding entrepreneurs.</a> Let’s also discuss a <a href="https://www.score.org/blog/pros-and-cons-starting-business-over-55">few of the things</a> that can hold seniors back from success in entrepreneurship. The pros of becoming an entrepreneur later in life Life experience gives seniors an advantage The longer you live, the greater your accumulation of life experience. An older person has a fundamental understanding of how long any given project is likely to take, how much money is realistically needed to accomplish a given task and how human relationships function. In contrast, lack of life experience can put younger founders at a disadvantage in understanding each of these areas. Seniors are likelier to have well-developed professional networks Many senior citizens have spent decades in the workforce and have cultivated a lifetime’s worth of professional contacts. Solid human relationships are important for every facet of business – including finding trustworthy suppliers, hiring talented employees and finding qualified customers. Seniors are likelier to be able to fund their businesses People tend to accumulate wealth as they age. This is in part because salaries often grow in correlation with experience, and experience grows with age. As salaries grow, they can be invested to create even more wealth. Sure, there are broke seniors and affluent young people -- but, in many cases, age can be a major advantage when it comes to securing the funds necessary to manage a business. Cons of starting a business later in life Seniors may need to update their business skills Many, but not all, seniors have demonstrated the ability to <a href="https://www.pcworld.com/article/2153080/baby-boomers-embrace-technology-as-much-as-younger-users.html">keep pace with technology trends</a> as well as young people do. But if you’ve fallen behind, you might have to invest some effort in educating yourself about whichever up-and-coming technologies will affect your own business and the businesses of your customers. This is an ongoing obligation that isn’t unique to seniors; everyone has to worry about the ever-accelerating pace of technological innovation in the future economy. Seniors are less likely to have attained beneficial levels of higher education <a href="https://www.theherald.com.au/story/5905528/the-x-y-breakdown-of-generations-in-australia/">The Herald reports</a> that Australian baby boomers’ participation rate in higher education has been weak as compared against that of Generations X and Y. Considering that the <a href="https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/312943">typical entrepreneur</a> is well educated, higher education could potentially be a factor that increases one’s chances for success in business. One survey of successful entrepreneurs showed that the vast majority (more than 95 percent) hold bachelor’s degrees, whilst nearly half (47 percent) hold master’s degrees. An important takeaway: If you’re considering entrepreneurship, and you haven’t already studied <a href="https://online.scu.edu.au/business-courses/">business courses</a>, you’re likely to find them helpful. Senior citizens are well suited for entrepreneurship. Overall, there are more pros than cons to starting a business later in life. There are definitely many advantages to choosing <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/small-business-network/2015/nov/02/retirement-meet-the-60-something-entrepreneurs">entrepreneurship over retirement</a>.

Retirement Life

A Current Affair busts cancer con-artist Belle Gibson on lavish $15K holiday

Cancer con woman Belle Gibson has been caught out returning from a luxury trip overseas. Gibson convinced thousands of Australians that she was suffering from a brain tumour but healed herself due to natural remedies. As she was charged with five breaches of Australian Consumer Law, she was fined $400,000 in 2017 as her empire crumbled around her. Many have questioned how she can afford to go overseas on a luxurious escape to East Africa, as her five-week trip reportedly cost $15,000. A Current Affair revealed details of her luxury overseas stay, as well as catching a refreshed-looking Gibson arriving back at Melbourne Airport with her partner by her side. This is the first time that Gibson has been confronted since her interview with 60 Minutes in 2015, which Gibson reportedly received $75,000 for. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> BUSTED! <a href="https://twitter.com/tinekae9?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@tinekae9</a> catches-up with Belle Gibson after she touches down from a luxury getaway... she asks why Belle still hasn't made any effort to pay her 410K fine. <a href="https://twitter.com/ACurrentAffair9?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ACurrentAffair9</a>. <a href="https://t.co/WlW0l9l6dh">pic.twitter.com/WlW0l9l6dh</a> — Jonathan Gwinner (@gwinnerism) <a href="https://twitter.com/gwinnerism/status/1100645341035032576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 27, 2019</a></blockquote> Gibson falsely claimed she had brain cancer and healed herself with natural remedies. She also lied to her supporters about donating money from her Whole Pantry app and her book sales to charities. One of these charities included a family whose son was suffering from the same inoperable brain tumour that Gibson herself claimed she had. Gibson was supposed to donate one week’s profit from app sales, or $150,000 to the family, but never ended up donating the funds. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BlcU_udDzfK/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BlcU_udDzfK/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by QNA Investigations (@qna.investigations)</a> on Jul 19, 2018 at 11:00pm PDT </div> </blockquote> Justin Lawrence, of Henderson & Ball Lawyers, told A Current Affair: “There can actually be another situation where she’s taken back to court and wheeled out from court to the jail cell,” he said. “That can happen, and this is not fake jail, jail in her (Belle’s) own mind. This is real jail. “The court understands when people can’t pay, that’s different to circumstances where they won’t pay.” What do you think? Let us know in the comments.

Legal

Outrage as council leaves residents without water or air-con during heatwave

Mt Isa residents will be left without a working air-conditioner for two weeks, through the blistering heatwave, at the hand of their local council. A two-week maintenance program is requiring water supply to be switched off on a Queensland street. This water outage will impact up to 30 residences whose water supply is linked to their air conditioning source – meaning the heat will become even more unbearable for residents. The council told residents the water supply would be switched off for up to six hours per day over the next two weeks. Temperatures throughout this time are expected to hit scorching levels, reaching to 42 degrees most days during the maintenance period. “You will experience no or low pressure and/or discoloured water, you are advised to run taps before using for drinking or washing,” the Mt Isa council said in a statement issued to residents who will be impacted during the outage. Urs Mueller, 62,<a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/council-leaving-residents-without-water-air-conditioning-heatwave-040931276.html"> told Yahoo 7 News his home's air-conditioning</a> relies on a constant source of water to run. This is much like other residents who will be impacted by the water being switched off. “What happens if a fire starts outside or in the kitchen? We can’t get a hose to put it out,” Mueller said. “I pay my rates… I don’t want to die at home in a hot house.” The maintenance work is a “city-wide, long-term initiative that will allow for better distribution and flow of this precious resource,” the council said. Mueller says if the issue is not resolved, he plans on protesting with his neighbours and storming the council offices. “I can assure you that no property will have water shutdown for six hours per day for two weeks, however we have given each property an indication of the timings of the scheduled works and will be keeping in communication with any property should we require the disruption of water service,” a spokesperson said.

Caring

Con-artists swindle $150K from Aussies: Don't fall for these fake celebrity scams

Scammers are using images of popular celebrities to swindle Aussies out of almost $150,000. From Cate Blanchett’s anti-ageing lotion to Eddie McGuire’s erectile dysfunction pills, unsuspecting people are being deceived by fake celebrity endorsements. Since the start of the year, fake celebrity endorsements have increased by a huge 400 per cent. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's (ACCC) Scamwatch website received almost 200 reports this year alone with the losses of victims totalling $142,000. Those aged 45 years and older account for 63 per cent of victims of the celebrity scams, while women are also more likely than men to be deceived by the advertisements. The scams appear on social media platforms as online advertisements or promotional stories and use the image and often fake quotes from a celebrity to give credibility to the product being sold. Victims are then asked to hand over their credit card details to sign up for a “free trial” of the product, which either never turns up or has difficult contract terms to back out of. Celebrities who have been exploited by scammers include <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/technology/it-s-a-scam-carrie-bickmore-warns-of-face-cream-hoax-on-facebook">Carrie Bickmore</a>, Delta Goodrem, Kyle Sandilands, Lisa Wilkinson, Meghan Markle and Shark Tank’s Steve Baxter. ACCC deputy chair Delia Rickard said most people who have fallen for the scam this year lost between $100 and $500, but one victim was swindled of more than $50,000. Ms Rickard said tech giants, such as Facebook and Google, were responsible for not being diligent enough. “Most of the reports to Scamwatch involve these scam advertisements running on Google ad banners or as ads in Facebook news feeds,” Ms Rickard said. “These tech giants must do more to quickly suspend ads, as every time consumers click on a scam ad, they are at risk of losing money.” Recently, Channel 9’s Sonia Kruger's image was used in a number of ads selling a facial cream. “It’s a relief to see the ACCC step in with regards to this issue,” she told <a href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/">The Daily Telegraph.</a> “It’s very concerning that Australians are being duped into parting with their hard-earned money on the false belief that these products have been endorsed by Australian celebrities. Facebook and Google should block these ads.” A Google spokeswoman said advertisements that violated its polices would be removed, while Facebook Australia and New Zealand’s head of communications, Antonia Sanda, said false and misleading ads are also being disabled. “From January to March 2018 we took down 837 million pieces of spam, nearly 100 per cent of which we found and flagged before anyone reported it,” she said. “We also disabled about 583 million fake accounts — most of which were disabled within minutes of registration.” To avoid being caught up in a celebrity scam, the ACCC encourages all online shoppers to research a company before they hand over their details. “It is vital to research and read independent reviews of the company. Consumers should verify celebrity endorsement of products from the celebrity’s official website or social media account,” Ms Rickard said. The ACCC said if someone falls victim to a fake celebrity endorsement, they should contact their bank, arrange a chargeback and stop any further debits to their credit card. Have you spotted any of these celebrity scams while scrolling online? Let us know in the comments below.

Legal

Steve Price's rant on The Project over plastic bag ban: "This is a bloody con job!"

Steve Price has received backlash after delivering an on-air rant about the plastic bag ban while on The Project. Last night, the Australian radio presenter declared in the bizarre interview: “This is a bloody con job!” At the beginning of the interview, Price argued how useful single-use plastic bags are when he needs to pick up dog poop in his backyard. “I want to see these greenies from the inner suburbs of Melbourne and Sydney, slothing around with their netted bags, to nick off and leave me alone so I can go shopping properly,” he said on the show. “I can’t put my dog poo in a see-through bag. “What people do is, take them (single-use bags) home and put their garbage in them and put them in their bins or use them to pick up dog droppings. I used four today.” Price accused supermarkets of being hypocritical for only banning single-use plastic bags, as he pulled out plastic cutlery and a plastic bag for bananas that he picked up from an unnamed store. Price then displayed a graph of “countries polluting the oceans most” and passionately waved it at the screen. “China, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bangladesh, Brazil and the United States, we’re not even on the list,” he said. Some viewers accused Price of being petulant about the ban which aims to reduce waste. “Aldi has been doing the bag thing for ages, the others are just catching up. Also you can buy a roll of dog poo bags… easy,” one viewer wrote on Twitter. Another asked, “How are the other countries relevant? So are you saying it’s ok for us to pollute if it’s less than them?” However, there were some viewers that agreed with Price’s tirade. “I agree with Steve. Bring back the plastic bag.” Woolworths is leading the charge of the ban, with free grey plastic bags no longer available in stores as of yesterday. Coles will remove all single-use plastic bags from stores nationally by July 1. Steve Price’s outburst follows some sustainability experts questioning the ban. “The single use plastic bag ban is a positive step to try and reduce resources but that’s tempered by the fact people need to use reusable bags wisely,” Trevor Thornton, a lecturer in hazardous materials management at Deakin University, told <a href="https://www.news.com.au/technology/environment/climate-change/steve-price-lets-fly-in-an-onair-rant-about-the-plastic-bag-ban/news-story/31d7b96af22cfa9d9461ebc04a63ff37" target="_blank">news.com.au.</a> UNSW’s Professor Sami Kara, who specialises in sustainability and life cycle engineering, said that while the ban was useful, it was a “short-term solution”, reported news.com.au. What are your thoughts on the plastic bag ban in supermarkets? Let us know in the comments below.

News

The pros and cons of solo slumber

Beds are no longer just places we rest after a hard day slogging away in the fields: they’re sites for reading, dreaming, movie-watching and all manner of activities beyond the seven-to-eight-recommended-hours of sleep that they’re made for. A big bed means plenty of room for you and others, but as nice as it is to snuggle in with a loved one or pet, you may find yourself wondering if bigger isn’t necessarily better. A study by the University of Leeds and Silentnight found that 29 per cent of people surveyed reported sleep quality poor due to tossing-and-turning partners, and that it affected their health and work the next day. If that’s not concerning enough, consider this: a study by University Hospital Case Medical Centre in Ohio found that a dodgy night’s sleep can give you bad skin and increase the risk of dehydration, leaving you not just cranky but crinkly! Surely it stands to reason, then, that the obvious answer is to live it up like Lucy and Desi and get separate, single beds… right? Think about it: in a single bed, there’s room for you and only you. No sleepovers with friends, no partners to stake out mattress real estate from, not even room for Puss or Fido to curl up (at least, not without the real possibility they may be accidentally booted off during an especially energetic dream). Well, not quite. See, as much as a single bed might seem like a handy deterrent to overcrowding (don’t tell Bob Marley), it turns out that for all the occasional complaints about sheet-stealing, snoring, and 3am alarms set for international sports broadcasts, the benefits of sleeping with a partner or a pet far outweigh the negatives. Studies have shown that getting a good night’s sleep together helps couples get along with each other during waking hours. What’s more, research into co-sleeping has found that sharing a bed with someone else can lower cortisol, aka “the stress hormone”, reduce cytokine-related inflammation (which can lead to heart disease and other disorders), and give you a hefty dose of oxytocin, which can reduce anxiety, boost empathy and generosity, and help couples bond. Living the single life? Don’t worry: a BBC2 documentary found that dogs and cats also produce oxytocin when spending time with their human friends. The study was vague enough about where that quality time occurred that we’re willing to bet that “letting the dog sleep on the bed” also counts as an oxytocin-booster for both parties. So whether your bed-mate is human or animal, and whether your mattress is a custom-made Brangelina giant or something a little more plebeian (or even if you caved in and downgraded to a single), sharing a bed is good for you. Turns out that old song Ten In the Bed wasn’t so much a childhood nursery rhyme as it was a guide to healthy living. Written by Clem Bastow. Republished with permission of <a href="http://www.domain.com.au" target="_blank">Domain.com.au. </a>

Home & Garden

The pros and cons of Apple’s iCloud Photo Library

Lisa Du is director of <a href="https://readytechgo.com.au/" target="_blank">ReadyTechGo</a>, a service that helps people gain the confidence and skills to embrace modern technology. There seems to be lots of confusion around iCloud Photo Library, so it’s the perfect topic for us to look into today. With more and more photos being taken using our smartphones, photo management is becoming a very popular topic. If you have an Apple device, you may have been wondering what iCloud Photo Library is all about, and whether you should use it. iCloud Photo Library lets you upload images you have taken on your Apple devices to Apple's Cloud Service called "iCloud". What does it upload: <ul> <li>Photos</li> <li>Screenshots </li> <li>Imported photos from cameras and other photos you have added to your Photos Library on your Mac</li> </ul> What is the cost? <ul> <li>Apple provides each apple user 5GB of storage for free (this storage is shared with other iCloud services such as backups)</li> <li>After the initial 5GB. you will need to choose a monthly plan to increase your iCloud storage </li> </ul> The Pros: <ul> <li>Easily "Sync" photos across devices - This means if you take a photo on your iPhone, and you have "iCloud Photo Library" turned on, you will see this same photo on your other Apple devices such as: iPads and Mac </li> <li>Access your photos from anywhere! If you don't have an internet connection, you will see a low-resolution thumbnail of your pictures</li> <li>Edit Photos from any device - iCloud Photo Library will sync your non-destructive edited images across your devices. This means you can start editing an image on your iPhone, and finish the touch ups on your Mac</li> <li>Optimised Storage - This means the high resolution photo you took on your iPhone will be uploaded to iCloud Photo Library. The version you see on your iPhone is a low resolution thumbnail (thus saving physical storage on your iPhone). To get the high resolution image, you can download it from iCloud </li> <li>Backup - The goal of iCloud Photo Library is to back up your photos. If you device malfunctions, or is lost, you can retrieve your photos by signing into your iCloud account </li> </ul> The Cons: <ul> <li>Confusion - Confusion lies around photo backups. Think of iCloud Photo Library like your cloud emails. If you delete an email on your iPad, it is gone from your iPhone. Same with iCloud Photo Library. If you delete an image off your iPhone, it will deleted from all other devices </li> <li>Storage Cost - You will get 5GB for free, but to utilise additional storage, you will need to pay. 50GB storage costs $0.99 a month, 200GB costs $2.99 per month, and 1TB will cost $9.99 per month </li> <li>Can't choose what images to sync - Like it not, it's all or nothing! You can pick some images to stay locally on your device</li> <li>All Apple - These photos are all tied to Photos for iOs or Photos for Mac. To use photos in other programs, you need to export them out of Mac Photos </li> </ul> The conclusion: iCloud Photo Library is a great tool for photo backup, but you do need to understand that it will cost money to manage all your photos. Yes, you have 5GB of free storage, but the average person has more than 5GB of photos, so it's difficult to stay on the free plan. Although Cloud Storage is reliable, always back up your photos to a physical device as well... just in case! Do you use the iCloud library? How do you find it? Let us know in the comments below.

Technology

This simple air-con trick could save you thousands in extreme heatwave

As our nation faces fierce heatwaves, Aussies battle over the thermostat in order to secure the perfect temperature. Our nation has grown accustomed to setting thermostats at such low temperatures that many people are left wishing they had brought jumpers with them when they go on trips to the cinemas and shopping centres in summer. However, our excessive use of the air-con is not only wasting us money but is also damaging to the environment. Tony Crabb, national head of research at real estate services firm Savills Australia, said that if the heat is too unbearable to turn the air-con off, you should at least adjust the settings to one temperature in order to save money, He suggests setting the thermostat to 25C in summer and 19C in winter. He explained that thermostats across the world are generally fixed at 22C, which he believes is costing the economy billions of dollars and producing hundreds of thousands of unnecessary carbon. Mr Crabb believes that if everyone stuck to the 25C and 19C rule, Australian businesses would save $100 million and 300,000 tonnes of carbon every year. “The built environment is heated and cooled to a fixed 22 degrees regardless of the temperature outside,” he said during a TEDx presentation. “It turns out, that’s the thermal comfort level of a 44-year-old man. It was decided by the Americans in the 1950s, and it’s been that way ever since. “While human beings adapt to heat or cold by wearing more or less clothes, we don’t ask our buildings to adapt. “The [22-degree setting] is so embedded in the psyche of the world that it’s legally written into leases,” he said. “But why? The thermal comfort level of a human being depends on whether they’re male or female, what age they are, whether they’re tall, short, fat or skinny. There isn’t one-size-fits-all.” New research by finder.com.au found that Aussies waste an average of 244 minutes or 4.1 hours per day in energy by leaving their air-conditioning running. “The typical split cycle air-conditioning unit consumes around 5.0 kWh and costs around 2.7 cents to run per minute,” said Angus Kidman, energy expert at finder.com.au “This might not sound like much but a full night’s sleep with the air-con running can cost close to $13.” Mr Kidman said that reducing air-conditioning usage by just half an hour a day could end up saving households up to $72 over the three months of summer, while keeping the air conditioning running while not at home adds $578 to each quarterly energy bill. What temperature do you set your thermostat? Let us know in the comments below.

Money & Banking

The pros and cons of moving house

In an era of infinite choice, the idea of packing up in pursuit of happier times tempts many of us. Yet for such an important decision, there is a surprising lack of research to guide us. What should we weigh up in making the choice? A 2016 study by <a href="https://www.originenergy.com.au/about/investors-media/media-centre/helping-customers-move-home-quicker-and-easier.html" target="_blank">Origin Energy</a> suggests Australians relocate an average 13 times over a lifetime. <a href="http://www.roymorgan.com/findings/6899-australians-not-sold-on-moving-house-201607210902" target="_blank">2016 Roy Morgan research</a> found 40.7 per cent of Australians over 14 years had been living in the same house for a decade or more. A more mobile 24 per cent had lived at their address less than two years. So, why do we move, and is the grass always greener in a new backyard? <a href="http://www.pedrodiaz.com.au/" target="_blank">Pedro Diaz</a>, founder of the <a href="http://www.mhri.com.au/" target="_blank">Mental Health Recovery Institute in Australia</a>, says while our reasons for moving range from the dire (like escaping abuse) to the more prosaic (such as boredom), moving is essentially about searching for a better life. <a href="http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/2071.0main+features702012-2013" target="_blank">ABS data</a> reveals leading motives for moving include family reasons (like family breakdown or moving in with a partner), finding more suitable housing, employment or study. A more mobile lifestyle is associated with renting, younger age groups, young families, and affluence. Some, like 31-year-old IT strategist Soren Reichelt, thrive on the vigour and adventure of a new location. Since leaving home at age 17, Reichelt has lived in 15 different houses within Australia, changing residence on average once a year. For the past two years he’s rented a house in Kew, Victoria, by far the longest he’s lived anywhere. “The thought of moving is horrible, but a fresh environment is attractive,” he says. “I like the fresh place, setting it all up and exploring the community. Kew has grabbed me though. It has the best of everything.” Reichelt attributes his mobile lifestyle to being predominantly single. “When you part ways, I’m the one that packs up and starts again. In some cases I had purchased homes and moved out of them when renovating or sold. It was easier to live somewhere else than live in the mess.” Others, like Pam Garfoot, prefer to stay put. Now in her 60s, Garfoot has spent the majority of her life in Canberra, and 26 years in one house, a decision she credits to family and work commitments. In 2012, Garfoot and her husband downsized and retired to Lake Macquarie. “That old house was like a key player in our family story,” she recalls. “You can’t ever replace that. Ultimately, we needed to move somewhere more suited to our circumstances. It does broaden horizons, and also forces you to have a good old clear out of your belongings!” But is moving good or bad for you? Diaz says moving “becomes a problem when the person doesn’t want to move and is forced to”. Frequent relocations in childhood are associated with poorer wellbeing in adulthood, particularly in people with more introverted, moody or highly-strung personalities, according to a <a href="http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2010/06/moving-well-being.aspx" target="_blank">University of Virginia study</a>. “Moving can be unhealthy if it’s being used as a means to escape responsibility or dealing with problems,” Diaz says. “They manage to take the edge off things by moving, only for these issues to later reappear.” He says, those with an internal locus for happiness tend to be happier. “Staying put in one location is no indication of happiness either,” he adds. “It simply means you didn’t move.” Unsurprisingly, a change of residence is included on the <a href="https://www.stress.org/holmes-rahe-stress-inventory/">Holmes-Rahe Stress Inventory</a>, a list ranking life’s most stressful events. Although, given rewarding occasions like weddings are highly stressful, that shouldn’t deter you. Unless, you’re in the midst of major stress. Joanna Fishman, Director of <a href="http://www.couplecounselling.com.au/" target="_blank">Associated Relationship and Marriage Counsellors, Sydney</a>, says they often receive calls from people who mention moving house as a factor in their stress. “For most people, their home is a tangible expression of their sense of safety and security,” she says. “Unfortunately, whilst moving house is symbolic of a fresh start, it can’t ever change who you are.” What is certain is that moving costs time and resources. Each move consumes time equivalent to 16 working days, according to the <a href="https://www.originenergy.com.au/about/investors-media/media-centre/helping-customers-move-home-quicker-and-easier.html" target="_blank">Origin Energy study</a>. Multiply this by 13 (the average number of moves over a lifetime) and that’s about half a year’s worth of time. On the upside, <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/304031913_The_Relocation_Bump_Memories_of_Middle_Adulthood_Are_Organized_Around_Residential_Moves">research by the University of New Hampshire</a> and <a href="http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/news/view/265969-breaking-bad-habits">Cardiff University</a>, respectively, has found the freshness of relocating to a new place can boost memory, break entrenched habits and promote positive change. How many relocations are desirable? It’s a matter of individual preference, Diaz says. Historically humans moved a lot to survive. “We have many examples of cultures around the world that are nomadic. Moving doesn’t have to be traumatic. For many people, it’s natural.” Written by Linda Moon. First appeared on <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/%20" target="_blank">Domain.com.au</a>.

Home & Garden

The pros and cons of hop-on hop-off bus tours

They are an instantly recognisable sight in just about every major city – the brightly coloured double decker tourist bus. But are they worth it? We look at the pros and cons of this travel option. PROS Easy, easy, easy If you like your travels to be simple, then these tours are the way to go. There’s virtually no chance you can get lost. You’ll get your ticket, a map of the stops and a friendly driver calling out the location over the loudspeaker. Some even come with an audio tour that will guide you along the route. No muss, no fuss. <img width="498" height="245" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/35550/image__498x245.jpg" alt="Image_ (201)"/> Good value Public transport can be expensive in many cities, especially when you are just buying single trips. A hop on, hop off bus will usually cost no more than $30 for a 24 hour pass and allow you to see the whole city. Time is of the essence If you have limited time in a destination, then these buses are a great way to pack everything in. They will hit all the highlights that will be on your list, so you won’t waste time trekking around town looking for them. You will also get to see many others during the drive around. The companies have planned the route to avoid backtracking or delays and the buses come very regularly, so you can do (almost) everything on a tight schedule. <img width="498" height="245" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/35551/image__498x245.jpg" alt="Image_ (202)"/> Access all areas Many cities (especially in Europe in Asia) aren’t set up well for people with mobility issues. It can be a nightmare trying to make your way along cobblestone streets or down endless flights of stairs to the subway. Hop on, hop off buses are great for people in wheelchairs or who just need a bit more help and will give easy access to the best sites. CONS The crowd crush Because of the above reasons (and more) these buses are popular. That means they can get extremely busy, especially at key times of day. You could be left struggling to find a seat and have to wait for the next bus to come, which is particularly annoying if you are on a strict timeframe. All stops Stopping at all the major tourist sites is a good thing, but it can also mean these journeys take a really, really long time. If you are just trying to get from point A to point N (and aren’t that interested in the things in between) you will probably be better off getting public transport or a taxi. Work out what you really want to see and what would be the best use of your time before you buy your ticket. Are you for or against hop-on hop-off bus tours? Let us know your experiences in the comments below.

Travel Tips

The pros and cons of booking a tour

There are pros and cons to every travel style, so do you want to take the lead or let someone else be in charge? These are the questions you need to ask before you decide. 1. Where are you going? If you’re travelling in a safe, developed country where you speak the language (or a lot of the local population can speak English), then you’ll find it easy to go it alone. As long as you feel confident you will be able to organise your travels and get around on your own, then eschew the tour. On the other hand, some countries are more difficult for independent travellers. There might be safety issues or a serious language barrier. In that case, having the services of a trained team to make all the arrangements and escort you every step of the way is worth it. 2. How much do you want to spend? As a general rule, tours will be more expensive that independent travel. You’re paying a premium for the all-inclusive service that gets you from door to door and covers everything in between. If you’re on a tight budget, you’ll get better value travelling on your own. You can hunt out the best deals and aren’t committed to paying for a lot of pricey activities up front. A good alternative can be to travel on your own but then join a small tour for a specific activity, such as trekking with gorillas in Uganda or hiking to Everest base camp. 3. How much time do you have? Tour companies are experts as squeezing in as much as possible in a restricted time. If your schedule is tight you may be able to get more out of a destination or fit in more countries with the expert services of a tour. If you’re more flexible, travelling on your own gives you the freedom to do what you want, when you want. If you fall in love with a place you can choose to stay longer or if you’re less than impressed you can pack your bag and be off the next day. 4. Who are you travelling with? If you’re travelling solo, the prospect of going somewhere on your own can be daunting. A tour gives you a ready made set of travel buddies. There are even specialised companies that offer tours for singles so you won’t feel like the odd one out. If you’re travelling in a group already, a tour is probably a waste. You’re better off using a travel agent to organise your own group discounts, which will give you more freedom and save you money. What’s your take? Is it worth booking a tour or should you just travel solo? Share your thoughts in the comments section below. Related links: <a href="/travel/international/2016/09/10-of-the-most-spectacular-islands-in-australia/">10 of the most spectacular islands in Australia</a> <a href="/travel/travel-tips/2016/09/travel-experts-reveal-best-and-worst-airports/">Travel experts reveal best and worst airports</a> <a href="/travel/travel-tips/2016/09/6-rules-to-get-the-most-out-of-a-stopover/">6 rules to get the most out of a stopover</a>

Travel Tips

The pros and cons of being a tall traveller

During our around-the-world trip, whenever I (Andrea) needed to locate my travel pal (Jabin), I simply looked up. No matter where we were - a crowded landmark in Mumbai, a boisterous outdoor market in Hong Kong, a hectic airport gate in Madagascar - Jabin's treetop head usually cleared the crowd by at least six inches, if not a foot. The risk of losing track of him was as low as misplacing a baby giraffe in Times Square. Depending on the situation, Jabin's height - a stately 6-feet-5 (1.98 metres) - was a blessing or a curse, an advantage or a disadvantage. In Mumbai, for instance, he slammed his head into a road sign that most people couldn't even touch on tippy-toes. At Victoria Peak in Hong Kong, he simply raised his camera over the mob of tourists and captured an unobstructed panorama of the skyline. By comparison, all of my images were photo-bombed by blockheads and selfie sticks. As we hopped from country to country, Jabin noted the pros and cons of life as the Travelling Tall Guy (TTG). Here are his observations: Cons <ul> <li>No space for limbs on airplanes. I am often woken up by people and beverage carts hitting me in the elbow or legs. It's a very rude awakening. There's just never enough room.</li> <li>Parts of my body are always falling asleep on planes, even in business class.</li> <li>I duck to avoid branches and insect habitats on hiking trails. I walked face-first into a spiderweb in Madagascar.</li> <li>I sleep diagonally on beds smaller than queen-size.</li> <li>I tilt my head sideways to use an airplane bathroom.</li> <li>I usually rent a more expensive mid-size car or larger. I can rent smaller, but it just kills my legs.</li> <li>I squat for ID photos, such as at the immigration counter at the Mumbai airport. The eye of the camera is set too low.</li> <li>I order luggage with an extra-long handle. With the shorter handle, the bag hits the back of my foot and flips over, causing a traffic jam.</li> <li>Cab drivers must move their seat up to accommodate my frame.</li> <li>People stare and ask to take a picture with me. I was swarmed by photo-seekers at the Gateway of India in Mumbai.</li> </ul> Pros <ul> <li>I can reach luggage hiding in the dark recesses of a plane's overhead luggage compartment.</li> <li>I can stop and retrieve items rolling down an airplane aisle with my feet (example: Andrea's cup on an Air Seychelles flight).</li> <li>I have a better vantage point for taking photos. In Madagascar, I lifted my arms over my head, and the lens was eye-level with a lemur resting in a tree.</li> <li>Every two or three of your hiking steps equals one of mine.</li> <li>As someone who is mildly claustrophobic, it is nice to have my head above the crowd.</li> <li>I easily cross streams without assistance.</li> <li>I earn upgrades. Domestically, I can use my tall-guy status to get better seats. People take sympathy on me, including friends. On the red-eye from Seychelles, we were given one business-class ticket due to overbooking. TTG scored the more spacious seat because Average-Height Girl felt bad.</li> </ul> Do you know any tall people who haven’t let their size get in the way of their travel plans? Let us know in the comments! Written by Andrea Sachs. First appeared on <a href="http://Stuff.co.nz" target="_blank">Stuff.co.nz.</a> Related links: <a href="/travel/travel-tips/2016/07/the-real-reason-your-luggage-is-lost-in-transit/">The real reason your luggage is lost in transit</a> <a href="/travel/travel-tips/2016/07/what-to-do-with-your-pets-when-on-holidays/">What to do with your pets when on holidays</a> <a href="/travel/travel-tips/2016/07/crisis-averted-as-british-airways-jumbo-aborts-landing/">Crisis averted as British Airways jumbo aborts landing</a>

Travel Tips

The pros and cons of food box deliveries

Everybody enjoys a home cooked meal, but sometimes cooking a meal from scratch just isn’t possible. Writing up a shopping list and going to the grocery store isn’t easy for everyone. Perhaps you live a while off from the shops, lack access to a car or have loved ones at home that you need to take care of around the clock. Or, you simply may be time-poor or feeling under the weather. The disenchantment with the hassles that come with cooking is turning many people to fresh box delivery services. Rather than ordering take out, resigning yourself to microwave meals or opting for cheese on toast yet again, you can have fresh ingredients and fresh recipe ideas delivered right to your door. And you still get to enjoy whipping up a feast yourself. Over60 tried out local supplier <a href="https://www.pepperleaf.com.au/" target="_blank">“Pepperleaf”</a><a href="https://www.pepperleaf.com.au/" target="_blank"></a> to road test the experience of cooking without the shopping. Here’s what we thought. <img width="371" height="208" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/25627/insert-pep_371x208.jpg" alt="Insert Pep"/> How it works: The process starts by visiting the website, where you can order a plan that’s tailored to your needs. You can select the number of people eating, how many meals you want per week and your basic dietary preferences. You’ll get your ingredients on the following Saturday before 9am, delivered straight from the farm to your door in thermal grade packaging and insulated pouches. You can pop the ingredients straight into your fridge or pantry, and have a look through the recipe cards that have been provided in your box. Now, all you need to do is get cooking when you want to eat, no further preparation needed. Pros <ul> <li>Delivery is timely and ingredients are expertly packaged for ultimate longevity.</li> <li>The recipes are simple to make yet café quality, as well as being generally healthy.</li> <li>Recipe cards provide the exact quantities needed for 1-6 people, so healthy portion control occurs unconsciously.</li> <li>If you’re cooking for only a couple of people, you’re likely to have some of the ingredients left over as a bonus!</li> </ul> Cons <ul> <li>You always pay for convenience, so prices hover around $10-20 per meal. Although this is very good value, it is of course more expensive than buying groceries.</li> <li>Although you can choose basic dietary preferences, you’re not able to choose specific meals just yet.</li> <li>There is a list of “pantry essentials” that the recipes anticipate you already have. Read the list in your welcome pack carefully and don’t start cooking until you’ve double checked it. </li> </ul> The verdict While the service may be more expensive than store bought groceries, you simply can’t deny its charm. The experience strips back all of the mundane elements of cooking: no more planning and no tiresome adventures to acquire ingredients that stretch beyond the pantry door. It’s also a great way to bond with loved ones, as the recipes are so easy that even a grandchild (or perhaps a rather inexperienced cook) can help out. Plus, less cooking time means more time eating together as a family. The only real work involved? Figuring out what you will do with all your extra time. Would you be interested in trying something like this out? If you live in the metro areas of Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide, visit the <a href="https://www.pepperleaf.com.au/" target="_blank">Pepperleaf website</a> and use the voucher code COBRAM35 to get $35 off of your first order as well as a free bottle of Cobram Estate oil worth $40. Related links: <a href="/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/07/5-foods-you-should-not-store-in-the-fridge/">5 foods you shouldn’t store in the fridge</a> <a href="/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/07/food-scraps-you-should-be-eating/">The food scraps you should be eating</a> <a href="/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/07/how-to-clean-an-oven-with-a-natural-cleaner/">How to clean an oven with a natural cleaner</a>

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