How To Detect and Deal With Scams

WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:02.640 But there are things that you can do, that you can notice so that 2 00:00:02.680 --> 00:00:05.519 you can ask. I was thinking, how can I tell? Sometimes I've 3 00:00:05.519 --> 00:00:08.599 been fooled and I will tell you I've been fooled. So maybe I'm not 4 00:00:08.640 --> 00:00:12.320 the best person to suggest these things, but um, but there are some 5 00:00:12.400 --> 00:00:19.320 things that I think you can do to discern. I'm yours, I'm yours, 6 00:00:19.760 --> 00:00:26.719 I'm yours, and me Lord, I'm yours, I'm yours. I'm 7 00:00:26.839 --> 00:00:31.359 welcome to the Gospel centered pro life podcast, a podcast designed to equip, 8 00:00:32.079 --> 00:00:36.359 encourage and challenge you in pro life ministry, and always with a focus on 9 00:00:36.399 --> 00:00:47.799 the Gospel. Stay tuned. I felt your passh touch your heart. Use 10 00:00:48.000 --> 00:00:53.000 Me. Welcome back to the Gospel centered pro life podcast. Appreciate you guys 11 00:00:53.079 --> 00:00:57.439 joining us and, as always, we'd appreciate if you guys would share this 12 00:00:57.479 --> 00:01:02.600 podcast episode with family, ends anyone who would be blessed by it. And 13 00:01:02.640 --> 00:01:04.480 also want to cue you guys in on something we've talked about last couple of 14 00:01:04.519 --> 00:01:10.719 episodes, is the new website, revamped podcast website, Gospel centered pro life 15 00:01:10.719 --> 00:01:15.079 dot Com. It's a lot easier to search keywords for all the episodes that 16 00:01:15.120 --> 00:01:17.760 we have. So if you have a particular subject that you wonder if we 17 00:01:17.840 --> 00:01:21.280 covered Um that subject in a podcast episode. You can just search that. 18 00:01:21.959 --> 00:01:25.439 It's also easier to access the episodes on different platforms. So if you go 19 00:01:25.480 --> 00:01:27.239 into each episode, there's little tabs at the bottom if you want to listen 20 00:01:27.239 --> 00:01:30.719 to the episode on apple or spotify or whatever. There's little tabs there. 21 00:01:30.719 --> 00:01:34.879 It's pretty cool, so check it out. And there's also a feature that 22 00:01:36.040 --> 00:01:38.040 is on that website that, if you look at the bottom right hand corner, 23 00:01:38.079 --> 00:01:42.079 there's a little microphone and that microphone, if you push that, it 24 00:01:42.079 --> 00:01:47.359 will give you the opportunity to record a voice message to us. It'll get 25 00:01:47.439 --> 00:01:51.159 sent over and, uh, maybe it's some feedback on an episode, maybe 26 00:01:51.200 --> 00:01:53.280 it's a testimony that you have to share, maybe it's something that happened on 27 00:01:53.319 --> 00:01:57.959 the sidewalk, or maybe a testimony from the past, maybe your personal testimony, 28 00:01:59.040 --> 00:02:00.680 something like that. We'd love to hear that from you guys, so 29 00:02:00.799 --> 00:02:05.920 take advantage of that. And that's Gospel centered pro life dot Com. With 30 00:02:06.000 --> 00:02:08.560 that, we're gonna get right into this episode. So what's our subject? 31 00:02:08.639 --> 00:02:15.080 Vicky, how to detect and respond to scam MOMS. I hope that doesn't 32 00:02:15.120 --> 00:02:19.719 sound disrespectful. We love the MOMBS. It sounds weird, but some of 33 00:02:19.759 --> 00:02:23.199 them are fake moms. Okay, here's what we're talking about, guys. 34 00:02:23.879 --> 00:02:30.120 Especially in this day and age in post row America, as pro life organizations, 35 00:02:30.479 --> 00:02:32.360 we get hit from every angle. Right we're getting these threats. We 36 00:02:32.400 --> 00:02:36.800 did an episode about saying safe on the sidewalk because there's some threats out there. 37 00:02:37.199 --> 00:02:40.800 We also get pro abortion people that pretend to be moms that have chosen 38 00:02:40.840 --> 00:02:44.759 life. We even had one pro abortion person we reach out on our social 39 00:02:44.759 --> 00:02:49.759 media page saying that they're a former pro abortion person and now they've got religious 40 00:02:49.840 --> 00:02:51.639 or something. I can't remember how they worded it, but the way they 41 00:02:51.680 --> 00:02:55.520 worded it was obvious that they were not serious. They were trying to I 42 00:02:55.560 --> 00:02:59.199 don't know if they were trying to get information from US or they're trying to 43 00:02:59.199 --> 00:03:01.879 get I don't even know what their motive was. Who knows, but they 44 00:03:01.879 --> 00:03:07.360 were obviously they had even as their profile photo, like a stock image. 45 00:03:07.400 --> 00:03:10.319 That's really how we were immediately cued into the fact that this was some pro 46 00:03:10.400 --> 00:03:16.039 abort so there is some there's some scams. You had some scammer pro abortion 47 00:03:16.080 --> 00:03:20.280 person reach out to you and say that they were considering an abortion and you 48 00:03:20.319 --> 00:03:22.840 went back and forth with them on text for a while, for like a 49 00:03:22.879 --> 00:03:28.280 week. Yeah, so so it happens and I think, well, we'll 50 00:03:28.319 --> 00:03:31.080 talk about some of the principles, right. I knew you've you've done this 51 00:03:31.800 --> 00:03:36.680 and uh, dealt with this a couple of times, or at least several 52 00:03:36.719 --> 00:03:39.919 times. I mean several times, probably more than I even know. Yeah, 53 00:03:39.960 --> 00:03:44.159 and even heard one of our missionaries out in California say that someone came 54 00:03:44.199 --> 00:03:46.879 across their radar, I think called one of their numbers, maybe from the 55 00:03:46.919 --> 00:03:51.159 back of the pamphlet or whatever, and said that they were wanting help, 56 00:03:51.199 --> 00:03:53.639 but it was obvious that they were a pro abortion person or there was somebody 57 00:03:53.680 --> 00:03:59.319 that's wanted to do some either ask some questions, to get some information that 58 00:03:59.360 --> 00:04:01.400 they could use, a enst us or something like that. and Um, 59 00:04:01.439 --> 00:04:04.159 and this guy's discernment, he said, my discernment was telling me this person 60 00:04:04.240 --> 00:04:09.039 is not legit. So he just ignored it. So of course the Lord's 61 00:04:09.080 --> 00:04:12.639 on our side. We can seek the Lord. God can give us wisdom, 62 00:04:12.759 --> 00:04:15.720 God can help us circumnavigate these things, but there's also just some practical 63 00:04:15.759 --> 00:04:18.800 wisdom that we can give from you, gotta give to you, guys, 64 00:04:19.079 --> 00:04:21.680 from some of our experiences. So that's what we want to do. Just 65 00:04:21.839 --> 00:04:26.600 the first and foremost, just to have you guys radar up. Not everyone 66 00:04:26.680 --> 00:04:30.800 is legit, not not everyone that claims to be a mom that needs help 67 00:04:30.839 --> 00:04:34.279 because she's considering an abortion is actually a mom that's considering an abortion. Sometimes 68 00:04:34.839 --> 00:04:39.199 it's a pro abort sometimes it's someone trying to infiltrate or something like that. 69 00:04:39.240 --> 00:04:43.079 So just be aware of that. And so I tried to approach this subject 70 00:04:43.120 --> 00:04:48.120 from a very kind of logical, organized manner and thinking it through, because 71 00:04:48.319 --> 00:04:53.399 the gut response, I think of most of us is if they're a scam, 72 00:04:53.439 --> 00:04:56.639 if they're not real, we just hang up on them whenever or we 73 00:04:56.720 --> 00:05:00.920 ignore, we don't contact. I'm going to challenge that little bit. I 74 00:05:00.000 --> 00:05:03.480 don't think that should always be our response and I'm going to try and present 75 00:05:03.560 --> 00:05:09.279 the case why. Mostly why is because that's not what I do usually, 76 00:05:10.120 --> 00:05:13.120 but but that's not true. Sometimes I do. And so I wanted to 77 00:05:13.199 --> 00:05:15.240 lay out when do you engage, when do you not, and why? 78 00:05:15.480 --> 00:05:19.560 And the first honestly, the first question is why does it matter? Why 79 00:05:19.600 --> 00:05:26.600 does it matter that this is someone who is scamming or not, whether they're 80 00:05:26.639 --> 00:05:30.360 a fake mom or a real mom, because I will tell you the truth, 81 00:05:30.399 --> 00:05:33.680 if I'm going to engage whether I know, you know, I don't 82 00:05:33.680 --> 00:05:40.879 know necessarily whether they're real or not. I'M gonna say the same stuff anyway. 83 00:05:41.000 --> 00:05:44.800 I'm not going to change who I am or the truth of the Gospel 84 00:05:45.000 --> 00:05:48.079 or the truth of the humanity of the baby or the truth of the resources. 85 00:05:48.360 --> 00:05:56.000 Those are truth and so my message will be remain the same. But 86 00:05:56.040 --> 00:06:00.240 there are things we definitely need to be aware of and be cautious into that. 87 00:06:00.480 --> 00:06:03.879 Yeah, yeah, if we do what we do out of the truth 88 00:06:03.920 --> 00:06:09.000 of God's Word and we do it consistently with the convictions that we hold in 89 00:06:09.040 --> 00:06:12.439 our hearts, that we got nothing to worry about. You know, I 90 00:06:12.480 --> 00:06:16.680 was actually aware of and concerned about a couple of years ago some pro abortion 91 00:06:16.720 --> 00:06:23.079 people kind of Um doing some investigation into my life, into my family and 92 00:06:23.120 --> 00:06:27.240 stuff like that. Even think maybe they hired a private investigator or something to 93 00:06:27.279 --> 00:06:30.560 follow me to find the information about me. Yeah, it's because of some 94 00:06:30.600 --> 00:06:32.920 of the things that pro abortion people said. I'm like, how do they 95 00:06:33.040 --> 00:06:36.560 know that? You know, but I've been very plain about my past and 96 00:06:36.560 --> 00:06:40.519 what the Lord saved me from, and I'm also I'm like, okay, 97 00:06:40.759 --> 00:06:43.959 yeah, please, like follow me and check up on me, like please 98 00:06:44.000 --> 00:06:46.800 do, and you'll see a man who's consistent with what he says. You 99 00:06:46.800 --> 00:06:50.160 can go and interview my kids and sometimes a jerk to my kids, but 100 00:06:50.160 --> 00:06:55.199 I can tell you I'm consistent because I believe in Jesus. Jesus has changed 101 00:06:55.240 --> 00:06:58.279 my life. I don't have anything to worry about right. I've got nothing 102 00:06:58.319 --> 00:07:01.120 to hide. So please follow me, please. You know, infiltrate, 103 00:07:01.199 --> 00:07:04.879 you can infiltrate my home, and what you're gonna find out is I love 104 00:07:05.040 --> 00:07:09.120 my wife, I love my kids, I love Jesus and I love you, 105 00:07:09.360 --> 00:07:12.000 and I'm gonna I'm gonna Preach The Gospel to you. Right. That's 106 00:07:12.000 --> 00:07:14.639 how it is for us, like we've got nothing to hide. Even if 107 00:07:14.680 --> 00:07:18.399 we get some pro abortion infiltrator on board the mobile ultrasound unit, what are 108 00:07:18.399 --> 00:07:21.399 they gonna find? They're gonna find that we actually do all for a lot, 109 00:07:21.480 --> 00:07:26.319 that we do a lot of it. There's a real nurse, a 110 00:07:26.399 --> 00:07:30.480 real ultrasound, and it's not even an ultrasound of a chipmunk fetus like some 111 00:07:30.560 --> 00:07:35.199 have claim it's a real baby. We're consistent, if listen, if we're 112 00:07:35.240 --> 00:07:40.480 consistent and we do what we say we're gonna do, if we're consistent with 113 00:07:40.519 --> 00:07:44.319 the word of God, then we got nothing to hide and we got nothing 114 00:07:44.360 --> 00:07:47.480 to worry about. That's correct. However, given that, and and so 115 00:07:47.600 --> 00:07:51.319 live a life of integrity. Beod the Lord that that is critical for anyone 116 00:07:51.399 --> 00:07:57.399 in any Christian but I think even more so when you're in the ministry that 117 00:07:57.560 --> 00:08:01.680 is such a fierce spiritual battle. There's a skeleton in your closet that you're 118 00:08:01.800 --> 00:08:07.720 hiding because you're still living it. That's not good. That's going to be 119 00:08:07.839 --> 00:08:11.360 uncovered and that's that endangers you. It endangers the ministry. But it does 120 00:08:11.560 --> 00:08:16.040 matter, even though I'm going to speak to them in the same way. 121 00:08:16.600 --> 00:08:24.439 I would suggest you. It does matter for you to learn how to differentiate 122 00:08:24.560 --> 00:08:31.439 or discern a scammer versus a real mom, because in one case a baby's 123 00:08:31.480 --> 00:08:37.440 life is on the line and in the other case it's not, and so 124 00:08:37.960 --> 00:08:43.279 there is definitely a different sense of urgency in in those two cases, and 125 00:08:43.320 --> 00:08:48.200 I'm you know, it's going to change. Whether I talked to them during 126 00:08:48.240 --> 00:08:52.679 my dinner hour or whether I wait and talk to them the next morning, 127 00:08:52.720 --> 00:08:56.840 for example. Yeah, of course, realizing too that many of the people 128 00:08:56.840 --> 00:09:01.679 that listening to this podcast or volunteers and they don't have more than just a 129 00:09:01.679 --> 00:09:05.120 couple of hours a week to volunteer in this capacity. Their high school moms 130 00:09:05.200 --> 00:09:09.440 or they're working a full time job or whatever. So you have to determine 131 00:09:09.600 --> 00:09:11.919 if someone reaches out to you, let's say, I mean the scenario that 132 00:09:11.960 --> 00:09:15.159 we're speaking from is you've got your number, maybe a google voice number. 133 00:09:15.200 --> 00:09:18.039 That's what we encourage you guys to do. Put of a google voice number 134 00:09:18.039 --> 00:09:20.279 on the back of the brochures that you hand out of the abortion center. 135 00:09:20.320 --> 00:09:22.240 So maybe you've done that and you've gotten a text message. You're a phone 136 00:09:22.240 --> 00:09:26.879 call from someone and it could be a pro abortion person, it could be 137 00:09:26.919 --> 00:09:30.840 a mom that's considering an abortion. Right, you've got to determine if you 138 00:09:30.919 --> 00:09:33.080 think if you if there's a high likelihood that this is a pro abortion person, 139 00:09:33.320 --> 00:09:35.559 you can kind of pick up on some of the language that they use 140 00:09:35.679 --> 00:09:39.200 and and things like that. Um, then you've got to determine is it 141 00:09:39.240 --> 00:09:43.840 worth it for me to kind of bear with this conversation so that ultimately, 142 00:09:43.879 --> 00:09:46.639 I can show them that we're consistent and I can share the gospel with them. 143 00:09:46.919 --> 00:09:50.399 Or should I just ignore it? Right, because there's sometimes that you 144 00:09:50.440 --> 00:09:54.559 should, and maybe it's just seeking the Lord and asking the Lord for Wisdom. 145 00:09:54.559 --> 00:09:56.919 But at the end of the day, if it takes you off of 146 00:09:56.919 --> 00:10:01.320 the sidewalk, then you can't do it. You can't do it if it's 147 00:10:01.320 --> 00:10:03.919 a pro abortion person. Don't go back and forth of them. Don't waste 148 00:10:03.919 --> 00:10:07.519 your time. Just consider it giving pearls to swine. Jesus, that's a 149 00:10:07.639 --> 00:10:11.879 really, really important and good point. So, Um. So, anyway, 150 00:10:11.919 --> 00:10:16.559 I think we've we've lad the case that you should try to discern if 151 00:10:16.879 --> 00:10:20.360 who you're speaking with is authentic or not. Um, your radar will go 152 00:10:20.480 --> 00:10:24.879 up. I think if you're spiritually discerning at all, you will kind of 153 00:10:24.879 --> 00:10:28.360 feel that intuition, that radar that has been uh, kind of be being 154 00:10:28.399 --> 00:10:33.919 that something's off here, like you said, Um and, but there are 155 00:10:33.919 --> 00:10:35.679 things that you can do, that you can notice or that you can ask. 156 00:10:35.720 --> 00:10:39.200 I was thinking, how can I tell sometimes I've been fooled. I 157 00:10:39.240 --> 00:10:41.840 will tell you I've been fooled. So maybe I'm not the best person to 158 00:10:41.879 --> 00:10:46.919 suggest these things. But Um. But there are some things that I think 159 00:10:46.960 --> 00:10:50.639 you can do to discern Um and some of the questions. For example, 160 00:10:50.679 --> 00:10:54.200 one of the first things I will ask how did this mom find out about 161 00:10:54.279 --> 00:10:58.519 us? Because if they kind of Hem and Han they can't quite tell us 162 00:10:58.519 --> 00:11:01.519 how, then they probably found out about us while they were on the sidebox, 163 00:11:01.559 --> 00:11:05.840 standing across the, you know, the parking lot from us and they're 164 00:11:05.840 --> 00:11:09.000 a pro abortion person. So how did they find out about you? So 165 00:11:09.039 --> 00:11:11.919 if they text you, you can ask the question. Okay, great, 166 00:11:11.080 --> 00:11:13.759 good to hear from you. How did you find out about us? Right, 167 00:11:13.840 --> 00:11:16.480 and I always asked that. I do always ask that and I can 168 00:11:16.559 --> 00:11:22.159 usually gauge from their response. Sometimes that's the initial giveaway immediately, not always. 169 00:11:22.200 --> 00:11:24.799 So what are some of the answers that you've got? Um, well, 170 00:11:26.039 --> 00:11:28.320 uh, sometimes they have in hot I don't know, a friend of 171 00:11:28.399 --> 00:11:33.279 a friend, I think. And then you're already suspicious. I asked someone 172 00:11:33.320 --> 00:11:35.600 today that I thought could be a scammer. So how did you find out 173 00:11:35.600 --> 00:11:39.600 about us? And she said on, on the Internet, but then and 174 00:11:39.639 --> 00:11:43.360 then I pursued it. Oh, well, like what? And that's the 175 00:11:43.440 --> 00:11:48.240 thing. Don't just accept the first answer. Keep digging digging in and she 176 00:11:48.320 --> 00:11:54.639 said on on your website, and I said what website, and she said 177 00:11:54.639 --> 00:11:58.840 the love life website and then actually she said the love life facebook. So 178 00:12:00.320 --> 00:12:03.759 Um, there is enough detail at that point that I don't think she was 179 00:12:03.799 --> 00:12:09.519 a Scammera but like there were other things that you know. So Um. 180 00:12:09.519 --> 00:12:13.080 So, yeah, listen to what they say about about how they found out. 181 00:12:13.559 --> 00:12:16.840 Um, how did she how did they get your phone number? Because 182 00:12:16.840 --> 00:12:22.279 my phone number is not on the Um, on the facebook or on the 183 00:12:22.320 --> 00:12:26.399 website. But if someone has gotten my phone number, Um, and I 184 00:12:26.440 --> 00:12:31.240 do use the Google phone number, and then I always ask how did you 185 00:12:31.279 --> 00:12:35.320 get my phone number? Now, if they say it was on the literature 186 00:12:35.720 --> 00:12:39.519 that you give out, I'm gonna have to talk to her as though she's 187 00:12:39.559 --> 00:12:43.320 a real mom, because that could be legitimate. However, the pro abortion 188 00:12:43.360 --> 00:12:48.519 crowd also has that phone number. So I'm gonna air on the side of 189 00:12:48.519 --> 00:12:54.080 it being a real mom. Yeah, response is I got it on the 190 00:12:54.120 --> 00:12:58.639 internet or I got it. That's going to be immediately suspect because it's posted 191 00:12:58.679 --> 00:13:00.919 there. Correct. It is not. It is not. They would not 192 00:13:00.960 --> 00:13:03.799 have gotten it there. So Um, then my next question is usually why 193 00:13:03.799 --> 00:13:09.080 are you contacting me, what's going on and make it open ended. What's 194 00:13:09.120 --> 00:13:15.519 going on is often what I'll say, and you can tell sometimes from their 195 00:13:15.600 --> 00:13:20.159 response that it's made up and or they'll if it's a pro abortion person, 196 00:13:20.960 --> 00:13:30.000 sometimes what I'll hear is like every single objection to pro life. Yeah, 197 00:13:28.799 --> 00:13:31.279 yeah, I just want to lay it out right there, make you feel 198 00:13:31.279 --> 00:13:37.799 bad about even standing for life because their situation. I've been raped by my 199 00:13:39.039 --> 00:13:43.679 by my brother. Yeah, Um, and it's in a topic pregnancy. 200 00:13:43.879 --> 00:13:48.399 You know, it'll be kind of so off the wall. You know, 201 00:13:48.639 --> 00:13:52.159 every you can kind of tell that, okay, this is obviously not a 202 00:13:52.279 --> 00:13:54.519 mom that's really in need. But the good ones, and there are good 203 00:13:54.519 --> 00:14:01.840 ones, effective scammers and they will give usually a very legit amant um reason 204 00:14:01.320 --> 00:14:07.759 why they're contacting you. is she willing to speak by phone or only text? 205 00:14:07.440 --> 00:14:11.200 Okay, now, the ones that speak only by text are definitely more 206 00:14:11.279 --> 00:14:15.879 suspect, but on the other hand, in this day and age that's usually 207 00:14:15.919 --> 00:14:20.360 the preferred method of contact. But if they absolutely refuse to talk with you 208 00:14:20.399 --> 00:14:26.679 on the phone, that to me is a red flags flag. So, 209 00:14:26.799 --> 00:14:28.919 Um, what is her story and why is she seeking help? That's kind 210 00:14:28.919 --> 00:14:33.799 of what I said, why is she contacting you? But really delve into 211 00:14:33.200 --> 00:14:41.159 into that, ask a lot of questions is key in discerning it. Does 212 00:14:41.200 --> 00:14:45.799 their stories stay consistent? Yeah, and that's a way really to determine whether 213 00:14:45.879 --> 00:14:48.480 or not they're a scammer. Like if a woman is contacting you because she 214 00:14:48.480 --> 00:14:52.360 has a difficult situation, a day later she's not going to forget the details 215 00:14:52.360 --> 00:14:56.399 of that situation. So if you ask questions that are based on that previous 216 00:14:56.440 --> 00:15:01.159 scenario that she had given you and it's different the next day or something, 217 00:15:01.840 --> 00:15:05.720 it's it's pretty evident this person is a scammer and I don't know about you, 218 00:15:07.159 --> 00:15:11.200 but personally I think it's good just to plainly ask if you if you 219 00:15:11.279 --> 00:15:16.200 detect that they're trying to scam you. They're trying to again, what's the 220 00:15:16.240 --> 00:15:18.519 scam? They're not trying to maybe they're trying to get money from us. 221 00:15:18.559 --> 00:15:20.759 I don't know if that's the case or not, but most of the time 222 00:15:20.879 --> 00:15:24.320 been up to up to this point in my experience, that has not been 223 00:15:24.519 --> 00:15:26.120 the motivation. Most of the time they're just trying to waste your time. 224 00:15:26.120 --> 00:15:30.919 They're trying to whatever. They're trying to get information and all that stuff, 225 00:15:31.200 --> 00:15:33.399 but I don't think it's bad just to ask. Hey, you could word 226 00:15:33.440 --> 00:15:37.320 it like this. There's some pro abortion people that try to get information from 227 00:15:37.399 --> 00:15:41.080 us. Are you one of those people? Can you just be honest with 228 00:15:41.120 --> 00:15:46.960 me? Yeah, yeah, and we'll go from there. Yeah, I 229 00:15:46.000 --> 00:15:50.240 think sometimes the answer could tell you whether or not they actually are. I 230 00:15:50.240 --> 00:15:52.879 mean, if it's a pro abortion person, they're probably not going to say 231 00:15:52.080 --> 00:15:54.399 no, I'm actually a pro abortion person, not a not a woman in 232 00:15:54.440 --> 00:16:00.480 need of help. Um, but I think just plainly asking and the answer 233 00:16:00.480 --> 00:16:03.519 that you get, if it is a mom in need, she it could 234 00:16:03.559 --> 00:16:07.559 be a telling answer. Actually. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, so the 235 00:16:07.600 --> 00:16:12.159 direct approach is always an option and and sometimes that is that if they're lewd 236 00:16:12.240 --> 00:16:17.799 in any way, Um, which does happen sometimes, then I'll I'll alright 237 00:16:17.879 --> 00:16:21.519 say scammer and hang up on them if they you know, because I know 238 00:16:21.600 --> 00:16:23.559 that's not how a mom in need is going to be cheating me. And 239 00:16:23.639 --> 00:16:27.679 so there's a certain level of humility that a woman that reaches out to a 240 00:16:27.720 --> 00:16:32.039 stranger for help is going to have. Yeah, and if they lack that 241 00:16:32.200 --> 00:16:34.120 humility and they're just being, like you said, lude and crude and just 242 00:16:34.200 --> 00:16:38.200 throwing out rather than asking for help. All they're doing is throwing out accusations. 243 00:16:38.720 --> 00:16:41.960 Then, yeah, just don't waste your I do say I'm praying for 244 00:16:42.000 --> 00:16:45.639 you before I hang up, usually not that that makes much difference, but 245 00:16:45.679 --> 00:16:49.240 I do. Um, here's here's a tip off. Does she seem to 246 00:16:49.240 --> 00:16:53.840 be speaking the talking points of the pro abortion industry? So you start hearing 247 00:16:53.960 --> 00:16:59.000 language, not and I don't mean bad language, but these sorts of things 248 00:16:59.039 --> 00:17:04.039 that the Um pro abortion people say as accusations against pro life people. That's 249 00:17:04.039 --> 00:17:10.519 not a mom's not the language that kind of stuff. That would be a 250 00:17:10.519 --> 00:17:14.599 tip off. Exactly. You hear those sorts of things? Yeah, because 251 00:17:14.640 --> 00:17:21.240 against atomy, exactly, my body, my choice, or those kinds of 252 00:17:21.279 --> 00:17:23.559 things. Those are not what I hear from the MOMS. I do not 253 00:17:23.680 --> 00:17:27.160 hear those, and especially from my mom who's reaching out for help. Those 254 00:17:27.200 --> 00:17:30.720 are not the sorts of things I hear. Um. The last one I 255 00:17:30.759 --> 00:17:34.079 already mentioned Um, and there's others, but these are the ones right off 256 00:17:34.079 --> 00:17:37.079 the top of my head. Maybe you'll live some more, but really be 257 00:17:37.160 --> 00:17:42.200 careful about looking for inconsistencies and do the facts change when they're questioned further? 258 00:17:42.319 --> 00:17:45.839 Because those that's a that's a tip off that, if they're not a scam, 259 00:17:45.880 --> 00:17:52.160 they're lying, they're hiding. Something that happened today as as we counseled 260 00:17:52.160 --> 00:17:56.200 someone. So Um, we knew she was lying because the story just kept 261 00:17:56.279 --> 00:18:00.200 changing. and Um, I never call them a liar, or I really 262 00:18:00.279 --> 00:18:04.200 do, but I do keep asking questions and then I will deal with as 263 00:18:04.240 --> 00:18:10.480 I did today, with the issue of lying as a sin against God and 264 00:18:10.599 --> 00:18:14.799 an example that shows to me these are people who are not fully committed, 265 00:18:14.839 --> 00:18:18.440 they have not committed their life to the Lord. Yeah, yeah, now, 266 00:18:18.839 --> 00:18:22.519 of course, realizing that the moms that we minister to, who are 267 00:18:22.680 --> 00:18:26.880 legitimately in need of help, are prone to lying, they are changing the 268 00:18:26.880 --> 00:18:30.160 story, there's maybe some embarrassment or whatever there might be, or they won't 269 00:18:30.200 --> 00:18:34.000 tell you exactly what's going on, and so you have to dig a little 270 00:18:34.000 --> 00:18:37.799 deeper. But that is at least a yellow flag, if not a red 271 00:18:37.839 --> 00:18:41.599 flag. Exactly exactly. So, if you are convinced now you've you've maybe 272 00:18:41.640 --> 00:18:45.519 asked all these things and you've figured out, okay, they this is a 273 00:18:45.559 --> 00:18:51.279 scam. Um, we don't need to talk about about what to do if 274 00:18:51.319 --> 00:18:53.880 it's a mom in need. We've already dealt with that on many, many 275 00:18:55.000 --> 00:18:59.720 podcasts. Um. But if it is a scammer, I guess you know 276 00:18:59.759 --> 00:19:02.559 they're really are two choices. You hang up on them and you don't waste 277 00:19:02.559 --> 00:19:04.559 your time, or you decide to engage. And so I want to talk 278 00:19:04.599 --> 00:19:12.839 a little bit about Um, some thing's precautions. Don't do if you have 279 00:19:12.920 --> 00:19:18.160 figured out there a scammer, UM, text or call from a google voice 280 00:19:18.359 --> 00:19:22.400 phone. Member, don't use your own cell phone. I just found out 281 00:19:22.720 --> 00:19:26.720 from a safety expert that talked with us that any cell phone number can be 282 00:19:26.720 --> 00:19:30.759 traced to your home and so, knowing that, yeah, I'd be very 283 00:19:30.799 --> 00:19:34.319 cautious about especially if you've just figured out you're talking to someone who's a scammer. 284 00:19:34.880 --> 00:19:40.000 Hopefully you're talking to her already on a google voice phone or text. 285 00:19:40.480 --> 00:19:44.240 Um, don't give out personal information at all. You don't want them to 286 00:19:44.240 --> 00:19:47.519 trace where you live or who you are. If you offer to meet, 287 00:19:47.759 --> 00:19:51.160 which some some of our counselors do want to meet with the women that they're 288 00:19:51.160 --> 00:19:55.160 counseling, and that's great, but make sure it is a very public place 289 00:19:55.599 --> 00:19:59.599 where you know there's gonna be plenty of other people around. Um, don't 290 00:19:59.640 --> 00:20:06.079 give d tales on the ministry or yourself. Uh, be careful with accusations. 291 00:20:06.119 --> 00:20:07.680 Like I don't accuse them of scamming or lying. For one thing, 292 00:20:07.680 --> 00:20:11.559 it is possible I could be wrong. That has happened where I've accused them 293 00:20:11.559 --> 00:20:15.160 of being a scammer and they were not, and then I've lost, you 294 00:20:15.200 --> 00:20:18.200 know, an element of trust that I've worked hard to gain. So be 295 00:20:18.319 --> 00:20:25.599 careful. But then here's why I would engage with them. If you accuse 296 00:20:25.680 --> 00:20:32.599 them falsely or even rightly, you may lose the opportunity that maybe God has 297 00:20:32.680 --> 00:20:37.000 given you to save a soul. Of course we don't save the soul, 298 00:20:37.079 --> 00:20:40.920 he does, but that he has given you the opportunity to be used by 299 00:20:41.039 --> 00:20:45.799 him to speak. Yeah, yeah, and then again, like I talked 300 00:20:45.799 --> 00:20:48.319 about earlier, if we're actually consistent and we do what we say we're going 301 00:20:48.359 --> 00:20:52.480 to do and all the false notions that they have about us, that we're 302 00:20:52.599 --> 00:20:56.119 lying, that we force people to become Christians before we'll help them, those 303 00:20:56.200 --> 00:20:59.799 kind of things that they put out there, they're gonna actually find those things 304 00:20:59.799 --> 00:21:03.640 are true. You might actually win them over, maybe not to the Lord, 305 00:21:03.000 --> 00:21:07.240 but at least win them over that we're genuine people and that what we're 306 00:21:07.279 --> 00:21:10.880 doing is a legitimate ministry, that we actually are helping people. Yeah, 307 00:21:10.920 --> 00:21:15.559 and so when I'm in a text conversation, which is great because I've got 308 00:21:15.599 --> 00:21:18.440 the evidence of what I said and I can look back and think, is 309 00:21:18.480 --> 00:21:23.720 there anything I've said that is, Um, questionable and I'll correct it in 310 00:21:23.759 --> 00:21:30.720 the future. But Um, I do find these to be really rich opportunities 311 00:21:32.079 --> 00:21:37.119 to speak of the Lord and to speak of why they should value innocent human 312 00:21:37.160 --> 00:21:42.160 life in the womb. So, Um, I use the same three talking 313 00:21:42.279 --> 00:21:48.319 points when I know that it's a scammer as when I know it's a mom. 314 00:21:48.519 --> 00:21:52.480 But of course I would probably reduce the emphasis on resources because they don't 315 00:21:52.480 --> 00:21:56.319 really need them. It's good to mention them because if it is a Scammera, 316 00:21:56.359 --> 00:21:59.920 then they realize we do what we say we're going to do and we 317 00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:03.559 too and we are going to offer these resources. But if I'm talking in 318 00:22:03.599 --> 00:22:07.279 our three talking points, God, humanity, the baby and resources, if 319 00:22:07.319 --> 00:22:14.039 I'm sharing the Gospel and the humanity of the baby, hopefully something is gonna, 320 00:22:14.599 --> 00:22:18.480 you know, enter their soul and and maybe and maybe change your heart. 321 00:22:18.440 --> 00:22:22.680 Um. But something I discovered, because other people tell me, is 322 00:22:23.279 --> 00:22:30.119 especially if you're texting with them. screenshots of those texts could end up in 323 00:22:30.359 --> 00:22:36.039 hostile territory on social media. So is that a good thing? Might be. 324 00:22:36.440 --> 00:22:38.200 I think it could be. As long as we're consistent with the scripture. 325 00:22:38.359 --> 00:22:42.920 The word of God be being broadcasts right, right. So, but 326 00:22:44.279 --> 00:22:51.440 know that that could happen because be very careful, read your text carefully before 327 00:22:51.480 --> 00:22:55.799 you hit send when you're interacting with them. I don't know about your Serie, 328 00:22:56.000 --> 00:23:00.880 but my serie has a potty mouth. You would not. Yeah, 329 00:23:00.400 --> 00:23:06.000 and so I'll send text sometimes and then look back at it and I'm horribied 330 00:23:06.599 --> 00:23:10.799 what I have just sent. So do be careful, read over the text 331 00:23:10.839 --> 00:23:12.680 to make sure that they reflect. If you're part of love life, they 332 00:23:12.720 --> 00:23:19.519 better reflect what what we find to be true and good. Um. But 333 00:23:19.640 --> 00:23:25.000 be careful that you're above reproach, because they could be they could be made 334 00:23:25.160 --> 00:23:29.960 Um public and you certainly don't want to discredit your testimony as as a Christ 335 00:23:29.960 --> 00:23:33.880 follower or you know, in any way discredit God. Um. Oh, 336 00:23:34.039 --> 00:23:38.480 and I think that, no matter what, you should be respectful and kind 337 00:23:40.240 --> 00:23:44.960 because because you really might change her heart. Now, when the one that 338 00:23:45.039 --> 00:23:48.839 I interacted with recently it was for a full week and it was a big 339 00:23:48.880 --> 00:23:56.279 time investment and I wasn't completely certain. I thought she might be a scammer, 340 00:23:56.079 --> 00:24:02.960 but I wasn't certain. So I did continue for about a week and 341 00:24:03.279 --> 00:24:08.400 in the end Um she sent a photograph of a an aborted fetus, saying 342 00:24:08.480 --> 00:24:11.839 I just took the pill and I just took it. She took it like 343 00:24:11.880 --> 00:24:17.680 an hour before this picture. And there's there's this picture she sent me. 344 00:24:17.759 --> 00:24:22.680 Clearly off the Internet. I'd seen the picture of an aborted baby, all 345 00:24:22.759 --> 00:24:26.559 cleaned up and everything, lying on an ice clean tablecloth. A real mom 346 00:24:26.799 --> 00:24:30.079 who has first of all, if you've just taken the pill, that baby's 347 00:24:30.079 --> 00:24:36.599 not gonna be aborted for several hours minimum and probably not till the next day 348 00:24:36.680 --> 00:24:41.279 or further Um. And next you're not going to clean that baby up and 349 00:24:41.319 --> 00:24:44.119 you know, so the baby there's no blood or anything. It's just perfectly 350 00:24:44.200 --> 00:24:48.720 clean little baby on a nice clean tablecloth. So I knew it was a 351 00:24:48.759 --> 00:24:56.039 scam at that moment, but I chose to continue ministering to her the way 352 00:24:56.079 --> 00:25:00.480 I would minister to a post abord of women and Sharing The Gospel and and 353 00:25:00.720 --> 00:25:04.720 actually trying to build a relationship and she's still talking to me now. After 354 00:25:04.799 --> 00:25:07.720 she hears this, maybe she won't, because I've never said I know you're 355 00:25:07.759 --> 00:25:11.960 fake. I've never said that. Picture is that the best you could do? 356 00:25:12.039 --> 00:25:15.240 I've never said that, but I feel like God has put her in 357 00:25:15.279 --> 00:25:21.200 my path. The latest question she asked. She said that we were talking 358 00:25:21.200 --> 00:25:25.359 about believing in God and right before I went to bed, she said, 359 00:25:26.359 --> 00:25:27.519 she said, I used to believe in God. I said, well, 360 00:25:27.559 --> 00:25:33.759 what changed? And she said, Um, because I could not prove his 361 00:25:33.839 --> 00:25:40.039 existence to my children. And there was something about that that touched my heart 362 00:25:40.119 --> 00:25:45.960 because I'd been there. I knew exactly where she was on that spiritual journey. 363 00:25:45.160 --> 00:25:51.720 It might be fake, but I did address that Um and in fact, 364 00:25:51.799 --> 00:25:53.440 what I said I said, I'm about to go to bed, but 365 00:25:53.480 --> 00:25:56.079 I just want to put this out there. My brother is a scientist and 366 00:25:56.119 --> 00:26:03.359 he told me that gravity cannot be even, but only the effects of gravity. 367 00:26:03.559 --> 00:26:06.440 And she said, well then that's proof, and I said, and 368 00:26:06.480 --> 00:26:10.759 that's how I proved God and left it and I and I thought that. 369 00:26:10.880 --> 00:26:15.319 Let her stew in that thought for a little while and who knows where to? 370 00:26:15.559 --> 00:26:22.400 He knows what if the Lord in his awesome wisdom has ordained this conversation 371 00:26:25.079 --> 00:26:30.440 to bring that young lady to the Lord. It could be. We don't 372 00:26:30.440 --> 00:26:34.519 know what it is, but you know it could be and and so I'm 373 00:26:34.519 --> 00:26:40.039 always waying that when I'm engaging in these in these conversations, and I think 374 00:26:40.480 --> 00:26:42.799 you know, some of you would not have the time to do it. 375 00:26:42.880 --> 00:26:45.640 There are times I really feel like I really don't have the time to do 376 00:26:45.720 --> 00:26:49.759 this, but at this point I'm kind of feeling like it is from God, 377 00:26:51.000 --> 00:26:53.359 that God is saying continues. So until I get a clear direction, 378 00:26:53.440 --> 00:26:59.160 okay, it's time to end this discussion. I'll probably keep keep talking with 379 00:26:59.200 --> 00:27:03.000 her. Yeah. Well, guys, be in prayer for that young lady 380 00:27:03.119 --> 00:27:07.839 or man or whoever it is that Vicky's engaging with, and also just stay 381 00:27:07.880 --> 00:27:10.039 in prayer. God can give you, guys, wisdom. When you get 382 00:27:10.039 --> 00:27:15.599 people that come across your radar, they text you or they may be a 383 00:27:15.799 --> 00:27:18.079 message you on social media or whatever, and they could be scammers or whatever. 384 00:27:18.720 --> 00:27:22.839 God will give you wisdom. God can reveal that and as long as 385 00:27:22.839 --> 00:27:25.400 you're consistent, you've got nothing to worry about. Right, as long as 386 00:27:25.440 --> 00:27:27.279 you do what God's word says we should be doing. You've got nothing to 387 00:27:27.279 --> 00:27:30.799 worry about. God will use it for his glory. God's words going forth. 388 00:27:30.880 --> 00:27:34.400 God's word doesn't return void. So whether you're talking to a pro aboard 389 00:27:34.440 --> 00:27:37.799 that's pretending to be a mom that's pregnant need in need of help, or 390 00:27:37.839 --> 00:27:41.200 you're talking to a mom who's indeed pregnant and in need of help, either 391 00:27:41.240 --> 00:27:45.319 way, God's Word isn't gonna Return Void, and so we are praying for 392 00:27:45.359 --> 00:27:48.720 you, guys, and UH. I hope this podcast episode was a blessing. 393 00:27:48.759 --> 00:27:52.359 You, guys, please share this with your friends family members that would 394 00:27:52.359 --> 00:27:53.720 be blessed by it. Please reach out to us. You can reach me 395 00:27:53.839 --> 00:27:57.240 Daniel at Love Life Dot Org. You reach her Vicky, with a y 396 00:27:57.359 --> 00:28:00.079 at Love Life Dot Org. We'd love to hear from you, but until 397 00:28:00.079 --> 00:28:07.640 next time, God bless God, bless you all. Give me our life 398 00:28:07.759 --> 00:28:21.119 for love. Give me our life for gratitude. I know it will cost 399 00:28:21.240 --> 00:28:30.720 me my life. Nothing's too precious. Since I met you, M