A lot of Chinese people messaging me on Skype

[White Israelite]

I keep getting messaged on Skype by Chinese saying "Hello my name is blah blah, I would like to improve my English with you, what is your name?", it's kind of creepy because I get a lot of these. They will try to call me speaking in broken english, i'm all for a discussion but some of the questions they ask seem to be rather personal. I know censorship in China is really strict and the government owns the telephone lines so they try to prevent people from using online voice services or VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol), are they that isolated or are they trying to reach out to people or help? Is there another scam involved that i'm not aware of? Let me know your opinions.

[Shamgar]

Be very careful WI. I use Skype extensively as I have staff outside the US, so I leave it up all the time. I get a lot of trolling like you describe. They will make friends with you and over the course of time try to get you to divulge personal information. I usually block them when they try, but there are a hundred more to take their place.

[Rubystars]

I used to get a lot of messages from lonely Arab men when I would go into chat rooms frequently. They would private message and harass any female nickname. I just started telling them that I was only interested in white Christians and some of them told me I was really evil for that. lol Other times I just ignored it.

[Lewinsky Stinks, Dr. Brennan Rocks]

This sounds to me like a Chinese version of the various Nigerian scams we know and love. 

[Rubystars]

This sounds to me like a Chinese version of the various Nigerian scams we know and love. 

I think you're right about that C.F. They could be trying to hit him up for money. I never understood how people could be so stupid to fall for those things though. There's this guy Dave Ramsay I listen to on the radio sometimes who is a Christian person who helps people with financial advice and he's always getting calls from people who were scammed or whose relatives were scammed by this. I keep thinking... how in the world can you be so stupid?

[Americanhero1]

This sounds to me like a Chinese version of the various Nigerian scams we know and love. 

I think you're right about that C.F. They could be trying to hit him up for money. I never understood how people could be so stupid to fall for those things though. There's this guy Dave Ramsay I listen to on the radio sometimes who is a Christian person who helps people with financial advice and he's always getting calls from people who were scammed or whose relatives were scammed by this. I keep thinking... how in the world can you be so stupid?

Yes those people

[Lewinsky Stinks, Dr. Brennan Rocks]

The problem is that many Christians are filled with misplaced generosity, thinking that they are Biblically commanded to humor every Joe Schmo with a sob story of hard times. We're not. This problem has gotten worse lately, with the likes of shysters such as Rick Warren telling us our biggest priorities should be causes such as AIDS in Africa and world poverty and the like. This isn't true: Jesus even said that we will always have the poor with us (Matthew 26:11), in an effort to show us that this is not the only thing we should be concerned with. Nor did he say that everybody is worthy of our aid and attention; in fact, he explicitly said that the Fakestinians are not (Matt 15:26).

Anyway, that's my two cents.

[firster555]

 Guess I am giving away my age here but what the heck is Skype?

[Shamgar]

Skype (IPA: [skaɪp]) is software that allows users to make telephone calls over the Internet. Calls to other users of the service and to free-of-charge numbers are free, while calls to other landlines and mobile phones can be made for a fee. Additional features include instant messaging, file transfer and video conferencing.

[Rubystars]

The problem is that many Christians are filled with misplaced generosity, thinking that they are Biblically commanded to humor every Joe Schmo with a sob story of hard times. We're not. This problem has gotten worse lately, with the likes of shysters such as Rick Warren telling us our biggest priorities should be causes such as AIDS in Africa and world poverty and the like. This isn't true: Jesus even said that we will always have the poor with us (Matthew 26:11), in an effort to show us that this is not the only thing we should be concerned with. Nor did he say that everybody is worthy of our aid and attention; in fact, he explicitly said that the Fakestinians are not (Matt 15:26).

Anyway, that's my two cents.

We are supposed to help the poor though. It is true however that, for example, the United States as a nation has no responsibility to help Africa's poor.

[White Israelite]

The problem is that many Christians are filled with misplaced generosity, thinking that they are Biblically commanded to humor every Joe Schmo with a sob story of hard times. We're not. This problem has gotten worse lately, with the likes of shysters such as Rick Warren telling us our biggest priorities should be causes such as AIDS in Africa and world poverty and the like. This isn't true: Jesus even said that we will always have the poor with us (Matthew 26:11), in an effort to show us that this is not the only thing we should be concerned with. Nor did he say that everybody is worthy of our aid and attention; in fact, he explicitly said that the Fakestinians are not (Matt 15:26).

Anyway, that's my two cents.

I can understand people who are legitimately poor but there are a lot of scam artists and druggies out there who are parasites to society, I saw 3 people faking to be war vets in the past few days here that were claiming to be homeless, one was sitting in a wheel chair with a dog and the sign said "homeless man + dog, please help with money"
we followed him one day and he lived in a nice house with a car.
We are supposed to help the poor though. It is true however that, for example, the United States as a nation has no responsibility to help Africa's poor.

[SavetheWest]

I think as long as there is no money or personal info involved, they probably just want to practice English with a real live speaker. 

[angryChineseKahanist]

I've gotten that from various countries.
I would just ignore them. Dont give in to guilt. You owe them nothing.
I don't know what they want, but it really does sound like they just want to learn english.

The ones who call me on skype never asked anything really personal like SSN, or address. But who knows, maybe they're just building up to it. It's also a very slow painful way of getting personal information.
 

[White Israelite]

I think as long as there is no money or personal info involved, they probably just want to practice English with a real live speaker. 

That is possible, I have had Japanese talk with me on Skype and Paltalk who are improving their english, but Japanese aren't known for theft and they are quite isolated as I usually rarely meet any online. Japanese have been polite and never get too personal. I don't have a problem with Chinese, but when they start asking me things like pictures of myself and stuff like that, makes me a bit leery.

[Shamgar]

I think as long as there is no money or personal info involved, they probably just want to practice English with a real live speaker. 

That is possible, I have had Japanese talk with me on Skype and Paltalk who are improving their english, but Japanese aren't known for theft and they are quite isolated as I usually rarely meet any online. Japanese have been polite and never get too personal. I don't have a problem with Chinese, but when they start asking me things like pictures of myself and stuff like that, makes me a bit leery.

Just send them picture and email for American Hero... 

[Americanhero1]

I think as long as there is no money or personal info involved, they probably just want to practice English with a real live speaker. 

That is possible, I have had Japanese talk with me on Skype and Paltalk who are improving their english, but Japanese aren't known for theft and they are quite isolated as I usually rarely meet any online. Japanese have been polite and never get too personal. I don't have a problem with Chinese, but when they start asking me things like pictures of myself and stuff like that, makes me a bit leery.

Just send them picture and email for American Hero... 

What

[Shamgar]

I think as long as there is no money or personal info involved, they probably just want to practice English with a real live speaker. 

That is possible, I have had Japanese talk with me on Skype and Paltalk who are improving their english, but Japanese aren't known for theft and they are quite isolated as I usually rarely meet any online. Japanese have been polite and never get too personal. I don't have a problem with Chinese, but when they start asking me things like pictures of myself and stuff like that, makes me a bit leery.

Just send them picture and email for American Hero... 

What

American Hero, could you email me your picture?

[Americanhero1]

I think as long as there is no money or personal info involved, they probably just want to practice English with a real live speaker. 

That is possible, I have had Japanese talk with me on Skype and Paltalk who are improving their english, but Japanese aren't known for theft and they are quite isolated as I usually rarely meet any online. Japanese have been polite and never get too personal. I don't have a problem with Chinese, but when they start asking me things like pictures of myself and stuff like that, makes me a bit leery.

Just send them picture and email for American Hero... 

What

American Hero, could you email me your picture?

[Shamgar]

Quick Post. Was at #666!!!!   

[Americanhero1]

Quick Post. Was at #666!!!!   

You are the devil

[Shamgar]

Real Devil!!  The one and the same. Note similarities.

 

[Americanhero1]

Real Devil!!  The one and the same. Note similarities.

 

[Americanhero1]

Real Devil!!  The one and the same. Note similarities.

 

[SavetheWest]

I think as long as there is no money or personal info involved, they probably just want to practice English with a real live speaker. 

That is possible, I have had Japanese talk with me on Skype and Paltalk who are improving their english, but Japanese aren't known for theft and they are quite isolated as I usually rarely meet any online. Japanese have been polite and never get too personal. I don't have a problem with Chinese, but when they start asking me things like pictures of myself and stuff like that, makes me a bit leery.

Yeah..never give them your picture.  I've heard Nigerians and others will use your picture to seduce someone on the internet so they can use the address of person they seduce in the US for credit card fraud.  Paranoia can be good!