Friday, Sep. 25, 2009

Internet suspicion pays off

When I first heard people using such strange words as "Internet," "World Wide Web," "e-mail" and "chat rooms" (remember those?), I resolved that I would not be entering this strange new world.

I liked my typewriter, my dictionary, my pen and pencil, my paper. I did not need all this expensive new gadgetry to help me through the rest of my planetary life, no way, no how, not at my age.

OK, I spoke too soon. My bride and I finally got a computer about 10 years ago - after most everyone I knew already had one - and since then I have used it daily but in a very limited way.

I write this column on it. I read my e-mails and respond to some. I read a couple of Web sites for news and I Google stuff when I need to know more. Sometimes I use it to order plane tickets and books and to pay a few bills.

That's about it. No MySpace, no Facebook, no Craigslist. I guess I don't want my identity - ie., critical I.D. numbers - floating around in cyberspace any more than necessary. How do you prosecute a thief who lives in Nigeria?

I've also never sold or bought anything on eBay. I once wrote a column saying I prefer to buy from and support local people than to deal with faceless names.

I still believe that.

My son and his wife have sold and bought stuff on eBay. Friends have extolled its wonders.

Good for them.

Me? Nada. Zip. Nothing. I don't even know how it works. Something about bidding?

I know I sound like a Neanderthal, but right now I feel like a pretty smart Neanderthal.

I see from the news - yes, news on an Internet Web site - that authorities in England have uncovered a global conspiracy that has allegedly duped millions to puchase fake golf clubs and other goods on eBay.

"Nearly every major golf brand has been affected by the sale of counterfeit goods through the eBay accounts," said a British prosecutor, adding that fraud investigators at eBay called it "the single largest counterfeiting conspiracy yet uncovered on their Web site."

He said that between 2003 and 2008 criminals had distributed millions of dollars worth of counterfeit golf goods in the United Kingdom, United States, Australia, China and several other countries.

So you can see why I'm thinking I'm pretty smart.

I buy all my golf stuff at our local Martin's PGA Tour Superstore or Golf Dimensions. Not that I'm worried, but if something goes amiss, I know where to find both stores.