It's a legit suggestion to not answer the phone, but Verizon (are they now a national replacement for what was ATT?) charges maybe $8 a month ,and seniors (and me) don't see a need for what SB free caller-id.

Changing one's phone number is also a good suggestion except that would mean calling all your old friends, doctors, relatives, etc.

You would think 60 calls a day would be sufficient motivation, but it was the early calls which netted the money, so I would think. How many of the old "boiler rooms" and Enron stock and "16 million left in a foreign bank by someone unrelated" type emails does a victum fall prey to?

The ruin to American lives also intermingles with the death of Jamaicans, as the story points out. And while the story mentions MoBay, there was a rumor (cap that to RUMOR) that a murder was of a person who picked up the $ in Negril (and I doubt it, but who has proof.)

What I do not understand is the talk of increased violence due to the lottery-money drying up. Do those people turn to robbery/murder because the big $ with little work become spoiled by the fringes?

Appearently the lottery money hasn't dried up, but I hope it is just a matter of time, same for anyone using a gun or the phone.

Which brings me to one phone call (876) which said that Negril is no longer the sleepy fishing village or hippy spot. (My wording) Since not everything makes the press, I hope some progress is being made by the police and the residents to fix it, which makes the newspaper only after a major event, and then only briefly.

Off topic, but I'm happy to say I haven't read of any stupid tourists injuring themselves jumping off the cliff.