Ten years ago this town would’ve had more pity than this. Used to be, if someone was down on their luck, everyone knew them and tried to help. Now all it takes is a computer and someone with no conscience.

Last night, the local police department got word of an incident involving a woman who allegedly scammed a disabled man out of his savings. She used Facebook Dating as her platform, convincing him she was in trouble and needed financial assistance to get out of a fake relationship situation.

“That’s on them,” said one resident when I asked about it. “She should know better.” But the real story isn’t just the scam itself; it's how easy it was for her to take advantage of him, and how little support there seems to be from the community these days.

The man, who’s been described as vulnerable due to his disability, sent over a thousand dollars thinking he would help someone in need. But once he realized she was just taking his money, all he got back was ridicule and blame for being “dumb enough to send it.”

This isn’t the first time something like this has happened around here either. The ease with which people can take advantage of those who are less fortunate seems to be growing.

Back when I moved here, you could leave your front door unlocked and not have a care in the world. Now it feels like everyone’s out for themselves, even if that means hurting someone else. That’s what makes stories like this so sad.