Campaign Urges British Public to Abandon Politeness to Combat Scams
A national initiative encourages people to be less courteous on the phone, with a particular focus on protecting women from exploitation.
A new national campaign is urging the British public to set aside their ingrained politeness to protect themselves from fraudsters and potentially dangerous situations. The Take Five To Stop Fraud campaign highlights that British courtesy, characterized by a tendency to stay on calls and avoid abrupt endings, is being exploited.
A survey revealed that 53 percent of Britons remain on calls to avoid appearing rude, a stark contrast to 43 percent of Americans who do the same. The campaign, fronted by television personality Craig Revel Horwood, advises people to "master the art of impoliteness" and treat unsolicited callers with derision.
"We are being encouraged to jettison concerns about being polite; to treat unwarranted callers with the same derision as dancers who have just delivered a lacklustre cha-cha-cha," a campaign spokesperson stated, emphasizing the goal of giving people "permission to put protection before politeness."
This advice is particularly directed at women, who the campaign suggests may be more susceptible due to societal conditioning that prioritizes niceness. The author recounts a personal experience from 15 years ago where a combination of politeness and a desire to avoid awkwardness nearly led to a dangerous situation. After meeting a Canadian man briefly at a hostel, she agreed to meet him for a drink in London months later, despite feeling tired and preferring to go home. Her internal monologue, described as "Miss Polite," overrode her desire to decline the invitation. The evening escalated, with the man insisting on walking her home and then asking to come inside for toast. Despite growing unease, she acquiesced. He then asked to stay the night, which she reluctantly allowed. The situation culminated with an attempted sexual assault, from which she eventually escaped by fleeing her flat and seeking refuge in a nearby hotel.
This incident, she posits, illustrates how danger can arise not from unexpected encounters but through a gradual escalation enabled by a reluctance to offend. The author draws parallels between how fraudsters exploit politeness and how predators prey on female courtesy. Historical examples like Ted Bundy, who used a fake cast to appear vulnerable, and John Worboys, who offered drugged champagne to his taxi passengers, are cited as instances where manipulation of politeness led to severe harm.
Carrie Johnson's account of her experience with Worboys, where she accepted a glass of champagne and later vodka despite not wanting a drink, is presented as a perfect illustration of this dynamic. Johnson secretly poured the champagne onto the floor, demonstrating a subtle resistance to the perceived rudeness of refusal.
The article argues that this reluctance to cause discomfort is magnified in interactions with acquaintances, friends, or family members, who are responsible for the vast majority of sexual assaults against women. The core message of the anti-fraud campaign, "you have permission to put protection before politeness," is extended to these more personal and potentially more fraught situations.
The author plans to instruct her daughters to trust their instincts, referred to as the "ick," and to feel empowered to decline requests, set boundaries, and say no without apology, concluding that "while manners maketh the man, good manners can harmeth the woman."