‘Law & Order: Special Victims Unit’ Recap – ‘Economics of Shame’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT -- "Economics of Shame" Episode 26005 -- Pictured: Mariska Hargitay as Capt. Olivia Benson -- (Photo by: Virginia Sherwood/NBC)

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 2605 of ‘Law & Order: Special Victims Unit’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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It is definitely safe to say, that scams have evolved in the age of the computer. For now, unsavory individuals can use people’s lack of knowledge of technology to sucker them into handing over their entire bank account. Not to mention, phone scams are getting more advanced and even online dating, is now subject to the evils of scammers. Because anyone that’s used a dating app will tell you that now and again, someone they thought was a lovely individual, suddenly asked them for money or tried to scam them. Leaving us to wonder what’s still sacred when it comes to scamming and just how bad it could get. Especially on the dating apps since love, makes you silly.

Well, it just so happens that the next episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, takes the time to explore that very question. A feat that ‘Economics of Shame’ accomplished by introducing us to a big-time reporter named Kelsey who… hit the jackpot dating wise. For a guy she met online was sweet, caring, paid attention to her and her needs and basically swept her off of her feet. To the point where she was taking part in romantic acts that she normally didn’t. Such as sending a spicy picture or two to him… and then things went south real quick. In that, he suddenly threatened her with the release of those photos, and a recording he made of them being intimate… unless she paid him fifty grand.

Which put her in the darkest place imaginable, and had it not been for Captain Benson, who knows what would have happened. But Benson was able to cool things down and take on the case, which involved a disturbing extortion ring. Wherein the victim, someone with money and someone with a lot to lose… fell in ‘love’ with an actor. Who would basically take them on the same ride they took Kelsey, and since speaking up meant trouble… few said a word. But Benson was determined to find the parties responsible and bring them in. Thankfully, through some clever sting operations, they were finally face to face with a pair of brothers that were happy with this work and had desire in stopping this quest. In fact, they scheduled the release of Kelsey’s ‘penalty’, threatening her job.

But thankfully, the team did get everyone behind bars, and they were able to press charges and Benson figured out how spin this to save Kelsey’s career. Bringing to a close, one ugly case. One that informed us… that this kind of scam could be an utter disaster with the right person in charge of it. For with a good tech team and some smarts, they could indeed pull off what happened here and hurt so many in the process. Which gave rise to a chilling episode in a way, one that informed us we are in a brave new world and a strange new frontier. Where perhaps… we should take our time and really dig into the life and times of someone we meet online, just to ensure that they aren’t what Kelsey ran into. But that will take time since online dating promises us… love right now.

Which is an important lesson from an episode that featured more. Since it really did inform us that scammers love to prey upon a lack of knowledge or a particular need and there’s a lot, we can learn from that. Not to mention it also spoke to how we should be careful as to what we share online so we don’t become targets. Which is also easier said than done since we share with the world and that’s a thrill. But all that aside, this was a great episode through and through. One that really offered up an engaging case with high stakes and some hideous violations of privacy and hopefully the lessons will stick for the audience and those still looking for love out there in the digital world, are a touch more vigilant when everything seems a little too good to be true. Until next time.

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