It may be obvious, but plenty of people do it. Whether it's odometer fraud like in the article, or taking up smoking because your friends are doing it, plenty of people are pressured into things they feel they shouldn't do. The author found it difficult to say no, in part because they were family.
I think something which makes such situations difficult, is that the other party, having decided to commit crimes, take drugs, invest in a pyramid scheme, etc. has decided that the risk is acceptable to them (survivor bias probably comes into play here), and it can be difficult for them to empathise with someone who doesn't feel the same way.
I think something which makes such situations difficult, is that the other party, having decided to commit crimes, take drugs, invest in a pyramid scheme, etc. has decided that the risk is acceptable to them (survivor bias probably comes into play here), and it can be difficult for them to empathise with someone who doesn't feel the same way.