education or literacy

A few hours ago, I was talking to an IT officer(the taxman) who commented that most financial scams are perpetrated by educated people. I could not resist myself and said that he is probably referring to the literate and not the educated.

There are quite a number of literates in the world but few educated. However, there are also a few educated who are illiterate. Interestingly, it took me a while to understand that difference especially since everyone was always talking of literacy and not education. Even our government does little about education and does only a tad better about literacy. I know of many literates who are uneducated and at the same time many illiterates I consider more educated than myself.

The IT officer nodded his head in quick understanding of the subtle distinction.

Now I am awaiting another meeting with the tax officer.