scam-baiting
Joy sent me a link to a very funny website: 419 Eater. 419 is the section of the Nigerian Penal Code that prohibits fraud, and it has become synonymous with advance fee scams. We have all received emails with too-good-to-be-true offers from doctors, businessmen and deposed royalty in Nigeria promising us untold riches if we assist with a little advance money. Now, some devious folks are fighting back by running scams on the scammers.
There are several sites like 419Fun that chronicle the scam-baiting cons on the con men, but 419 Eater is the most comprehensive. It offers tips, an active advice forum and even a Mentor Programme (it's British) so that you too can become an expert scam-baiter. Better still is the archive where the best reverse scams are immortalized.
The goal of the scam-baiter is to extract revenge by consuming the time, money and hopes of the victimizer, and the best scam-baiters have elevated their sport to an art as this exchange illustrates. It is long, but it is the funniest thing I have read in a while. In fact, it accomplished the impossible by making me feel sorry for the Nigerian scammer target. Enjoy, and don’t forget to wish Joy a happy birthday tomorrow.
posted by paul @ 11:44 PM
2 comments
2 Comments:
I like the photo with the gun to the hamster's head! ;-)
look what I just got in the mail...
Dear Friend,
You may be surprised to receive this letter since you don't know me before; i got your contact in the cause of my serious search for a reliable foreign partner through a profile in which convinced me of your honesty. However, I am George Newman, my father was a businessman and also member of Sudan United for Reconciliation and Democracy movement that fought against the Government in Sudan North African.
I confide in you hoping you will not betray me at last; my most required concern is for you to recognize me as your brother while establishing a long lasting relationship for our future. Presently, I am in Dakar-Senegal with the sum of Eleven Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars (US$11.5m). My father realized this money before his untimely death through Diamond sales when S.U.R.D conquered one of the Diamond regions.
This money was kept under my father care for the purchase of arms from Ukraine, it was a situation of war so my father died and I consider it my chance and then move immediately to Dakar-Senegal where my late father Deposited this fund in a Fiduciary Trust Company for save keeping since then I have being looking for a nice business to invest this fund into and also a reliable partner to assist me with the transfer outside Dakar-Senegal. My aim of contacting you is to assist me in two ways
(1) To help and transfer the money to your country (2) to help me get a profitable business for investment in your country or anywhere in overseas all is base on your professional advice and acceptance to participate in this venture.
I am proposing interest of 15% for your help and 30% interest in any investments you finally confirms profitable and okay in your country, be rest assured of full compensation for any assistance you shall expertly render to me for the success of this transaction before and after.
Actually, I want to move the money directly to your custody from the fiduciary company here in. Please, confirm your acceptance of the offer to enable us discuss full details, agreed and have the package released and subsequent lodge the money to your account for security reason after which I will come over to your country for the investment, when I might have secured relevant traveling papers.
I look forward to your positive response and a healthy business relationship Thank you once more while counting on your understanding and mutual Co-operation. Please reply thru this private email address: george_newman@mail.az
Best Regards,
George Newman
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