Spreading the word

By joining our community you will have the ability to post topics and access other forums reserved for members. Registration is quick, simple and absolutely free. Join our community today by clicking here.

Master of Master Baiters Joined: 06 Feb 2008 Posts: 720

Went to a friend�s wedding this weekend met loads of faces old and new
When asked what I am doing work and social wise, I broached 419 baiting as my new hobby, I got a mixed reaction to this ranging from total ignorance of advanced fee fraud to �you need to get out more!�
I feel I did my bit, how do you spread the word?

Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 5:49 pm

A few weeks ago, I had to go and have some blood taken, and the phlebotomist and I ended up talking about email scams. Spreading the word, one medical worker at a time.

Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 5:58 pm

I have found that if the subject is mentioned as you did, another reaction is the deer-in-the-headlights look, followed by "I have heard of those but..."

The way I approach it is to put my audience (for lack of a better word) on common ground with me. I casually mention that I received a "scam email" and tell what it was. lottery, NOK, whatever, and get everyone talking. Pretty soon others are telling their own stories of receiving them, what they did, etc. That's when I bring up scambaiting and relate a few light scenarios. This has worked very well for spreading the word without boggling their minds... Very Happy

Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 7:52 pm

I like to flash my massive fake cheques in front of their faces in my local pub and offer to buy them a drink. I'm in UKland so we don't have the Feds on our case...yet.

That sort of gets them interested and then I can then try and explain WTF is going on. Some get it. Some don't. I don't push it . If they don't, sorry, but I warned you.

Master of Master Baiters Joined: 27 Jan 2008 Posts: 589

I think its a great idea to let as many people know about advance fee fruad as possable. I have warned my family and friends about it. Thumbs up

Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 9:16 am

I do not usually talk about baiting itself, except if I know the person well enough to know that it would be meaningful to mention baiting, i.e. if I think he/she would be interested in becoming a baiter too.
On the early days of my baiting hobby I did talk about it pretty openly, but found that people usually want short explanations and I never really found one that I would have considered satisfactory. It was either too simple to give good picture of baiting or then it was something that just begged for a longer explanation.
Add to the list the "But what if they come and kill you", "What if they hack your computer and steal your bank account" and my personal favourite, "They are fluffy kitty cats and you're racist" remarks. I dropped the habit pretty quickly.
Sure, back then I did ask them to visit Eater, because these questions are answered here, but I don't believe anyone ever did. They were too interested in their own prejudices to take the risk of actually finding out what we do and with whom Rolling Eyes

.

Now I just concentrate in giving general information about scams, mostly making sure that anyone around me won't ever come and say: "Guess what, I won a lottery I never participated in! How cool is that?!"
It's pretty easy to just start talking about them if the subject is about computers or Internet or something similar, because almost everyone in the world has received mails from lads.
Then it's easy to discuss the subject further, mentioning that there are other scams than the next of kins too. And to try to make a point about why it's not a good idea to think that only stupid people fall for the scams. Basic stuff for us, possibly useful information for them.

Even though many people don't always take it seriously (it's especially difficult to not to be annoyed when they snicker about victims and continue playing the ages old "yeah but victims are stupid and I'm super smart" record), I still think it's useful. When I bait a lad, I'm baiting just one lad of bajillions of lads. But if I get one, even one person who would have otherwise been potential victim to become aware of the scams, it's one victim less in the world. It's one less victims for all the lads in the world.

...Or at least this is what I keep telling myself. Carry on.

Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 9:31 am

I've learned that like certain wines, scambaiting is an acquired taste. Most people don't understand the twisted humor behind it so I don't bother even mentioning it unless I think there's a remote possibility of them understanding it.