Scambaiting Article

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Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 10:20 pm

http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=f7c58ecd-2d57-406d-8244-d397c399ec76

Not quite a Newb Joined: 25 Mar 2008 Posts: 74

Nice article.

I am however a bit concerned about the facts that [i] the article doesn't mention that Eater does NOT condone cash baiting, and [ii] our work with de-educating the lads (thus indirectly warning potential victims) isn't mentioned at all.

Baiting Guru Joined: 03 Mar 2006 Posts: 7103 Location: Yes

Very nice! Thumbs up

Seems like the reporter was at least willing to listen to our side of things.

This however:

Quote:

Dr. Connie Varnhargen, a professor of psychology at the University of Alberta, studies how people interact online. She questions the ethics of scambaiting.

"I don't like vigilantism in any situation," she says. "People can get hurt, and they can get in the way of police."

How can we get in the way of the [vast majority of] police when the police don't do anything?? Yet another "professional" who speaks of something she knows nothing about.

Anyway, great interview. Very Happy

EDIT: Inserted bracketed language to be accurate.

Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 10:36 pm

Oh yeah I noticed that "Dr. Connie Varnhargen" knows all about Scam Baiting Smile

after all she is a Doctor you know Rolling Eyes

Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 10:37 pm

Very nice.

Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 10:51 pm

Nice reading...but much too short for my liking...
Interesting which examples are mentioned : the MPFC "Dead Parrot" on YouTube...the sleigh trophy pic...and generally ridiculos sign photos, so that´s what the passing visitor remembers most. Smile

Not quite a Newb Joined: 14 Jul 2005 Posts: 41

Quote:

vigilantism

:sigh:

Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 10:55 pm

Well done,though I do question just what police we get in they way of.Another prime example of "always be a victim,the profressionals must handle everything"

Not quite a Newb Joined: 25 Mar 2008 Posts: 74

^^
Was thinking about the same thing myself.

As the article puts it, IMO it sounds like we all are baiting merely for "fun and giggles", which is definately not the case. A mentioning of our cooperation with, for instance, Scamwarners and aa419.org would have been nice (especially the bit about bank account killing).

But on the other hand, I bet that the journalist had a "limit" on how long his article should be, and he therefore kept in what he thought was essential.

This is not to be meant like a criticism of Rover's quotes in this interview (quite the opposite, if I may say so!), but I'd suggest that the issues above should be emphasized in future interviews.

Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 11:29 pm

They print what they want! - This is the power of the press.

Front page news today ....... 10th page small print retraction tomorrow!

Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 11:45 pm

Rover wrote:

Oh yeah I noticed that "Dr. Connie Varnhargen" knows all about Scam Baiting Smile

after all she is a Doctor you know Rolling Eyes

Yeah, but:

Quote:

Rover, a 42-year-old cryptologist with a PhD in computer science,

So Dr. Rover what is her PhD in?

Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 1:42 am

The Man wrote:

So Dr. Rover what is her PhD in?

According to the article....

Dr. Connie Varnhargen is a professor of psychology at the University of Alberta

Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 1:59 am

i just googled her and wow,she has been a very busy person.
she is a very well read person with years of vast experiences in a few
subjects.

worth looking into her.

Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 2:03 am

hahaha! I just did a Google on "Dr. Connie Varnhargen" and came up with one article!

Off course in a day or two there will be two! This one and the scam baiting article!

Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 2:10 am

^^^^^
click on the 'did you mean to search for.........'

and up she pops

Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 2:15 am

I see that. Pity she has not read up on scam baiting.

Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 4:27 am

Clearly her knowledge is very questionable, but it's still good as it gets the word out.

Chuck Norris Joined: 11 Jun 2007 Posts: 1369

Rover wrote:

hahaha! I just did a Google on "Dr. Connie Varnhargen" and came up with one article!

This is because the article misspells her name. It is actually Varnhagen:

Link

A lot more results with that search with her name actually spelled correctly.

Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 4:53 am

Personally, it looks like she threw out a general opinion with no research whatsoever! If your degree is in psychology, with areas of study in "strategies that relate to written communication skills and using and making sense of the Web," you might want to take part in that communication skill called listening (at it's most basic element... on the web I guess it would be called research).

Interesting lady though. Definitely well educated, although I think either she ran her mouth to quickly without giving it a second guess or research... or the media is cutting out facets of their interview with her.

Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 6:52 am

Can we play the ball and not the player, please? We are better than that. Smile

Besides, we have no idea what Dr Varnhagen originally said to the reporter or how she was edited.

Rover, great publicity. Very Happy

Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 8:27 am

full auto wrote:

the media is cutting out facets of their interview with her.

Hmm, they do have a tendancy to do that y'know.. Wink

All being said and done the fact that 419 scams are again in the public eye means that some potential victims will have become more vigilant.
Ultimately that has to be a good thing.

Nice one Rover... Thumbs up

Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 8:57 am

I like the 'Ads By Google' the article generates:, and the order of priority:

Quote:

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Good article, Rover Thumbs up

Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 11:29 am

Helps if I would have read the whole article.... Embarassed

Is nice that we get our information out there though. Nice article Rover. Hopefully a couple potential victims were saved by this.

Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 1:15 pm

JMRazor wrote:

Yet another "professional" who speaks of something she knows nothing about.

As useless as a lawyer.

Good article though. I don't really know why the psychologist is interviewed on something like that. Quite odd if you ask me.

Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 1:42 pm

jojobean wrote:

As useless as a lawyer.

Hey I resemble that remark!

I think we have some mods that are lawyers too.... I'll let them handle this one Wink