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Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 11:20 pm

How did we all first get involved in scam baiting and how did we find 419eater

Me for a while ive filled out the cloned website forms from "banks" and so on mainly for my own amusement, it first started when my now ex girlfriend nearly got phished but was very lucky, thats what prompted it first. Now its just for my own trolling fun.

I found 419 eater via a wikipedia article about internet scams and so on, and im very glad i did Very Happy

Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 11:41 pm

To be honest: I don't remember! I was surfing the net one late Saturday night last October, and around midnight, I stumbled upon JoJoBean's epic K3vin Tony W1lliams bait. 4 hours later, when I finished reading it, I was hooked! The next day I found Eater, and 2 days later, I sent out my first ASEM. Smile

Thanks, JoJoBean - My hero! Laughing

Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 12:00 am

I remember stumbling on Cathartic Kate's Swedish chef bait. I thought it brilliant and lurked for a few months before i joined. I found Eater via another forum.

Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 12:18 am

I was pinged for $.12 and within days hundred of dollars worth of Dell gift cards had been charged to my account. I wound up on dslreports by Googling the mess. Someone there posted a link to one of NN's epic baits and I dropped by for a read. I'm still here. Very Happy

The reason why I'm hanging out in Fake Banks is a mystery. I had grown bored with slapping lads around -- I just don't have the imagination to keep them interested I guess. Last year's Eater Egg hunt (run by the lovely Ima) caused me to stumble into the FB forum. I was fascinated. I'm still there. Very Happy

Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 12:28 am

Yup, it was back in 2005, I'd just been diddled, kippered, dun out of me hard earned, blagged, (Scammed if you will).
I remember obsessivley googleing all related words and permutations in the vain hope of recovering some of my cash - or at least hearing tails of fiery retribution against that particular company. Found sweet FA of that.
Glad i found this place, it's been a real education, an eye-opener in a kick-myself sort of way. I don't think to myself anymore "How could i have been so stupid?" or "How can these people do that if they claim believe in god?". This place brought me belatedley crashing down to earth with the realisation of the dog-eat-dog nature of this world and the flexible way people use their "beliefs" for personal gain.
I think what got me hooked was the humour and showmanship of Shivver in particular, and a twisted sense of pleasure i got in seeing the tables turned. Guess those are the two things that kept me hooked too, the laughs and the lad pain. Twisted Evil

Is there therapy for this condition?

WOW, Shivver might be reading this!!! Either that or someone's hacked the admin accounts again.

insults and more · Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 3:37 am

I remember back in 2003 or so I was reading baits, and over the years occasionally bumped into Eater. It was amusing, but for some reason I never tried it.

Then, while reading the Achewood archives, I came across this story arc in which Ray scambaits. Something clicked, and I decided to go for it.

Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 3:55 am

^^

A thong?!

@piecrust, glad you found your way here. This *is* the therapy for that condition. Cool

Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 4:06 am

I was part of a Conservation Group that were researching Squirrel Populations in Britain, and I entered into Google "Demented Squirrel populations" and found Eater

It has been interesting ever since

Master Baiter Joined: 06 Jan 2011 Posts: 106

I was on a Forum, and a guy i know was being scammed in a pet scam. He soon caught on and started Baiting ( looking back Foolishly With his real Identity) and told us how he found websites that Does Scambaiting. After an afternoon reading a similar site, I was directed here. and well, The rest was history...

Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 6:12 am

About six months ago I was driving on the highway and saw a sign that said Lotta Burger. I decided to pull over and grab a bite. As I was walking in some kids were playing red rover In the parking lot. I went up to one of the kids who seemed slightly out of it and asked if the burgers were spot on here and they said ima going to tell you the truth they are good but small so you can't eat just Juan. I grabbed a bite then headed over to the bar next door. I sat next to a share cropper who kept rambling on about the wizard of oz and how hot Dorthy was.
I looked over and saw a pretty lady at the other side of the bar. I felt a little nervous and needed a shot of courage so I ordered a Cuervo straight up. I was lucky she seemed to be ready and willing. All it took was a little song from the music man to get her in the mood. Unfortunately after further investigation I found out "her" name was Gus and when I got close I realized "she" needed a razor for her five o'clock shadow.
I decided I needed to crash for a bit and the hotel down the street looked as good as a place as any. I walked in and the hotel clerk looked like he just saw a ghost. I asked him what's wrong? He said you look just like my dead brother Ted! I said how did he die? He told me it was tragic. He died by the way of a purple people Eater.

Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 9:52 am

A friend put me onto Scamorama after I'd been doing some amateur baiting for a while. I followed a link to Eater and, well, that's it.

Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 11:29 am

I don't remember. Well I remember that I got into all that 419 stuff from one czech 419 site (it's either non existing now, or my shitty memory is not able to get the address right). I guess I stumbled upon that site.

It was no big deal, no forum, no in-depth info basically it was short straightbaiting guide with some ethic and safe baiting rules laid out. Not sure if I googled and found eater or there was link here on that site, but somehow I got here as well. and, well.. that is.

bravo95 wrote:

About six months ago I was driving on the highway and saw a sign that said Lotta Burger. I decided to pull over and grab a bite. As I was walking in some kids were playing red rover In the parking lot. I went up to one of the kids who seemed slightly out of it and asked if the burgers were spot on here and they said ima going to tell you the truth they are good but small so you can't eat just Juan. I grabbed a bite then headed over to the bar next door. I sat next to a share cropper who kept rambling on about the wizard of oz and how hot Dorthy was.
I looked over and saw a pretty lady at the other side of the bar. I felt a little nervous and needed a shot of courage so I ordered a Cuervo straight up. I was lucky she seemed to be ready and willing. All it took was a little song from the music man to get her in the mood. Unfortunately after further investigation I found out "her" name was Gus and when I got close I realized "she" needed a razor for her five o'clock shadow.
I decided I needed to crash for a bit and the hotel down the street looked as good as a place as any. I walked in and the hotel clerk looked like he just saw a ghost. I asked him what's wrong? He said you look just like my dead brother Ted! I said how did he die? He told me it was tragic. He died by the way of a purple people Eater.

Bravo!

Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 3:24 pm

I read an article about Scamorama, after researching a 419 I'd received.

After reading the baits there I found this place, the rest is history.

Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 3:50 pm

Bored at work. Searched something like "What to do when you are bored at work" and lo and behold, there was Eater!

At first it was just reading the exploits of Shiver and other early baits. Then I moved to lurking on the forum and read, read, reading. Then I got what I thought was a golden opportunity. Started my first bait, a vlad of all things! I've been hooked ever since.

Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 3:53 pm

Almost exactly the same as Yastreb and Roycropper. I found my way to Scamorama, decided "I could do that!" -- and did. After posting a couple of baits there I eventually found my way to Eater and have been tormenting lads ever since.

Baiting Guru Joined: 31 Jan 2007 Posts: 12237

Juan Freizwidatt wrote:

Almost exactly the same as Yastreb and Roycropper. I found my way to Scamorama, decided "I could do that!"

Ditto.

Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 5:27 pm

Read Misha Glenny's book McMafia and although I was aware of 419 scams existing, I didn't know them by that name or have in-depth knowledge of how widespread and damaging they are. Started googling out of curiosity for more information. Ended up here and found a way to fight back. Signed up at the beginning of last November. Kept going.

Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 7:20 pm

Actually found 419eater through Wikipedia. Was bored and going through random articles there. Read the article about the 419 scams. At the bottom of the article was a section about scam baiters, which had the link to our page. I first just read the baits that Shiver and others did, then eventually the voices in my head told me to join.

That's why you are all blessed with the presence of Bart Fargo

Baiting Guru Joined: 03 May 2007 Posts: 18313

I never received scams to my own email accounts and didn't know what advance fee fraud or 419 was. A friend emailed me a link to Eater and said: "This seems like something you'd get a kick out of". (I sure did!)
I read the letters archive off and on for a couple of weeks before finding and reading the forum and deciding "I could do this too!". I read everything to help me get started and started baiting a week or so before finally registering.

Posted: Thu Feb 10, 2011 1:55 am

Like Ima Baeder I never got any scam email, just a couple phishing things reportedly from my bank and pay pal, which I reported to the respective bank and pay pal.

Then I retired with plenty of time on my hands when I discovered Eater and was loaned a copy of Greetings in Jesus Name!: The Scambaiter Letters and dove right in baiting. (That is the short version)

Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2011 7:55 pm

I was fascinated about a Telex that came into the office at my Father's business.
This was in 1980 / 81. It was a classic NOK.
Later in life, I came across a man who actually fell for a scam and travelled to Nigeria. Shocked

I never got many scam emails but was always fascinated. I came across Eater more than once and one day I decided to stay.

Much to the delight of the squirrel. Smile

Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2011 10:31 pm

We did Phishing scams in my ICT(computing) Lesson at school, i was searching around for examples and found 419eater, read some in the archive and was hooked.

Posted: Wed Feb 16, 2011 2:22 am

Like some others, I started out reading posts at Scamorama, migrated here and was awestruck by the Shiver's skill and artistry. I haven't looked back.

Posted: Wed Feb 16, 2011 2:39 am

I usually just told scammers to go away. Then on a Yahoo group someone posted something that bustedupcowgirl wrote and I started looking and found Eater.

I stay because the pay is better than any other site.

Posted: Wed Feb 16, 2011 2:53 am

I was looking for a fun forum with no fussing. Laughing