Newbie question

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Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2011 1:04 pm

Hey guys,
It's my first post so please excuse me if this is a stupid question....

I have been using my catcher account to bait (I know I have just recently read that I shouldn't do this). Up until about a week ago I have been receiving a ridiculous amount of not too bright lads in the account who I have been baiting (not really well but I like to think that I have been causing them a bit of pain). Anyway for the last week I haven't received any lads at all in the account. I was wondering if I have been blacklisted (if there is such a thing, which by the way I am in two minds how I feel about that) or if there is some sort of lad down time at the moment. Do lads take scheduled weeks off from the hectic work they make us give them? Or has the latest season of "so you think you can scam" just started?

So do I need to start a new catcher account or is this normal?

Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2011 1:29 pm

Hello and welcome to Eater,

have you checked your spam folder? Most of them land there. Try more guestbooks or grab some lad from surplus.

Remember to read the stickies and Eater University

Master of Master Baiters Joined: 23 Mar 2006 Posts: 669

I agree with Jim - check your spam folder if you haven't already.

And don't feel like you're doing something wrong by baiting from your catcher account. I've done it several times myself. As long as the catcher account has no personal information tied to it, then no big deal. Smile

The only downside is that messages coming to you from your baits may get lost in the pile of spam. You probably understand that, but again, nothing wrong with doing it. Smile

You had asked about lads taking time off. Many seem to stop responding during weekends and at night, probably because they are using internet cafes to do their stuff. But there are those who are around into the night and on weekend says as well. So it really depends on who you're dealing with.

Baiting Guru Joined: 27 Mar 2011 Posts: 21158

With Xmas coming up, a few of my scammers are pushing for payment, gifts.

Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2011 2:06 pm

Oh ok I had read that it was bad to bait from the catcher account but didn't understand why. My catcher account is completly safe. I'll grab some stuff from the surplus and try to read more from the uni. Is there any articles or modalities there about getting those hilarious photos? It seems my baits always fall apart about the time I ask for a photo. Even when I have baited the lad for a few months and haven't asked for anything too ridiculous. Thanks heaps.

Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2011 2:51 pm

^^ it is very common to make mistakes during your first baits, don't worry about it

don't try to go for the big prizes, like safaris and photos, yet, I would stick to straightbaiting

have you applied for a mentor?

Master Baiter Joined: 03 May 2011 Posts: 237

I bait from my catcher account. I refer to it as my baiting account. No personal details attached whatsoever, and using Hushmail so my IP is stripped from the header. As for spam; I rarely get any mail that isn't 419. Seriously, 99.9% of all e-mails I've received since I opened the account (must be in the thousands by now) have been from a Nigerian banker or a dying cancer patient or some barrister or other. No shortage of lad-mail in my inbox waiting for my attendance. Twisted Evil

Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2011 3:14 pm

yeah I applied but none were available

Master Baiter Joined: 03 May 2011 Posts: 237

According to the site there are 27 mentors available, and 13 mentee positions available. You should be able to get onto the programme. I personally never bothered with it, however. Not through arrogance or any kind of hubris; I just wanted to tough it out independently and ask for help on an ad hoc basis.

Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2011 3:23 pm

Welcome to eater, Santostfm. You may have applied before making your first post. The mentoring system currently lists 13 open positions. Now that you have made a few posts, apply again for a mentor and you should get one promptly.

As far as baiting from the catcher account goes, the only problem is just that it can get difficult to keep your baits straight when new emails from your lads (and their multiple characters) get mixed in with newly arrived scam emails. I find it much simpler to forward a few scam formats from my catcher to a different addy and bait from there but it is up to you.

here · Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2011 3:24 pm

^^^^^
keep trying, it's well worth getting one

if you use GMail check out the stuff in labs, filters are also good for flagging types of scams - then you can campaign on a particular type until you know their style

try a few gold lads if you get their mails - they always seem (well to me) to have bank accounts to offer and are pretty easy to straight bait

Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2011 3:25 pm

Ok cool I'll try applying again. I'll take all the help I can get. Thanks.

Master of Master Baiters Joined: 23 Mar 2006 Posts: 669

Regarding your question about going for pictures and other trophies - I recommend taking it slow at first, like Mr. Morrison stated. Use your first few baits to get acclimated to how lads behave. See how long you can keep one lad on the hook just doing a straight bait.

Once you comfortable with baiting that way, then you can start setting your goals higher. Smile

The thing with getting trophies is that they require patience. You'll need to find the right lad first - one that seems to be tolerant of your delays and excuses, but who is clearly hungry for your money. It's those desperate ones who are more likely to send a picture.

But bottom line, you will want to develop your side of the bait first. Convince the lad that he is dealing with a real person who has things going on, a job, family, etc. The more believable you are to him, the more likely he will probably be to do some extra work.

And finally, make sure you're dangling a nice reward just out of his reach. If you ask for a sign shortly after the bait begins, the lad will call you out as a joker and may even drop you. But if the lad has been convinced that he is dealing with someone with a legitimate reason to request a picture, then it'll be much easier. For example, if you are a church secretary and ask for a picture as soon as a lad requests a money transfer, he'll play the joker card. On the other hand, if a lad is dealing with a secretary who has been flirty, often writes about being involved with a campaign to collect donations for the lad, and the donors want to see the lad in a picture, then he might be convinced.

Of course there are some lads who simply won't do anything that requires extra work. I had a bait where his main contact, Eva, was assaulted and in the hospital. Many people gave donations to help with the bills, but those funds wound up being unnecessary. Fortunately for the lad he was chosen as a possible recipient. When I asked him to put together a brief presentation about his church, he refused. Lazy bastard.