Article: A Web Cadre Turns the Tables on African Scam Artist

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Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2007 9:54 pm

Send the idiot here and ask him who watching out of the human rights of the 25 people mentioned in the second to last paragraph.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/04/10/nigerian_murder_trial/

Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2007 9:56 pm

Quote:

Like all scam-baiters interviewed for this article, Mr. Berry, the founder of 419eater.com, declined to speak on the telephone or provide a verifiable identity.

I assume you are now ex-directory since you were forced to move due to all the press, groupie and mugu attention. Laughing

Baiting Guru Joined: 08 Jul 2004 Posts: 11857 Location: UK

Quote:

a scam-baiter with the Web name of Scam Patroller, who declined to provide any identification beyond an e-mail address.

Firstly, I wasn't asked for any identification, and secondly, in his PM to me he said:

Quote:

Be great if you were willing to speak about how it works and how you got involved.

(Clearly, I would not expect you would do this and be identified.)

Contradiction huh, why say I declined to give identification, when you clearly say we will not be indentified Rolling Eyes

Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2007 1:46 am

@SP - I think that's the polically correct language for you didn't "offer" so you were declining.

Prostetnic Vogon Jeltz wrote:

... the authorities hands are tied by lack of fund/resources, ...

Not by lack of funds! Just misspent on wrong priorities. Confused

But yeah, they probably don't like that it's done most of the time: more effectively at substantially less cost than they can do, and in many/most cases by people more skillful than they are, in their own personal free time (except thats somewhat of an oxymoron for some of the people in here), and gasp enjoyed!

Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2007 2:48 am

Gorsh, this article made me feel real real bad for the poor scammer/criminal/opportunists. I have decided I need to write an apology letter to each and every lad I have baited. I will also give them my personal phone number, physical address and lineage as well as all of my banking information and credit card data.

(first use of rolling eyes ever)

NOT! Shocked

I am going to go buy a case of tooth brushes and use one in each hand! Razz

*** BANNED *** Joined: 10 Jan 2004 Posts: 3779

Quote:

The baiters trade tips, tales and �trophies� on thriving discussion boards like those at 419eater.com, scamorama.com and aa419.org.

aa419.org is not a scambaiting forum. I really wonder if the journo even visited the site. Mad

Quote:

Mr. Berry once persuaded a scam practitioner to carve a full-scale wooden replica of an old Commodore 64 computer keyboard.

Only of the computer keyboard? Rolling Eyes

Quote:

�Given the scale of the problem, it is like the scam-baiters are cleaning a stadium with a toothbrush�

He obviously never served in any decent army or else he would know that it can be done. Cool

Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2007 4:34 am

to Scam Patroller, Jason, and Shiver for this. It doesn't do quite as thorough a job of making us look like nuts transforming those poor innocent scammers into innocent victims as the last article that I recall being posted here. And this isn't turning into an ethics thread, so things must be looking up.

Eight wrote:

As for the toothbrush comment, Suresh can stand there watching me scrub my little part of the stadium and mock me, or he can get stuck in and clean a patch for himself. I really don't care, I'm happy that I am doing my little bit as well as I can.

That part kind of jumped out at me as well. This guy is a born supervisor - standing back and watching, "No, you're not doing it right", but not bothering to contribute anything positive. Kind of funny that he's involved in spam prevention at Outblaze.... how about a little less on the toothbrush analogies, a little more get the hell to work???

Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2007 4:39 am

If we're taking things out of context, then lets do it right.

Thomas Crampton also wrote:

A special thanks to my colleagues on the business side of the newspaper for making all that money in order for me to go spend it.

Here: http://thomascrampton.com/

So is he a scammer?

Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2007 4:50 am

The False Italian wrote:

aa419.org is not a scambaiting forum. I really wonder if the journo even visited the site. Mad

I noticed that bit myself. He either didn't visit the site at all, visited but had no idea what he was looking at, or thinks we are speaking in tongues about baiting over there. Rolling Eyes

Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2007 4:54 am

Tommo Shanter wrote:

I quit, as obviously I'm wasting my time here

Make sure you leave your avatar Very Happy

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

@TFI and SF- the aa419.org thing was one of the other bits that had me laughing.

Actually most of the article amused me, but I didn't see a need to break it down sentence by sentence.

This is why I'll never talk to a journo for a major paper- they all feel the need to sex everything up instead of just reporting the facts or even bothering to do the research.

Hopefully he's reading this thread.

Baiting Guru Joined: 03 May 2007 Posts: 18313

SlayerFaith, your speaking in tongues comment made me laugh. I had noticed the aa419 misrepresentation too. I wish that if he was going to mention the site, he would mention what really is happening there. No mention of shutting down illegal/fraudulent sites. Too bad.

While everyone is nitpicking the article, I'll contribute that I didn't like the "scam the scammers" comment at the beginning. A scam is a fraudulent scheme to make a profit. I haven't made a single cent scambaiting or writing abuse reports. Is there some payroll form around here that I need to fill out? Wink

Not quite a Newb Joined: 07 May 2007 Posts: 44

Bah, that was quite predictable from the press folks. Having personal experience about dealing with them in similar circumstances (providing minoritary and unorthodox opinions to them on various topics), there are several things to be said about them:

a) most of them are basically clueless, writing articles about issues that dumbfound them via simply coroborating what A says with what B says. The end result (what appears in the newspaper) is filtered through the criteria of the newsguy and can be equally discombobulating for both A and B Smile

b) most of the time, they perceive any personalized response from representative of any authority as sign of respect for them - thus, they're much more likely to listen to them and concur with their opinion, especially if it fits their preconceptions;

c) the Interpol guy is just a perfect incarnation of the "letter of the law above the spirit of the law" mentality that abounds in Europe; his response made me think about the recent EC initiative - http://www.eubusiness.com/news_live/1177084812.43 - to notify various individuals and organizations like Khalid Sheikh Mohammed or al Aqsa Brigades that they're on the terror list - http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/en/oj/2005/l_314/l_31420051130en00410045.pdf - so that they can challenge the inclusion at HRC

d) it's quite possible that some bored, unoccupied local LEOs could turn an eye on scambaiters, especially in Europe - after all, we are closer to them than the scammers, and our activities actually could be seen as ...worthy of a thorough investigation, to say the least, and even moreso if there might be media support behind such ideas - so beware.

e) it was just a matter of time until such opinions about scambaiting surfaced in the press - this is a NYT piece after all, get used to it and expect more.

Regards,
valachus

Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2007 11:57 am

Wonder how they would feel if a member of their family got scammed for almost all or all of their money, would he have those exra special "human rights" in their eyes then?

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 03 Jul 2007 Posts: 3

I agree with the media sorry but they do have human rights sure there not the best people in the world but they do have rights, like security cucumbers? Thats a bit low dont you think? and I think their right, your really only doing such a small part in this huge scamming industry, I mean the "lad" might be "scamming" you but if you take 5, 10 even more of them then they might as well and you might not really be wasting there time, they just move on to the next person in their inbox?

Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2007 12:37 pm

Welcome.

Quote:

they just move on to the next person in their inbox

Which will be another baiter. Very Happy

Read some more before you jump to any conclusions on lads or baiters. Lads also have the right not to do any of the stupid stuff.

Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2007 12:41 pm

Quote:

security cucumbers

They are free not to use security cucumbers, just as you are free to send them money/cucumbers, if you like.

The guys with the cucumbers in their face are dangerous criminals. They would rob your granny of her last bottom dollar, defraud her of her mortgage and inheritance, get her to fly over to Nigeria, threaten to kill her for ransom, and set her ablaze while she's still alive. Yep, happened. Still unsure about security cucumbers?

Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2007 12:43 pm

Is this article drawing people out of the woodworks? We have this guy sticking up for thieves and murderers and over in main, two people questioning if the 3d bait is real. Does this commonly happen after an article like this?

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 03 Jul 2007 Posts: 3

Well then maybe I should contact them and team up, rebels united!

Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2007 12:51 pm

@TGO,
Yes, quite normal. Some people just don't agree with baiting and that's that. It's only opinion.
Usually though an article that includes a link to this site draws in more potential baiters than trolls, so all's well.

Bye John. Wink

Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2007 12:52 pm

Go ahead, do your worst. I have a charity you can join, it only requires you to fill out a buttload of forms and stuff but I don't believe it requires security cucumbers (yet). I'll WU you some money to get you started.

Hey, I got a good idea, put Barrister in fromt of your name. The lads will believe you if you do.

Western Union · Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2007 12:53 pm

JohnSmith, since all the points you raise have been covered many times on this board (and indeed in this very thread), please take some time to read through the site to understand what we do. Let�s keep this thread on topic.

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 03 Jul 2007 Posts: 3

durel I meant the other "trolls" not scammers

Western Union · Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2007 1:00 pm

Bye John.

Back on topic please.

Not quite a Newb Joined: 07 May 2007 Posts: 44

JohnSmiththe56th, you're a naive. You may think that 419ing is a harmless activity, and that the lads can't possibly be that stupid, or dangerous. Of course, you're free to check that at your own risk, taking a flight to Abuja or Abidjan, or Johannesburg even, and see after you meet them how they'll treat you.

Will you be having a pint of ale and laugh together, or will you end up as a hostage for a ransom that all your family's assets put together will never cover? Handling dangerous criminals with velvet gloves and giving them the benefit of doubt is irresponsible.

Clarification: I've knew about scambaiting for some while but just got the hang of it for a few months. Since then, I've posed as a helpless granny biding her pension for a heart procedure, as a kidnapped, drugged and raped victim of 419ers, and always the response was to the tune of "well send the money for the trunk/next procedure and everything will be alright".

Hell, my kidnap victim was even contacted by a "Gh@n@ Army General" in charge of 419 frauds, surely sooner or later he's gonna be asked to fork over some more money or even go there and settle matters definitively.

I have no compassion whatsoever for the benign tasks these bastards are put through (their end goal is to chop someone else's money), and neither should any cogent, reasonable person on this earth.

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