Idea for an Announcement/Sticky

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.

Not quite a Newb Joined: 14 Aug 2007 Posts: 30

I have had fun toying with email scammers for a couple of years before I ever heard about 419eater.com or other related sites. Since discovering 419eater.com, I have learned tons of ways to torture the creeps on the receiving end of my emails.

However, when I became a regular visitor here, it took me awhile to translate the lingo common on these threads so I could fully comprehend what people were saying. So... here is my Proposal: Create a Glossary of commonly used terms unique to scambaiting.

I know many of the terms commonly used are discussed in the FAQs but I think a quick-and-easy reference glossary would be very valuable helping newcomers ("Noobs") like myself quickly get up to speed on the lexicon.

Any seconds to this idea?

Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2007 12:47 pm

What lingo don't you understand?

Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2007 1:16 pm

In the FAQ:

Quote:

3. Definitions

419 - The section of the Nigerian penal code outlawing Advance Fee Fraud.
ASEM - stands for Accidentally Sent Email and is a means to:
a. Get a flying start for you bait
and
b. Set the stage and characters of the baits yourself.
It involves pretending to "mistakenly" send an email to a lad, addressed to someone else. Ideally, the email is supposed to look like you're in the middle of another transaction and for example is about to send money to someone. The lad will now believe that he is about to get some easy cash and assumes the identity of the person you thought you were sending the email to. Thus, you have not only skipped the first boring few exchanges you always get in a bait and you have also decided what character the lad is playing. You can claim he has made promises in earlier emails, claim that you have already paid him money, give him any attributes you like and in essence control the bait better.
The basic concept of this has been around as long as the written word, as explained by Old Coaster (through Frodo) in this post: http://www.419eater.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=27623
J. Dog adapted and popularized it for scambaiting purposes as explained in this post: http://www.419eater.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10244
Mugu - West-african slang for "very big fool", baiters use it to describe the scammers. From the more traditional "mgbada".
Maga - Derivative of above but usually used by scammers to describe a scam victim.
Client - As above.
Lad - General term used by baiters for a scammer.
Format - The introductory scam letter they send. This could also refer to the category of scam. The format will define the type of replies you will get and the type of money collection the scammer will use.
Script - The first few replies you see will be cut-and-pasted standard replies, part of their "script". Forcing them to break out of their script is where the real baiting starts.
Catchers - Junior scammers who sends out spam and the first few replies from their scripts. Usually, they have poor english skills.
Catcher Account - For a scammer, the account they use to vet the initial replies. For a baiter, the account used to receive 419 spam.
Levels - Different scammers specialize. If you look to be a good victim, you will be passed up to someone else if you were contacted by a catcher. Baiters refer to this as a level but it does not apply in a western concept. Scammers may use "levels" to mean the amount of fictitious money they claimed to have.
Catcher - Some scammers will uses a beginner as the first contact. He sends the original email and runs the first few interchanges until you look like a good victim. He then gives you to a more experienced lad.
Oga - Translated as boss or head man.
Guyman - Used by scammers to refer to each other. A scam to scam conversation may use "how far guy?".
ooooooooooooooo - Strings of "O"s can substitute for exclamation marks in west-african internet-speak. Related to Igbo usage in speech.
Safari - A physical journey embarked upon by a lad at a baiter's request.
Don Juan - A scammer who preys on the romantic desires of women through chat-sites etc.
Wash-wash - Scam involving a trunk of blackened / defaced "currency". Victim must pay for a special chemical that will restore the "currency".
Come-carry - Scam where victim is enticed to come and transport a consignment of money on behalf of a deposed dictator etc.
Dot-con - Trendy name for a web-site created for the purpose of any type of scam.
WUXfer - Western Union money transfer.
Modalities - Logistical arrangements. This is actually a real word!
Bombing - Lad-speak for spamming. But most lads do not spam.

FAQ is a sticky in hints and tips section as OP already pointed out. If you feel that the list can use some updating on words that you would like to see explained, feel free to PM a mod or admin with your suggestion and it can be added to the list.

As for a seperate sticky, cause I think that was what you were referring to, this forum has a butt-load of stickies already. Since the glossary is in a place that most people would find it easily, I would not applaud that idea (too much scrolling down to get to the rest of the forum). Plus, the lingo is something that most peeps here pick up after a few days, so a new sticky would be unnecessary in my opinion.

Oooh, welcome to Eater!! Almost forgot...... Embarassed

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

Gleep, while I appreciate the thought behind it, a glossary already exists as you and Perse have pointed out.

Making a new, separate one won't accomplish anything other than making a new sticky that many won't read.

Idea for an Announcement/Sticky	View next topic View previous topic