Some general survey questions

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Posted: Sun Jun 23, 2019 2:27 am

I've been asked to prepare some resources on scambaiting for a presentation or essay, and I wanted to get a more general sense of people's experiences/opinions. You don't have to answer all of them, but I'd appreciate thoughtful responses for the ones you do. I'll answer my own questions below:

1. Why do you scambait?
2. What's a skill/piece of knowledge from your regular life that you've been able to apply to scambaiting successfully?
3. What's a skill/piece of knowledge from scambaiting that you've been able to apply to your regular life (not related to scams or fraud)?
4. What has been the most rewarding moment you've had during/as a result of scambaiting?
5. What's your dream bait?

1. I scambait not necessarily because of some overarching desire for justice, nor for some profound obsession with lads singing silly songs and stredding themselves, but because it's a fun activity that helps build useful skills while making the world a better place. Even if what we do is a drop in the ocean of 419, whenever a lad's stuck in Cotonou or Yaounde he's not scamming innocent victims, and every video and poster slowly bleeds his wallet dry. I prefer to leave the hard and arguably the most directly influential parts of scambaiting, like killing fake sites and helping victims, to others more experienced than I, but all of what we do, no matter how small, can save innocent people money, time, and emotional stability.

2. One skill that I've been able to apply to scambaiting has been writing analytically and purposefully, or having that analytical mindset in general. If one's goal is to convince a lad to pour honey on himself, travel to a foreign country, or sing cheesy love songs, knowing how to write for a purpose—how specific word choices influence your reader—and doing the reverse too—gauging how your lad's doing and reading into the shortest messages—is greatly important. And when planning any of these things, being able to look at all of the possibilities for a situation and reason through them in detail is quite important.

3. One skill that I've been able to apply from scambaiting to my outside life is effective group planning and group work, which is essential when you're working with multiple people to plot out a church or a safari, and naturally comes up a lot in real life too (but not necessarily in that context). Working with people who are more active at different times, who have different ideas and different mindsets to accomplish one task, to agree even on what the task is, is quite hard, and as a result of challenging myself by working a lot with other baiters (I generally like doing things solo) has made things easier for me in real life too. It's kind of like those teambuilding exercises you sometimes have to do at work where they give you a bunch of resources, toss you all in a room, and hope that in three hours you end up creating something good.

4. My most rewarding moment, or at least the time when I felt happiest as a result of scambaiting, may have been during the Humphere bait when he was on safari in Cameroon. I was enjoying a nice walk with my parents, and at some point I realized that while I was relaxing in sunny weather with family, on a full stomach, he was stuck in the rain waiting outside a bakery, and I don't know why that made me so happy. I suppose it was because I knew that there was good in the world, a natural order of sorts—karma, if you will—and that thanks to something I did, the equation was balanced and somebody was getting what they deserved. My parents, my friends, their friends, and so on could all live more peacefully, if they knew, because a criminal was having the worst experience of his life. That also answers the question of why I scambait, since ensuring that we can all enjoy those blissful experiences with fewer worries makes everything worth it.

5. My dream bait would have to satisfy the above to some degree, which probably means a safari of some sort to somewhere far away. I'd love to get a lad to another continent, although some thought would be needed on how to accomplish this. Ideally it would be long, boring, and stressful for him, and if he were traveling with a few buddies that would be better. Ideally it would resolve in the lad(s) either getting arrested or enjoying an eternal vacation wandering around somewhere in harsh conditions. I'd also enjoy getting some music videos, although those demand special lads who enjoy performing enough to churn out piles and piles of hilarity.

Mods, if this isn't the right place for this post, feel free to move it. You guys do great work. Like I said, I'd appreciate some responses, not necessarily as long as mine, but honest and sincere would be nice. Thanks!

Baiting Guru Joined: 25 Jul 2017 Posts: 2107

1. Two years ago, I was baiting a lad on a throw away email account and having fun annoying him. It was then that I stumbled across Eater, and found there are people who purposely do this! I was attracted by the "fun" aspect, but once I learned more about these lads and the darker side of what they do, it put it all to a higher purpose.

2. In real life I've usually been able to find "the words" req'd for the moment, so I do enjoy composing reassuring notes to lads to convince them my characters are sincere. This ability to build trust with them is something I enjoy...like the recent chicken farmer safari that left a stranded lad hating everyone connected with the package.....except me. That has helped string it out even further.....and I like that. But it starts with finding the right words.

3. By seeing how lads manipulate their victims, or even how baiters manipulate lads into a belief in something which is not real, I find it has helped me to be more aware of how others try to manipulate situations to their advantage. It's not necessarily to scam others, but just to get their own way. The process is similar and interesting to watch the pattern unfold in real life.

4. There are many highlights. I don't remember my first pig, but do remember my first site kill. That was a good feeling. Being involved in safaris is fun but getting a sandtimer was more rewarding. To string a lad along for over a year in the belief that his payday was coming was a great feeling. It showed me I must have learned a thing or two along the way!

5. I think a dream bait would be some sort of long distance safari, to various countries and destinations all designed to inflict a different type of pain with each stop.

Overall, though you did not ask this, exposure to scamming here has made me a better consumer, and has allowed me to share knowledge with people in real life and prevent them from being taken in. Being here gave me the knowledge to help others, and that is a large part of why I am here.

Posted: Sun Jun 23, 2019 5:13 am

1. Why? I was on dating sites for a while and recognized scammers immediately, but had no idea what their game or goal was. I learned to filter men aged 35-60 in the construction field making over $150K US and who are widowed, and checking their profile photos with google image search to verify they were stolen images. I was reporting the profiles like a madwoman, hoping I was leveling the playing field for the decent men out there. I stumbled on Eater during that time, and suddenly had a much more fun game to play! Honestly figured it would be a couple of months and a lark, but it's turned into a part of me. I still go after romance scammers, and I still feel like I'm doing the good single people of the world a favor by wasting the time of the scammers.

2. What's a skill/piece of knowledge from your regular life that you've been able to apply to scambaiting successfully?

I was in sales for a while, so I know when to shut up and let the customer talk themselves into a sale. I also have a background in writing and acting, which seem to lend themselves to the task. Lads seem to be convinced I'm real.

3. I'm more cynical now. I was too polyannish before. It's a good thing.

4. Too many to list. I've had several lovely emails from lads who are quite frustrated and significantly angry with my characters. Those are delicious. Also, see my next answer for an example.

5. Dream bait: It's happening now. A friend forwarded an email to me, asking if I thought it was a scam. It was. The scammer is going after young people with disabilities, and after I told my friend not to respond, I baited the scammer. I ended up getting his site shut down, and it was a significant impact to the scam. The fact that they are going after people with disabilities absolutely fried me, and made me more determined to bait him. The window of opportunity has passed for now for this scammer to be successful in this particular bait, so that feels good.

Baiting Guru Joined: 10 Oct 2003 Posts: 4747

I still site killing and baiting. Even if I disappear for awhile.

1. To throw a wrench into the works of scammers.

2. Use logic and abstract though, to try to guess what will happen if I take an action.

3. See above

4. Making scammers lose the ability to communicate correctly. I have had scammers who can only communicate with gibberish

5. To implode a cyber syndicate.

Posted: Sun Jun 23, 2019 11:39 pm

1. It began as a hobby, but now I’d say it’s a combination of using my storytelling talent (see below) and damaging scammers in a way that regular law enforcement doesn’t, for whatever reason (as with Sparky, I saw the damage they can do, and that hardened my resolve).
2. My skill at characterisation, born of my long experience of role-playing games, linked to a long-nurtured talent for storytelling (that last is maybe bearing fruit after many years, BTW), my wide-ranging knowledge of trivia (especially military – cf. my Captain Mal persona), and my extreme fondness for parentheses (OK, not that last bit).
3. I’ve gained a great deal of inspiration from the characters I’ve played and those I’ve interacted with, both other baiters and scammers, for plots and situations that would fit noir contemporary settings (how much I’d be able to acknowledge that in a finished work – dunno).
4. Any of the milestones mentioned, I’d say – from first trophy (a written apology), first full-on photo trophy and first sign trophy, first sandtimer, first safari I took part in… all of those.
5. The current Cammy bait with Kevin (“Hello beautiful”) is pretty much it; using the character I’ve created to manipulate the Lad into what I hope will be a safari. I’d like to use the Captain Mal sub-persona of the ruthless arms dealer to achieve the same end one day.

Posted: Mon Jun 24, 2019 2:38 pm

1. Why do you scambait?
I found Eater after hearing a re-broadcast of this episode of NPR's This American Life. I wanted to do something to add some humor to my daily time spent online, make a difference, and do so anonymously, so I could leave at any time.
Why do I stay? I get to read the imaginative humor of members from a range of places, cultures, and lifestyles, all while watching them torture some of the lowest of the low. My mentor (maybe he will graduate me one day) had a saying: "You can't unfuck the whole world." Eater and SW provides an opportunity to unfuck a bit of it (or really fuck over some lads). You may not want to quote me. At this point, I would find it hard to leave. Baiting and negatively impacting lads, while hopefully helping victims is just part of my daily life.

2. What's a skill/piece of knowledge from your regular life that you've been able to apply to scambaiting successfully?
This will probably sound selfish, egotistical, or narcissistic, but in my daily life I manipulate people to do what I want or need them to do. Often, I need to manipulate them so they think it is their idea, and then "buy in" is easier.

3. What's a skill/piece of knowledge from scambaiting that you've been able to apply to your regular life (not related to scams or fraud)?
Most photos I take are now enhanced via Photoshop, giving them a better appearance.

4. What has been the most rewarding moment you've had during/as a result of scambaiting?
This is difficult. I have two lads that will no longer trust any person that is not African, a lad that has spent over 2 years in prison, and another lad abandoned by all his friends and fellow fraudsters after handing over 1000+ bank accounts.

5. What's your dream bait?
I just recently shared this vision with two other baiters: A safari to Nouakchott, Mauritania, then sending him on this train: https://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/08/world/africa/08iht-journal.4.6553086.html

Personally, it would be a dream to read about it, too.

Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2019 3:51 am

1. I was doing research to help a friend caught in a scam and stumbled upon this site. Reading some of the baits, I thought, "Hey! I have the sense of humor to pull this off." It's a great outlet for creative writing and also an outlet for the fourteen-year-old boy sense of humor trapped permanently inside my brain.

2. I read a lot. I try to read a book per week, but in reality, it's usually a book every two weeks. It's usually historical fiction but I will read anything that looks interesting. (I just finished The Crimson Petal and the White, 950+ pages. Great characters in there. Humphere would have loved all the sexual innuendo. Next up is straight nonfiction, The Pioneers by David McCullough.) My baiting characters are sometimes based on characters from the books I've read and a lot of one liners and phrases are as well ("praying to the nailed god" comes from Bernard Cornwell's Saxon Series, highly recommended.) Plus, I am told I have an excellent sense of humor and that plays in well. My mind never seems to turn off (a bane at bedtime) and I can recall exact quotes from standup comedy and other past jokes nearly instantly given any subject. (My wife still somehow tolerates it after 19 years!)

3. I've been able to help out a few friends with scams that they *thought* didn't seem correct (Craigslist ads, etc). I just added verification for them. Plus, as a home school parent with a network consisting of 100+ local families, I've been able to help out many youngsters in the community with general online safety.

4. Having long term members of this site admire and praise some of my work. Very rewarding.

5. Hard to beat Hump, but I keep trying! Been slowed down by real life lately.

Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2019 10:05 am

1. I can still remember the thrill of my first bait, and the fact that there was some cunning and conniving mind at the other end of the email who's life I could throw a giant spanner into.

2. 3. 4. 5. My enthusiasm for meddling in their criminal actives and frustrating them as much as possible has ebbed and flowed over the years. But that pretty much sums it up.

Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2019 7:42 pm

1. Why do you scambait?

Quote:

Once upon a time, there was an old man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach every morning before he began his work. Early one morning, he was walking along the shore after a big storm had passed and found the vast beach littered with starfish as far as the eye could see, stretching in both directions.

Off in the distance, the old man noticed a small boy approaching. As the boy walked, he paused every so often and as he grew closer, the man could see that he was occasionally bending down to pick up an object and throw it into the sea. The boy came closer still and the man called out, “Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?”

The young boy paused, looked up, and replied “Throwing starfish into the ocean. The tide has washed them up onto the beach and they can’t return to the sea by themselves,” the youth replied. “When the sun gets high, they will die, unless I throw them back into the water.”

The old man replied, “But there must be tens of thousands of starfish on this beach. I’m afraid you won’t really be able to make much of a difference.”

The boy bent down, picked up yet another starfish and threw it as far as he could into the ocean. Then he turned, smiled and said, “It made a difference to that one!”

adapted from The Star Thrower, by Loren Eiseley

Every lad that becomes totally enamored by a love baiter becomes less successful in stealing the heart and money of an innocent victim. A scammer on a safari will not be able to bait and will soon burn through their resources. Getting a lad to stand in line at the Western Union office with a fake MTCN number, make a trophy or go to the airport and wait while holding a silly sign will distract a scammer, saving victims. Spreading the word and enabling members to bait safely and successfully is one of the things that we do here at Eater.

2. What's a skill/piece of knowledge from your regular life that you've been able to apply to scambaiting successfully?

I try my best to never educate a lad. However, I had a classmate in a Calculus class approach the professor with his plans on derivative stock trading. I thought, wow, if I had a few bucks I could make that work. I couldn't tap into my Top Ramen fund at the time. His net worth is in the hundreds of millions. I use insider knowledge, margin calls and shorting to tell the lads that I have made a fortune after cashing their fake check. Yes, I know the check bounced but look at how much money I made in this stock yesterday. Its easy when you Google Highest Flying Stock Today.
Dangling cash works very well with scammers.

3. What's a skill/piece of knowledge from scambaiting that you've been able to apply to your regular life (not related to scams or fraud)?

I use "modality" and "risky free" as much as I can. If there is someone in another department that I cannot stand, I end the correspondence with "Remain blessed."

4. What has been the most rewarding moment you've had during/as a result of scambaiting?

My first trophy. What a rush. It is like a drug. I wanted more. I needed that feeling. I have been willing to search through dark alleyways and talk online with sleazy scum in search of that rush. There has been many a time when I felt so disgusted chatting that I had to take a shower to get the dirty feeling off of me. I have only recently returned to online baiting via Facebook.

5. What's your dream bait?

Getting a scammer jailed and having to face the people that he scammed would be nice.

Edit to remove a word due to ESL, remove a tag and boldface questions.

Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2019 10:48 pm

^^^ omg I am stealing the "remain blessed" closing for certain people I work with from this point forward!! Laughing

Posted: Wed Jun 26, 2019 11:14 am

1. Why do you scambait?
2. What's a skill/piece of knowledge from your regular life that you've been able to apply to scambaiting successfully?
3. What's a skill/piece of knowledge from scambaiting that you've been able to apply to your regular life (not related to scams or fraud)?
4. What has been the most rewarding moment you've had during/as a result of scambaiting?
5. What's your dream bait?

1. I was lurking on here for a while, and then the London bombings hit. I was walking through that lot as it happened. Up popped a scammer who had “found some boxes in the ruins”. That made it kinda personal. I played that guy right up to the airport in Accra, it took months - no humour, a good dollop of menace, and a lot of caution.

2. When I put my mind to it, I can charm the hind legs off a donkey, this and a good sense of British humour can get you into most places. In real life, I’m totally honest, while with the scammers I lie through my teeth. “Learning” to lie like that wasn’t a natural process, and it took a while to become comfortable with it. But the more and more I saw how the lads operate, the easier it became to “adapt”.

3. Coming from a big city like London, the first thing you learn is not to trust anyone. On the surface I can be easy going, but my defences never truly drop. Since I’ve been baiting, this “sixth sense” has increased. As the scams become more and more sophisticated, and from all types of people, it has been a real help being a baiter in keeping up with them. I had a call from the bank recently, telling me that they had detected fraudulent activity on my card, and wanted to send me a new one. The man calling, in a thick Nigerian accent, asked me for personal details for security purposes. I declined, telling him to simply send the new card through the post. It turned out to be a genuine call, as I found out when the new card arrived. It could have been male or female, any sort of accent, and I would still have handled it the same way.

4. Totally confusing and utterly discombobulating a lad through the use of innocent humour. The second tag line in my signature should give you some sense of how that one turned out. It’s the real sense of frustration from the scammer I feed on, knowing that he is totally committed to my character, unable to let it go despite everything I’m putting him through. If you’ve ever had a lad well and truly hooked, you’ll know what I mean.

5. I have no ambitions in baiting, every one of you is good at what they do, and we all have our own type of preferred bait. The more natural to your character the type of bait is, the better you will be at it. The baiting “dance” is instinctive, that’s what makes it believable.

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