Scam-Baiting!
This could be a new 'internet-sport'. You deceive spammers to believe you, and then you turn the scam around and beat them at their own game.
from http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,111690,00.asp (Original link from fark.com)
More links:
http://www.geocities.com/a_kerenx/
http://www.google.ch/search?q=scam-baiting
www.geocities.com/scamjokepage
So, has anyone done this by himself already, or is it here you heard from it first?
Originally posted in GD because I think this is an 'industry trend'
Quote:
The rules of the game are simple, but mastering it requires time, skill, and patience. It works like this: You eagerly open your e-mail client in the morning and download your mail. Before long, you'll find what you're looking for--a plea from the son of a deposed or deceased African president, who needs help to transfer a large amount of money out of the country. In return for your help, you'll receive a share of the proceeds. Now the game begins...
Rather than deleting the mail, use a free Web-based mail account to respond to the scammer, signaling your interest. You'll soon receive a reply from the scammer, who thinks he's found another sucker to extort large sums of money from. Your aim is to frustrate, humiliate, and thoroughly demoralize the fraudster. Given that these fraudsters aren't the brightest sparks, the resulting e-mail dialogue can be hilarious.
You'll find Web sites devoted to "scam-baiting" where you can read transcripts of e-mail dialogues. Some of the best examples are where the baiter gets the scammer to wait at an airport, or trudge to a Western Union office to collect a nonexistent money transfer. There are even examples where the "baiter" has managed to scam the scammer, the most famous being Pierpont Weaver (not his real name), who persuaded the fraudster to send him $60 worth of gold by DHL.
The rules of the game are simple, but mastering it requires time, skill, and patience. It works like this: You eagerly open your e-mail client in the morning and download your mail. Before long, you'll find what you're looking for--a plea from the son of a deposed or deceased African president, who needs help to transfer a large amount of money out of the country. In return for your help, you'll receive a share of the proceeds. Now the game begins...
Rather than deleting the mail, use a free Web-based mail account to respond to the scammer, signaling your interest. You'll soon receive a reply from the scammer, who thinks he's found another sucker to extort large sums of money from. Your aim is to frustrate, humiliate, and thoroughly demoralize the fraudster. Given that these fraudsters aren't the brightest sparks, the resulting e-mail dialogue can be hilarious.
You'll find Web sites devoted to "scam-baiting" where you can read transcripts of e-mail dialogues. Some of the best examples are where the baiter gets the scammer to wait at an airport, or trudge to a Western Union office to collect a nonexistent money transfer. There are even examples where the "baiter" has managed to scam the scammer, the most famous being Pierpont Weaver (not his real name), who persuaded the fraudster to send him $60 worth of gold by DHL.
from http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,111690,00.asp (Original link from fark.com)
More links:
http://www.geocities.com/a_kerenx/
http://www.google.ch/search?q=scam-baiting
www.geocities.com/scamjokepage
So, has anyone done this by himself already, or is it here you heard from it first?
Originally posted in GD because I think this is an 'industry trend'
Comments
Originally posted by Chinney
I have never gone to this extreme and never done it regarding e-mail spam (my filters work pretty well actually), but I sometimes do like to string along the phone hucksters (i.e., the ones who tell you that "YOU HAVE ALREADY WON!") when they call.
i like to let the phoner-spammers start their rehearsed speech. let them get into it, and i say "oh" and "yeah" like i'm interested. then i say, "shut up for a second. take me off your goddam list." raising my voice as i reach the climax. i feel it adds a nice sting to the conversation. maybe next time they'll consider a real job, or atleast a nonevil job.
Originally posted by superkarate monkeydeathcar
i let my three year old talk to them.