Scams have matured away from the "Nigerian Prince" scam over the last few years to newer ones (like the IRS scam), but they still go on, and people still fall for it (otherwise it wouldn't continue). For a time when you're bored, or if you have some time on your hands, here's an interesting website, where the people that run it make it their mission to "scam the scammers" -- especially the "419" ("Nigerian Prince/Help me wire money") scammers. It's interesting to look through their many files, as they document (complete with emails back and forth and pictures) everything, and see them getting back at the scammers. Some are pretty funny. Some people say it's not nice to do. Others point out that it's giving the scammers a taste of their own medicine, and by keeping the scammers busy, it might be one less person who gets taken in. Regardless, for those interested: Here's a good sample to check out: Welcome to the 419 Eater (anything in bold are comments from the guy doing the revenge) Main page: 419 Eater - The largest scambaiting community on the planet! Letters Archive (scroll down a bit): Welcome to the 419 Eater Forum: forum.419eater.com :: Index
About nine months ago, I got the "warrant for your arrest" call at work. This is the one that claims if you pay your bail/fine right now with a credit card, they won't arrest you. My response: "Great! I've been waiting for your call!" with a little too much enthusiasm. "F*ck You!" <CLICK> Bob Wilson
Tell them you only have Diners Club... I was beginning to feel left out of the newer scams, but this year I finally got the Indian/Pakistani "IRS" scam left on my answering machine. I guess eventually stuff like this comes to everyone. PS: Here's a good sample to check out for that "Scamming the 419 Scammers" page: Welcome to the 419 Eater (anything in bold are comments from the guy doing the revenge).
Usually it isn't worth my time to engage the (expletive deleted) scammers peddling their solar panels, medical devices, and the Indians from "Microsoft". Perhaps Trump will do us all a favor and authorize covert operations against these scum.
For phone Scammers there is an awesome service I use that I came across called Jolly Roger phone company. The guy had a Ted Talk about how/why he started the service. Basically he created automated phone "bots" that talk to the scammers. It is hilarious because often the phone scammers don't realize they are talking to a "bot". It wastes the scammers time. I look forward to when scammers call me now. And the service is cheap. Like $9 per year. Jolly Roger Telephone Company, saving the world from bad telemarketing
