[Liz]

.......the (Nigerian) scam has spawned a growing Internet subculture of people who decided that they wouldn't just hit the delete key when they are sent the lure: They'd get even, and have fun doing it. They invented "scambaiting": faking interest in a 419 scam artist's scheme and wasting his time with drawn-out, bizarre e-mail exchanges than can go on for months. ........

Nothing better to do?

[Rebelbase]

http://www.ebolamonkeyman.com

[1Old Pro]

Didn't you see the anti-scammers post here on FR?

[Alberta's Child]

Who is the Freeper who strung along one of these Nigerian scam artists for weeks, and eventually got her to send photos of herself with signs that said "Freepers Rule!" and "DU Sucks!" ?

[Straight Vermonter]

Check this.

[KarlInOhio]

they created what has been called "the Internet's first blood sport."

Don't blood sports usually involve more, well, blood?

This is about as silly as "Crank calls: the telephone's first blood sport".

[ken5050]

"...Nothing better to do....?"

Tonight's BIG QUESTION...is it better to spend one's time trying to scam Nigerian scammers, or to go on DU and try and have a rational discussion?... (I rest my case)

[SpyGuy]

Last year, 166 Canadian victims were known to have lost $6.2 million to the scam

Which works out to an average of just under $40,000 per victim. That's a hell of a lot of disposable income for a stupid/greedy person to have (and give away). It's one thing to be conned in person or over the phone, but what kind of person gets conned by one of these absurd email frauds?

As for the "fun & games" of hoaxing the hoaxers, if people can develop this level of intimate correspondence with the criminals to the point of actually meeting them, then why can't law enforcement agencies shut these guys down? I realize that Nigeria probably has no interest in enforcing their Penal Code 419, but it sounds like the scammers are working in other countries as well (Amsterdam was mentioned in the article). Where is Interpol?

[Hatteras]

"Last year, 166 Canadian victims were known to have lost $6.2 million to the scam..."

And probably 2 or 3 times as many victims and dollars lost here in the U.S. I say good for them, the stupid idiots. Anyone that would fall for this crap deserves to get soaked.

[scott0347]

For later reading.

I just got one from Japan:

MR. WANG QIN
HANG SENG BANK LTD.
DES VOEUX RD. BRANCH,
CENTRAL HONG KONG,
HONK KONG.

I am Mr. Wang Qin credit officer of the Hang Seng Bank Ltd.I have a concealed
business suggestion for you.


Before the U.S and Iraqi war, our client General. Ibrahim Moussa who was
with the Iraqi forces and also business man made a numbered fixed deposit
for 18 calendar months, with a value of Twenty millions Five Hundred Thousand
United State Dollars only in my branch.

snip....blah, blah, blah, ......snip

Your earliest response to this letter will be appreciated.


Kind Regards
Wang Qin

[Lazamataz]

Ping to the Master.

[drjimmy]

Just 3 minutes after reading this thread, I got an e-mail from Mr. Sesay Massoquoe, who fled from Sierra Leone and is in the Netherlands with political asylum. Anyone here want to help him get his $35 million stashed with a security company? In return for such help, he says he will be happy to "discuss other modalities including remuneration for your services."

[randog]

A co-worker of mine strung along a Nigerian scammer and eventually nailed him with a virus.

[Atlas Sneezed]

Some of the photos elicited:

[zeugma]

Ping for future reading and lowbridge's response, if he's gotten a new website.