Re: OT: Are People Really Dumb Enough?
 

I personally have very little sympathy for someone who falls for such a scam. Supposing they were true - every single one of them - they would still be illegal. All of the scam letters make it clear that this is some sort of 'dirty money' that they want to share with you.

My Hong Kong letter was milder - it referred to a person who died in a plane crash, leaving a huge bank account and no heirs. But it's still illegal, they wanted me to pose as a relative of the deceased to get at the money.

Making the deal illegal - and making sure the target knows it's illegal, from day one - is important because the target will be less likely to talk about it, and therefore less likely to find out it's a scam.

Which brings us back to my first point. Anyone who falls for this is knowingly entering an illegal transaction, and deserves to learn an expensive lesson.

Re: OT: Are People Really Dumb Enough?
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I was reading a while back on a web site that was about "what to do if you get this email" that the people who run this scam actually end up getting prominent positions in that country's government.

Re: OT: Are People Really Dumb Enough?
 

I am currently involved in 4 such ventures as the one listed here.

As I am well known and wanted by most western governments I need to keep this under the raps.

Do you know Dr. Konagagi of South Africa. He is willing to offer his assistance. What I need to do is get your bank info so I may pass it on to Dr. Konagagi. In return I will give you information about a bank in South Africa. I can help both of you out. In return I ask for a small fee of 25%. This is secured personally by myself and the organization that I am currently a member of. Natually of course you may not ask what this organization is.

But I do suggest that you are promt in all actions that are required. As we will surely do the same for you and your family.

Take Care.

Re: OT: Are People Really Dumb Enough?
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Oh yes indeed, there are ultra dumb (or simply gullible and inexperienced) people all over. The Nigerians have found an industry that is very profitable from their situation, compared to their other industries. Part of this is due to the extreme currency exchange rates and other economic imbalances. Faced between manual farming a desert for one dollar a day, or sending spam for five dollars a day, some choose this dark life of crime, while the ring-leaders might make as much as a McDonalds manager, any signifigant earnings probably going off to pay off the local warlord/governor (just making up the details, but the real details I've seen from so-called "third world" ecominies have been just as amazing).

PvK

Re: OT: Are People Really Dumb Enough?
 

Erax,
I don't' know why I'm angry but since anger is an emotion I'm not really surprised.
I'm guessing it has to do with:
From what I hear they don't just get some of the persons money. They clean them out. This hurts a lot of inocent people like their familys. More than one retierment account has been emptied.
Some of the people dumb enough to fall for this are also too dumb to understand the illeagle aspect of it.
A few have been caught. I expect most are un touchable.
I sence a level of injustice that brings out
Gryphin Rampant
So, yes, I'm angry. Is it "Rational"? Your call.

Re: OT: Are People Really Dumb Enough?
 

Gryphin, no one has to be rational all the time. But if you want to do something about it then warn people. Not people like us, we're likely to know about it already, but people who look like they might fall for it.

My boss, for example. He took me aside one day and showed me one of those emails, with a really worried expression. I told him how the scam worked and suggested we warn the rest of our staff.

Warning the people around you will materially hurt those guys over there. Now that would be satisfying to me (if I wanted to hurt them).

Re: OT: Are People Really Dumb Enough?
 

Erax that is an excellent idea.
Oh, and something I have done. That same post went out to my "Humor" list but as a serious note.
So, most likely it will be read by the 36 people on my list and well, it snowballs out from there. Wonder if I will get it back some day. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

[ July 03, 2003, 22:17: Message edited by: Gryphin ]

Re: OT: Are People Really Dumb Enough?
 

Be sure to do it offline too. People who spend a lot of time Online are usually wise to this sort of thing already.

Re: OT: Are People Really Dumb Enough?
 

No matter how dumb you are, you can rest assured there is always someone dumber.

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif

Re: OT: Are People Really Dumb Enough?
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Oh yes indeed, there are ultra dumb (or simply gullible and inexperienced) people all over. The Nigerians have found an industry that is very profitable from their situation, compared to their other industries. Part of this is due to the extreme currency exchange rates and other economic imbalances. Faced between manual farming a desert for one dollar a day, or sending spam for five dollars a day, some choose this dark life of crime, while the ring-leaders might make as much as a McDonalds manager, any signifigant earnings probably going off to pay off the local warlord/governor (just making up the details, but the real details I've seen from so-called "third world" ecominies have been just as amazing).

PvK</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Times are tough all over the world, and my life is no exception, yet I don't send scam emails for a living and I live on the equivalent $1.00 a day income that those bastards live on. If you break down the economic cost of living where every you live you have poeple like me living on nothing. Povirty is no excuse to rob people.