Reverse Scamming 419ers

[Eric Cordian]

David Howe writes:

> Presumably these are the Nigerians who have only $80 for food that 
> month, yet somehow can still afford to bulkspam thousands of inboxes 
> each day, process bank transactions and take part in international phone 
> calls.

Email is free.  That is why we have a spam problem.  If email required 37
cent stamps, it would be no more annoying than junk snailmail.

I would suspect that after initial contact is made, and a "fee" is
transferred, part of that money can be used to fund the appearance of the
scam, and still make a profit.

> hell, if that sort of internet access and telephony is so cheap it 
> doesn't make a noticable dent in a $80/month income, I definitely should 
> move there myself!

I think this sort of scamming is a very highly leveraged activity, with an
occasional large payoff, like playing a slot machine with the overall odds
slightly in your favor.  It probably doesn't take too much before these guys
are out in the street with nothing.

Given the number of people worldwide currently in that situation, I probably
won't behave in ways that increase it, even if the person in question is
trying to pick my pocket.

Visionary Philosophers should have higher moral standards than the scum of
the earth.

-- 
Eric Michael Cordian 0+
O:.T:.O:. Mathematical Munitions Division
"Do What Thou Wilt Shall Be The Whole Of The Law"