Good Morning from the new guy.

Hi folks - I'm Tim and I've lurked around for a while.

Since I have too much time on my hands, I enjoy fooling around with the scammers. I write them back and bother them until they eventually don't answer me. My favorite is to tell the scammer who wants be to send money to DHL (or other courier service) that I have a charge account with DHL and then make up a phony account number and give them the telephone number of a fictitious executive with DHL to verify (of course they won't).

When I get letters from some dying lady who wants me to spend her money in the service of God, I tell her that I'm rich in my own right and will match her offer with mine (if she'll only send me $300 to courier my check).

Anybody else here do this?

Hi Tim.

What you're doing is called "Scambaiting".

You'll be happy to know that there is a whole online community that takes part in this "sport"!!!

Try visiting our sister site at www.419eater.com.

Thanks for the hint I'll give them a visit.

Also, is their a group that does something like this that could use a volunteer?

If you pop over to Eater, you'll find that there's loads to do - from regular baiting to bank-killing, from trophy baiting to site killing, and much, much more.

Sign up on the forum over there, get yourself a "mentor" and then read, read, read. You'll be suprised at just how much goes on over there and there'll be more than enough to keep you busy for a while!!!

Chris:

I went over and read a few "baits" - WOW! I've got a lot to learn. I think that I'll read a lot and practice on my own for a while.

Thanks again for the tip.

Hi Tim and welcome,

Glad you enjoy messing with scammers, that helps to keep them occupied and away from real victims.

One word of warning however, you mentioned asking them to send you money, while I dont have a problem with a scammer losing money at his own game, the law does, it is known as cash baiting, if you do a search over at 419eater on cash baiting you will find some limited information on the subject, to sum it up, dont discuss cash baiting as it's illegal.

Ralph - thanks for the tip. I won't do that anymore.

One of the things that I also like to do, when there is a woman sending the scam letter, is pretend to know them from a day long ago. I will ask them if they are the "Issemilla Flores" that I met on the beach (or where ever they are from) and we fell in love - and parted so sadly.

I've only tried that twice and received no response either time - maybe that's an old trick that they've gotten used to.

Thanks again for the tip (please don't turn me in).

Hi Tim! Glad to see you here.
You've gotten some great advice from Chris and Ralph regarding Scambaiting.

Another thing you can do to help is to spread the word about scams. The more people are familiar and understand the scams, the more protected they are.
Feel free to post introductory scam letters you receive on this forum, in the the appropriate sub forum. That makes them searchable online by any potential victims. (Make sure to edit out your own information).

Enjoy keeping the scammers busy!

I think that I'll read a lot and practice on my own for a while.

Reading a lot is important, but why practice on your own when there's a whole community that will help to hone your skills and thus enable you to gain more satisfaction and, above all, fun?

Go on. Dive in at the deep-end and join Eater.
You know it makes sense.

I did join eater as Mitty (tim was taken)

Hey Tim, good on you for joining.

I would definitely recommend getting a mentor over there. That way you will have a pro to educate you and for you to bounce ideas off of.

Well done Mitty, we will see you over there.

And dont worry about the police, you haven't broken the law until you recieve money, I just didn't want to see you suggest it at eater and create a long debate on the subject

You will be fine, there is lots of reading to do and plenty to learn, it may not be as rewarding as this site but it is loads of fun