Foo - "TIL - Why Nigerian E-mail Scams Work"

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Puget Pounder
12-03-12, 10:52 AM
This is a good read if you've ever encountered a Nigerian prince. I've met a few. As you may have guessed from the title, I found this on Reddit (like 90% of the things I read)... And apologies if this has been posted before.

http://www.onthemedia.org/2012/aug/31/why-nigerian-email-scams-work/transcript/

KonAaron Snake
12-03-12, 10:56 AM
It's a numbers game...and the internet/modern communication bring you in touch with so many people, that a certain number are going to fall for it.
Puget Pounder
12-03-12, 11:01 AM
It's a numbers game...and the internet/modern communication bring you in touch with so many people, that a certain number are going to fall for it.

Well yes, it's a numbers game, but the article says it's more than that. If it was simply a numbers game, scammers wouldn't have to use such horrible language. This is a strategy to screen out anyone who has ANY sense.

KonAaron Snake
12-03-12, 11:02 AM
Sighhhh...I have to actually read it :(

Edit: Interesting...I didn't think of the obviousness of the spam as being a filter. This works against the CL model - where scam responses have gotten more sophisticated and more believable. I now get initial responses that take a second to diagnose as spam - they aren't clearly English as a second language and they seem plausible and less generic.
Puget Pounder
12-03-12, 11:05 AM
Sighhhh...I have to actually read it :(

Edit: Interesting...I didn't think of the obviousness of the spam as being a filter. This works against the CL model - where scam responses have gotten more sophisticated and more believable. I now get initial responses that take a second to diagnose as spam - they aren't clearly English as a second language and they seem plausible and less generic.

Mondays...

But that's the point, right? When we do respond to those e-mails, we tend to immediately know that they are spam and the trail stops there. If these scammers are going to work efficiently, they would screen people like us out in the beginning. They assume that the only people who will fall for these scams must be really really oblivious. Man, those princes learn a lot at prince school!
CbadRider
12-03-12, 01:52 PM
Moved from C&V to Foo.
chris.....
12-03-12, 04:37 PM
Greed, that's why they work
c0urt
12-03-12, 05:52 PM
law of numbers, and greed.