Earlier this year, I highlighted a book called Tuesdays with Mantu, written by a copywriter, Rich Siegel, who decided to waste the time of a Nigerian 419 scammer by posing as a victim called Richard Inhande.
   Today, Andrea Weckerle refers me to something even grander: an entire site, 419 Eater, where some folks have got together and turned 419-scammer-baiting into a sport.
   To me, this makes sense. We can put up all the filters we like, and delete as many emails as we like, but to really get up these idiots’ noses, why not scam the scammers?
   The MO is genius, but it takes time: pretend to be suckered in, and drag it out for as long as possible. In that time, the scammers are being suckered themselves, preventing them from seeing to more gullible, unsuspecting victims.
   While those wishing to spend time on baiting 419ers will be fewer than the victims they can reach, it still damages these scams on the internet. Maybe it will get to a point when 419 scams will no longer be worthwhile. We can only hope. Posted by Jack Yan, 09:43  permalink

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