Get a load of this!

[Cerril]

I notice that it's showing 'no longer a registered user' now in his feedback section, so that might have done something.

[Lottery Larry]

Encouraging people to be a jerk on eBay to combat jerks doesn't seem a bit counter-productive to you?

I know it feels good, but stil...

[grandgnu]

Do unto others.........first.

Fight fire......with fire.

Bow down before........the one you serve?

No, wait a minute there. Yeah, but seriously, if someone wants to be a scam artist they deserve to get some back at em. It's kind of like email spammers and scammers (although when you think about it, they're just taking advantage of the idiots, the weak. So we should really be upset at the people who fall for it, since that only encourages the spamming that takes place nowadays)

Well, if I get three idiots to buy my product out of a million emails I send out, it's worth my while.....

[warewulf]

[ QUOTE ]

Well, if I get three idiots to buy my product out of a million emails I send out, it's worth my while.....

[/ QUOTE ]

It does seem like the spammers are getting desparate for more free money. Even the most ignorant have already fallen for spam scams and now there's not many left that will even glance at all the spam. Most isp's filter it now too. So this leaves the scam artists w/o a source of income. This is why the increase in popup ads has occurred in the last year or so. Now that there is software to stop that too (Spybot for example). I work in the IT field and it just seems like they wont give up. Like you said, if one in a million falls for their scam, it's justified. This loser is probably running out of ways to pay his rent and is getting desparate.

[grandgnu]

But can you blame the people who take advantage of others, or do you blame the idiots who allow themselves to be taken advantage of?

I also do some IT type work (although I'm more a hardware guy, system builder on the side, than a programmer)

But if you look at the United States and Capitalism, it's a system where for one person to be rich, many others have to be poor. A system where one guy is rewarded with a million dollar raise because he laid off 20,000 people.

Poker is similar, for one person to have a lot (finish in 1st) many other people have to go home with nothing. Guess I should start posting in the politics threads. :P

[warewulf]

[ QUOTE ]
But can you blame the people who take advantage of others, or do you blame the idiots who allow themselves to be taken advantage of?

[/ QUOTE ]

I definitely blame both, but blame the scammer more because he is the one being deceptive. The scamee (sorry for making up words here) is just guilty of being ignorant and/or not paying attention. Like when my ex-wife got one of those fake emails claiming to be Paypal, asked for all of her account info. She filled it all out and then her Ebay and Paypal account got hijacked. I was pissed at whoever it was that scammed her, but also pissed at her for falling for it. One more reason why I wouldn't share my Ebay account w/ her! [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] I see what you're saying though, w/o the ignorant and gullible, the scam artists are out of business.

[ QUOTE ]

I also do some IT type work (although I'm more a hardware guy, system builder on the side, than a programmer)

But if you look at the United States and Capitalism, it's a system where for one person to be rich, many others have to be poor. A system where one guy is rewarded with a million dollar raise because he laid off 20,000 people.

Poker is similar, for one person to have a lot (finish in 1st) many other people have to go home with nothing. Guess I should start posting in the politics threads. :P

[/ QUOTE ]

At least when I play Poker, I know that people are trying to con me out my chips. It's a different level of awareness because I know they are trying to trick me, hopefully they're not aware of me trying to do the same! [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[grandgnu]

Hmmm.......well, I guess as a poker player I prey on those that are weaker, less skilled, less intelligent, less attentive, etc. than myself. And of course try to avoid situations where I am the lesser of the players.

So in a sense, I'm taking advantage of people who I feel I can take money from on a regular basis, more so than I lose to them. But I'll be friendly towards them, compliment their poor plays, encourage their poor plays and make them feel welcome so they keep coming back.

That's deceptive and misleading in an attempt to fatten my pockets at the expense of others, and I think that's the case with the scammers out there too. Not that I'm condoning their actions, just saying that there are A LOT of people who don't pay enough attention and will readily give up their information. It's too easy for the scammers to rip people off. When they can get so much money so easily, it can be hard to resist.

If you knew a cashier at a store who regularly screwed up your change (i.e. you pay with a $20 and she gives you your $20 back PLUS your change, so you get paid to buy stuff) and you could get away with it on a regular basis, it could be tempting, no? :P