Slashdot links to a tale of how a systems administrator scammed a 419 scammer, helped indigenous craftspeople, and obtained two rather nice wooden sculptures. The Age writes:
“When he found a willing victim, his anti-scam unfolded in much the same way as a typical 419 scam, promising payment only after a substantial investment had been laid down—in this case the receipt of a series of commissioned wooden carvings from a local artist. With some creative photo editing, Shiver Metimbers was able to string along his quarry with claims that the two carvings sent had mysteriously been damaged enroute, the first through a mysterious shrinking process, and the second by a rogue African hamster.”
Yes, I wondered about the ethics of this particular baiting, especially since he seems to have received actual goods from them.
And the photo-manipulation is not that great, either – look at the edge-contrast in some of them. I suppose they got what they deserved for not spotting that.
Yes, jolly jape conning a Nigerian. What a jolly clever ruse by “Trotter”. (Johnny 419er wog didn’t even get that reference, gnarff). Stuff the fact that this might have cost the poor sod a lot. Lump him in with all other Nigerians and feel great to get our own ever so clever first world spoiled schoolboy pride back.
Can’t complain when micky mouse provincial art dealers are stitched up by their metropolitan cousins any more tho’. Pot calling the kettle rustique and all that.
Nor when Bruce the bonzer bozo gets suckered by a Euroscam thought up on the ‘level’ playing fields of Eton.
Twats.
You’re probably just a troll, but, in case you aren’t:
Fuck you, Ehjuan.
If you could have been bothered to read the article you’d know that the particular lying thieving bastard—yes the poor little brown people can be lying thieving bastards too—who fell for this reverse con wasn’t even from Nigeria.
I was born in Nigeria and these sorts of scum are one of (many) reasons why people all over the planet look at my passport with suspicion, just as some English football fans soil the reputation of this country’s population around the world.
The “Derek Trotter” letterhead was particularly poetic. Most 419 cons rely on Westerners’ similar ignorance of local African political upheavals for their effectiveness.
I don’t know what the hell Eton has to with anything, but if you wan’t to play “prolier than thou”, sunshine, my school would have yours any day.
I tell you what’s really racist: it’s expecting lower moral standards of West Africans because you think they’re mud-hut dwelling primitives.
Well Fuck me, must have touched a nerve.
Interesting that you are the one to bring up race: I alluded to poverty not race, and poverty is a significant determinant in why people try scamming: sometimes it is one of the few options available.
As I know very little about “local African political upheavals” I bow to your knowledge as to how they influence Westerners into parting with money. But you are right: Trotter is prolier than moi.
The Eton reference was an allusion to superiority, and the lack of a level playing field: metropolitan vs. provincial, centre of Empire vs. colonies, 1st world webbies vs. 3rd world scammers.
The quote: “The Battle of Waterloo was won on the playing fields of Eton” is misattributed to the Duke of Wellington. This perhaps adds a little resonance to the fun to be had in japing these “poor little brown people ….. lying thieving bastards”.
A tad humpy about school too huh?
But as I am ‘Fuck you’d’, so elegantly, I feel I should reiterate: Twats.
Yup, you did that. It’s funny how some people come over all upset when complete strangers get abusive on their blogs. And you were comprehensively and demonstrably wrong. Too good to resist.
So when you used the word “wog” you really meant “poor person”?
I suppose you must be the only human on the Internet who hasn’t received an email from a relative of a recently deceased African leader.
No, it doesn’t. It’s just meaningless, irrelevant bollocks.
Oh, it’s worse than that: I’ve got a chip on both shoulders. So I’m possibly not the best person to attempt to link to Eton.
My being “a tad humpy” doesn’t stop you being an offensive halfwit, though.
The reason my insult worked and yours didn’t was that mine was a prelude to a coherent argument; yours was an attempt to compensate for your not having one.
When I worked in the City five years or so ago, one of the first things I was told was that if I was offered any business with a Nigerian connection, I should run the details past the compliance department before pursuing it further.
Nigeria was the only country singled out like this. Racism? A coincidence? Or a sensible response to the well-documented fact that Nigerian business deals have a disproportionate tendency to go wrong for the person at the non-Nigerian end?
“and poverty is a significant determinant in why people try scamming: sometimes it is one of the few options available.”
Oh yes, haven’t we all known someone so down on their luck that they’re forced to scam people on the Internet. It’s a tradedy really.
Ehjuan – you truly are a slack jawed cum-dumpster.