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I don't think people are scammers because their career choices are limited. My evidence is mostly anecdotal, but these scammers (when they are successful) do no

by nanijoe 16y ago

I don't think people are scammers because their career choices are limited. My evidence is mostly anecdotal, but these scammers (when they are successful) do not typically exhibit behavior consistent with people trying to build long term financial security. AFAIK , the proceeds from their scams would usually go towards buying 'bling' like cars , clothes and jewelry. FWIW , I have met more than a few of these scammers in real life.

hooande 16y ago
People who have no experience with long term financial security aren't likely to try to build it. I would venture to guess that most of the scammers you have met did not come from families or backgrounds that put a lot of emphasis on long term financial security.
mseebach 16y ago
As with many other crimes, it's done because it's easy, low-risk money, and a thrilling activity -- not as a part of any kind of bigger plan.
- brazzy 16y ago
  As with many other crimes, it's done by many entirely different people for many entirely different reasons.
OoTheNigerian 16y ago
>I don't think people are scammers because their career choices are limited. My evidence is mostly anecdotal, but these scammers (when they are successful) do not typically exhibit behavior consistent with people trying to build long term financial security. The aim is not necessarily to convert everyone but to show the younger ones who have not started scamming that there is an alternative. As it is now, quite a number of people do not believe that young people can make quite a lot of sustainable income online going legit. It would be difficult to make those that do not live where there are role models to understand how it is when you do not have one. Just appreciate that you have the stories that come from the valley to motivate you. Nigerians are not inherently bad, most of them just want to make money and be successful. If they see alternatives, they will try them. I just hope I can show them that of they put half the effort they put in scamming (believe me it is quite a lot)into creating a startup, the outcome will be much better.
- nanijoe 16y ago
  I am rooting for you to succeed. I know many people who are having a hard time monetizing their legit online ventures (in Nigeria). Maybe you can also go ahead and share your monetization 'secrets' with everyone
  - OoTheNigerian 16y ago
    unfortunately, I have not made any money so I have no monetisation secrets to share .I believe if people are enlightened and exposed, they can make better choices. That is the main goal.
drinian 16y ago
My experience in other developing-world places where nearly-free foreign money has allowed a few people to short-circuit the civilized-society-building process (e.g. tourist areas like Bali) is that, culturally, many people will begin to look at foreigners as nothing more than walking money machines. They then develop many of the same tendencies of the nouveau riche in developed countries, namely, having no clue how to wisely build wealth and instead buying things that they think give them status among their peers. It's not a big jump from there to not feeling bad about just outright tricking foreigners out of their money. They've already been dehumanized, and are incomprehensibly rich anyway. When I was in Tunisia, there were several times when ordinary teenagers, not beggars or thieves, just outright shouted at me across the street, "Hey, American! Give me money! Just one dinar!" Some way to start a conversation. Often, they simply don't know that there is an alternative -- their lives have never had the expectation that things can, should, and will get markedly better if certain rules and virtues are practiced, as is true for many of us on Hacker News. Anything like this project that can just make people aware of a better way to live is a good project.
RK 16y ago
I recently had a long conversation with a Nigerian who came to the US in high school and is now working in Europe after doing a law degree and an MBA. I was asking her about some of this stuff, including the question of whether the email scammers could be converted to productive entrepreneurs given the chance. Her response was very pessimistic. She said there are many that come to Europe, often legally, and simply continue the same scams there, rather than try to do anything legitimate. These kinds of issues in Africa seem like a hard nuts to crack.

by nanijoe 16y ago

hooande 16y ago

People who have no experience with long term financial security aren't likely to try to build it. I would venture to guess that most of the scammers you have met did not come from families or backgrounds that put a lot of emphasis on long term financial security.

mseebach 16y ago

As with many other crimes, it's done because it's easy, low-risk money, and a thrilling activity -- not as a part of any kind of bigger plan.

brazzy 16y ago
As with many other crimes, it's done by many entirely different people for many entirely different reasons.

OoTheNigerian 16y ago

>I don't think people are scammers because their career choices are limited. My evidence is mostly anecdotal, but these scammers (when they are successful) do not typically exhibit behavior consistent with people trying to build long term financial security. The aim is not necessarily to convert everyone but to show the younger ones who have not started scamming that there is an alternative. As it is now, quite a number of people do not believe that young people can make quite a lot of sustainable income online going legit. It would be difficult to make those that do not live where there are role models to understand how it is when you do not have one. Just appreciate that you have the stories that come from the valley to motivate you. Nigerians are not inherently bad, most of them just want to make money and be successful. If they see alternatives, they will try them. I just hope I can show them that of they put half the effort they put in scamming (believe me it is quite a lot)into creating a startup, the outcome will be much better.

nanijoe 16y ago
I am rooting for you to succeed. I know many people who are having a hard time monetizing their legit online ventures (in Nigeria). Maybe you can also go ahead and share your monetization 'secrets' with everyone
- OoTheNigerian 16y ago
  unfortunately, I have not made any money so I have no monetisation secrets to share .I believe if people are enlightened and exposed, they can make better choices. That is the main goal.

drinian 16y ago

My experience in other developing-world places where nearly-free foreign money has allowed a few people to short-circuit the civilized-society-building process (e.g. tourist areas like Bali) is that, culturally, many people will begin to look at foreigners as nothing more than walking money machines. They then develop many of the same tendencies of the nouveau riche in developed countries, namely, having no clue how to wisely build wealth and instead buying things that they think give them status among their peers. It's not a big jump from there to not feeling bad about just outright tricking foreigners out of their money. They've already been dehumanized, and are incomprehensibly rich anyway. When I was in Tunisia, there were several times when ordinary teenagers, not beggars or thieves, just outright shouted at me across the street, "Hey, American! Give me money! Just one dinar!" Some way to start a conversation. Often, they simply don't know that there is an alternative -- their lives have never had the expectation that things can, should, and will get markedly better if certain rules and virtues are practiced, as is true for many of us on Hacker News. Anything like this project that can just make people aware of a better way to live is a good project.

RK 16y ago

I recently had a long conversation with a Nigerian who came to the US in high school and is now working in Europe after doing a law degree and an MBA. I was asking her about some of this stuff, including the question of whether the email scammers could be converted to productive entrepreneurs given the chance. Her response was very pessimistic. She said there are many that come to Europe, often legally, and simply continue the same scams there, rather than try to do anything legitimate. These kinds of issues in Africa seem like a hard nuts to crack.