3 ms·

the danger here is, of course, that the person coaxing the wood sculptures might be doing more harm than good. who knows what circumstances led to the sculpture

by smoody 16y ago

the danger here is, of course, that the person coaxing the wood sculptures might be doing more harm than good. who knows what circumstances led to the sculptures... could they have been done at gun point or other threat? if riches are at stake, then i believe the answer is 'yes.'

mahmud 16y ago
It's not organized crime, more like a national past-time in certain geographic regions. I used to frequent the same internet cafes where these guys stay up late; they look a lot like problem gamblers. Tens of men huddled over CRTs, chain smoking and no one talking to each other. You can see people bringing in "evidence", photos in USBs to send over to marks, multi-tasking in IMs and chats and romancing webcam girls on the side. I haven't seen any money while there. Whoever comes there spends their disposable cash to surf, most of the day they just play games or facebook. I found the scammers to be pretty polite and "brotherly". There is a lot of empty bragging and people will pretend to be big-shot mafiosi, but it's all a con aimed at you. The programmer in me wanted to inquire about bot-nets: everyone claimed to have "one", but the responses were confused at best. In cities where bonafide scammers are present, there will also be the "runners". But just like in border towns or trafficking areas, it's best to walk out of the venue when in comes a guy followed by a crowd. A solitary quiet man, behind whom walks a group: biggest tell-tale of a made man, and if you look foreign or moneyed, it's best to get up and walk away without making eye contact, but while also not looking scared or nerved. (The one time I came very close to this I put my beers next to the computer and yelled to the attendant "I will be back for this". Never did.) The one guy who I know makes a decent living at this plays the big leagues. He is in the scrap-metal business and has a physical office. Former diplomat from a central Africa country. His business, however, is strictly document forgery, insurance fraud and shipment theft. He was a real gentleman, an avid tennis and muay thai fan, but the people competing for his attention were thugs and would do anything for him. TL;DR, the guys who pull out guns have more at stake; usually drug money, or theft of their stolen properties. 419ers are bored nerds; natural born Office jockeys who would have been employed in administrative positions if there were jobs available to them.

by smoody 16y ago

mahmud 16y ago

It's not organized crime, more like a national past-time in certain geographic regions. I used to frequent the same internet cafes where these guys stay up late; they look a lot like problem gamblers. Tens of men huddled over CRTs, chain smoking and no one talking to each other. You can see people bringing in "evidence", photos in USBs to send over to marks, multi-tasking in IMs and chats and romancing webcam girls on the side. I haven't seen any money while there. Whoever comes there spends their disposable cash to surf, most of the day they just play games or facebook. I found the scammers to be pretty polite and "brotherly". There is a lot of empty bragging and people will pretend to be big-shot mafiosi, but it's all a con aimed at you. The programmer in me wanted to inquire about bot-nets: everyone claimed to have "one", but the responses were confused at best. In cities where bonafide scammers are present, there will also be the "runners". But just like in border towns or trafficking areas, it's best to walk out of the venue when in comes a guy followed by a crowd. A solitary quiet man, behind whom walks a group: biggest tell-tale of a made man, and if you look foreign or moneyed, it's best to get up and walk away without making eye contact, but while also not looking scared or nerved. (The one time I came very close to this I put my beers next to the computer and yelled to the attendant "I will be back for this". Never did.) The one guy who I know makes a decent living at this plays the big leagues. He is in the scrap-metal business and has a physical office. Former diplomat from a central Africa country. His business, however, is strictly document forgery, insurance fraud and shipment theft. He was a real gentleman, an avid tennis and muay thai fan, but the people competing for his attention were thugs and would do anything for him. TL;DR, the guys who pull out guns have more at stake; usually drug money, or theft of their stolen properties. 419ers are bored nerds; natural born Office jockeys who would have been employed in administrative positions if there were jobs available to them.