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> I can't see how that is possible without blocking countries from the advertising/participation pool. "Nigerian price" scams were basically non-existent befor

> I can't see how that is possible without blocking countries from the advertising/participation pool. "Nigerian price" scams were basically non-existent before Internet access became easy, cheap & widespread. It isn't that something fundamentally changed with people becoming more gullible or suddenly having more money to spend, it's just that Internet access allowed people in foreign countries with law/corrupt law enforcement to suddenly be able to make big bucks while being out of reach from the target country's law enforcement. Back in the day this would've been theoretically possible, but would've most likely required being on the ground (putting you in reach of LE) and having some initial credibility and funds to convince a media network to broadcast your scam. Maybe some barriers to entry are a necessary evil?

dragonwriter 5y ago
> "Nigerian price" scams were basically non-existent before Internet access became easy, cheap & widespread. False; the model of scam (“advance-fee scam”) dates back to at least the 19th Century and became particularly popular in the 1980s, long before widespread internet access.
- Nextgrid 5y ago
  I'm sure the model was there, but were they so widespread? I'd expect that without the internet and requiring a business presence in the country, it would raise the risk of law enforcement involvement considerably as opposed to just being able to spam email from a foreign country.
  - dragonwriter 5y ago
    > I'm sure the model was there, but were they so widespread? I'd expect that without the internet and requiring a business presence in the country, it would raise the risk of law enforcement involvement considerably as opposed to just being able to spam email from a foreign country. They were less commonly addressed to the kind of people who would never even consider going along with them, because selectivity in presentation was a survival skill for scam artists, but, yes, advance-fee scams were rather notoriously common scams before the internet became popular.
prawn 5y ago
I suspect so. Back in the day, someone had to get a physical ad in front of you. To transfer cash, you had to go to the bank and go through some convoluted process. Now you can be convinced and lose everything without a single person giving you a second opinion along the way.

dragonwriter 5y ago

> "Nigerian price" scams were basically non-existent before Internet access became easy, cheap & widespread. False; the model of scam (“advance-fee scam”) dates back to at least the 19th Century and became particularly popular in the 1980s, long before widespread internet access.

Nextgrid 5y ago
I'm sure the model was there, but were they so widespread? I'd expect that without the internet and requiring a business presence in the country, it would raise the risk of law enforcement involvement considerably as opposed to just being able to spam email from a foreign country.
- dragonwriter 5y ago
  > I'm sure the model was there, but were they so widespread? I'd expect that without the internet and requiring a business presence in the country, it would raise the risk of law enforcement involvement considerably as opposed to just being able to spam email from a foreign country. They were less commonly addressed to the kind of people who would never even consider going along with them, because selectivity in presentation was a survival skill for scam artists, but, yes, advance-fee scams were rather notoriously common scams before the internet became popular.

prawn 5y ago

I suspect so. Back in the day, someone had to get a physical ad in front of you. To transfer cash, you had to go to the bank and go through some convoluted process. Now you can be convinced and lose everything without a single person giving you a second opinion along the way.