The E-Suckers List

from the sounds-like-fun dept

It's probably not much of a surprise to anyone, but online scammers tend to keep lists of users who are easy to scam -- and, of course, those lists get passed around (read: sold) among other scammers, so once you've been taken in by one, expect to be taken in by many more. Of course, the warning about this list comes from the Office of Fair Trade in the UK, and the announcement about it certainly implies that they actually have a copy of one such list (though, there's no real evidence given). If that's the case, why not contact those on the list, and let them know they're on the list? Wouldn't that be much more effective than making a general statement?
Hide this

Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.

Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.

While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.

–The Techdirt Team


Reader Comments

Subscribe: RSS

View by: Time | Thread


  1. identicon
    xman, 10 Feb 2005 @ 3:13am

    No Subject Given

    Because the sort of people who are that stupid, simply wouldn't believe that they were being scammed - look at the people who keep paying 419ers

    link to this | view in thread ]

  2. identicon
    Michael Kohne, 10 Feb 2005 @ 4:05am

    What's the OFT going to do?

    Call folks up and say "Hi there! I'm from the OFT and you're on a list of suckers we just got hold of. In the future, please be less stupid!". I think not.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  3. identicon
    thecaptain, 10 Feb 2005 @ 4:21am

    Mmmmmm

    I say that list should be WIDELY published, and perhaps broadcast on the 6 o'clock news.

    Maybe a little public humiliation would get people to smarten the heck up.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  4. identicon
    DV Henkel-Wallace, 10 Feb 2005 @ 7:35am

    Not a bad idea

    No, publicising it is the best because people don't like to be made fun of, so perhaps many who aren't yet on the list will think twice, and some who are (but don't realise it) will refrain from responding in future "so they won't get on that nasty list."

    Just human nature.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  5. identicon
    Oliver Wendell Jones, 10 Feb 2005 @ 8:12am

    Hello!

    Hello,

    It has come to our attention that your name and contact information is being passed around certain circles as part of a list of people who have fallen for scams and other con jobs in the past.

    In order to ensure that you don't fall for such similar scams in the future, please consider our patented "sucker-blocker" safety feature.

    For only $99.99 per day, we'll make sure that your name and information stays off this list.

    Don't be a sucker - pay up!

    link to this | view in thread ]

  6. identicon
    data64, 10 Feb 2005 @ 9:28am

    Re: Mmmmmm

    Maybe a little public humiliation would get people to smarten the heck up.

    So what happens when the insurance companies start chanrging these people more for being on the list and banks deny loans or whatever. How about when scammers (or someone else) starts putting out fake lists with say politicians name on the list, especially just before an election. Would this lead to a protection racket "Pay me $X or your name goes on to the sucker's list"

    link to this | view in thread ]

  7. identicon
    nonuser, 10 Feb 2005 @ 10:02am

    note to self

    Never buy anything from Ron Popeil or my name goes on some list. Check

    link to this | view in thread ]

  8. icon
    drteknikal (profile), 10 Feb 2005 @ 2:54pm

    In a related announcement...

    The Office of Fair Trade has announced a record surplus for the fiscal year, and will remit it to the general fund as soon as it can be repatriated from Nigeria.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  9. identicon
    thecaptain, 11 Feb 2005 @ 4:27am

    Re: Mmmmmm

    Always gotta push it too far. I don't really think Insurance companies will look anytime soon at who fell for a sucker's play on the big bad net. Unless they start selling fraud insurance to Joe-six-pack in a big way.

    I mean I'm sure there would be a legal way to fight this. Just like there's a way to fight bad credit when you are the victim of identity theft (although in my opinion, fighting THAT is a huge pain in the ascii and made more difficult for the victim than it needs to be....)

    link to this | view in thread ]

  10. identicon
    xman, 11 Feb 2005 @ 4:52am

    Re: Mmmmmm

    If people start trying to claim on insurance for being scammed then they will jump on it fast enough.

    link to this | view in thread ]


Follow Techdirt
Essential Reading
Techdirt Deals
Report this ad  |  Hide Techdirt ads
Techdirt Insider Discord

The latest chatter on the Techdirt Insider Discord channel...

Loading...
Recent Stories

This site, like most other sites on the web, uses cookies. For more information, see our privacy policy. Got it
Close

Email This

This feature is only available to registered users. Register or sign in to use it.