Explaining baiting to your friends and family

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Posted: Sun Jan 26, 2014 4:38 am

I've been baiting since September and admit I have only one friend who knows I do it. Does anyone have some helpful hints on how you explain this to someone so they can understand?
I don't need to do it out of ego sake. It's just I spend hours every day baiting and people think, now that I have an empty nest, that I have nothing to fill my time. I've had to scramble before to close my computer or a YM chat from an impromptu visit. I also think what we do is terrific and want to share it when it makes sense.
No magic answer required, just some ideas. Thanks!

Posted: Sun Jan 26, 2014 5:45 am

I don't have an answer to that question other than "I don't do it". After several years of on and off baiting, there are still only a few people who know that I bait. I prefer it that way. Usually if I tell someone about this, it is because he/she seems like someone who might want to try baiting too and be an asset to the community.

Without an exception it takes a long time from me to determine this, and more often than not the answer is "why bother". To use your words, I don't do this for ego's sake. My reasoning is just a bit different in that I don't see a point in telling people things they don't need to know. I don't tell them my political or religious views either and we're still cool.

Posted: Sun Jan 26, 2014 6:04 am

I've told a few people and got mixed results. My husband thinks I'm nuts but I think his baseball card collection is a waste of space so we're even. Wink

I've stopped trying to explain it to him and his only real concern was that I'm staying safe.

I've told my family and my closest friends mainly because I think baiting is some of the funniest shit I've come across and want to share the humor! I've gotten mixed results. A few have looked at me like I'm a freak, I mean who wouldn't when hearing their friend say, 'Yes, I purposely email Nigerians scammers.' But after some explaining and description of the silliness and at the same time seriousness of it all, they've understood. My truly closest friends that share my sense of humor have immediately asked where to sign up. Very Happy

They're always asking me for updates on what craziness my lads are up to.

So to me, I see nothing wrong with sharing what we do. We're not doing anything wrong. In fact, we should all be proud and not feel like we need to hide our little hobby. Not to be boastful but for the simple fact that by remaining silent, we may be missing some real recruitment opportunities. So be proud! When all else fails, I tell people that if it weren't for everyone on this site, many more victims would be taken advantage of each day and even my hubby gets that part. lol

Posted: Sun Jan 26, 2014 8:54 am

^^^LOL. My fiance thinks I'm nuts too, GT. I told her to go buy another purse. Very Happy

I look at this as volunteer work for a good cause. Just looking at the amount of sites killed, bank accounts closed and those fabulous safaris makes this worthwhile. Yes, we're like the Dutch boy and the dike, but at least we slow down the flood a little. Now, it's real easy for me to spend eight straight hours trolling for bank accounts, checks, and CC's, and that's when this avocation gets out of hand. My fiance is a nurse who works nights, so I don't feel guilty staying up late trolling, but I do try to limit it when she's up so she gets her time too. Just like any other hobby, I can devote way too much time to this. When she already thinks this is nuts, staying on the computer all the time will make it worse.

Posted: Sun Jan 26, 2014 10:25 am

My friends and family know what I'm up to, and at first they thought it was creepy. I was inspired to do this because my sister once sent her rent money to Nigeria. Evil or Very Mad

But it wasn't long before everyone began to forward me every suspicious email they received. I got their attention, and they started to think about the reality of scams.

Now, they don't send them along, they just delete them, so they're safe. My elderly boss knows not to click on something that 'looks funny.' And when my friends come over, the question "so, how many sitekills now?" always comes up.

I'm happy to tell them. Thumbs up

Master of Master Baiters Joined: 13 Jan 2014 Posts: 698

I too, have been grappling with this very question. I have found it impossible not to tell my over-inquisitive 20-yr-old Grandson, who lives with me, something about it. I simply told him to pass any scam mails he receives, over to me without clicking on any of the links.

Even under 'normal' circumstances, I am naturally very reluctant to open up to anybody, including family, about my personal life, but I've given much thought to this over recent days, as a result of which I've concluded that there are three people who may consider it a worthwhile activity, and might join in. Two of these people are my sons and the other is a very old friend and ex-colleague of mine with time on his hands.

I think I might leave it at that for now, but agree with the posts here that on the one hand there is a kind of reluctance (probably irrational) to 'spread the word' too wide, but on the other hand, it could possibly turn into a handy recruitment tool.

Posted: Sun Jan 26, 2014 11:10 am

Welcome, Ahmastin! Glad you are here!

I have one friend who doesn't 'get it.' He finds it perfectly reasonable to spend all day on his computer playing online games. When talk of sitekilling or baiting comes up, he frowns and blurts that I'm wasting my time.

Seriously. Rolling Eyes

Posted: Sun Jan 26, 2014 12:04 pm

A couple of friends know, although I usually get Rolling Eyes

, and "whatever floats your boat". One of my partners knows, has volunteered an item or two. I do have one friend who lurks, reads the archived baits and has said the nicest thing- "in his secret identity as a scam baiter and superhero" .

Posted: Sun Jan 26, 2014 12:16 pm

My aunt and cousin not only know what I do, they hosted a meeting of me with another baiter.

I've shown some people what I do by asking them to google "Libyan detector ship" or, if they know Spanish, "Helline James". One guy back where I moved from works as a translator and had a good laugh over the language mixups in the Helline James bait.

I often pray for scammers or ask for prayer for them. This trimester, I pull out the Sabbath school quarterly and point at the map.

Posted: Sun Jan 26, 2014 1:52 pm

I have a few friends that know, and my gf actively encourages me, especially in my site killing efforts. She baked a cake for me when I hit 1000 site kills, and when I told her I was going for 1000 kills in 6 months as part of JustCold's long walk, she told me to try for 5000 in a year. Shocked

Most of my friends regard what I do as a public service, especially because I always frame it in an altruistic light when I talk about it: "I do this so other people do not get scammed." But they have also laughed hard when I have told them about some of my baits, or the Eater legends that are Sh0rty and Turd Boi, and one even called me an "online Batman".

I have never gotten any pushback about my hobby. I guess I don't have any ladhuggers among my friends. But I also know I would never tell my mother about it.

Posted: Sun Jan 26, 2014 2:19 pm

Thanks all! I am thankful for what all of us do and understand to be conflicted is fine, tell as needed.

Posted: Sun Jan 26, 2014 2:33 pm

Oh my Dear S.P. I found your story quite touching would you please allow me to send you $1000.0000.0000.1c using W.U.of course

Seriously though I have told most of my family and what few friends I have that I bait,they all think it is ok and worthwhile.I have even had them send me scammers email addys on Facebook.

Posted: Sun Jan 26, 2014 3:21 pm

Salting the Gold Mine- I would love to work out the transaction with you. Kindly provide a bank account for me to transfer any fees needed for receiving the money. Upon receipt, I will quit my job and work full time as a baiter. Free Skype calls for everyone! Laughing

Posted: Sun Jan 26, 2014 3:46 pm

I'd rather have a slap Rolling Eyes

Posted: Sun Jan 26, 2014 9:48 pm

SweetPoison wrote:

people think, now that I have an empty nest, that I have nothing to fill my time.

My neighbour once asked me what I did all day. I said that I played computer games.

It turned out that he had lots of computer games that he was overjoyed to share with me.

I had to limit my baiting while I ran through them, so to complete my lie by giving him feedback.

Thankfully, soon after that I moved house.

419Eater is my life Joined: 23 Jan 2014 Posts: 295

My g/f knows and is somewhat unsupportive. She believes (like many) that who on earth would fall for such ridiculous formats. Unfortunately, she (like many) live in there own little safe world and think that the entire world population views these scam letters as ridiculous anyway, and isn't looking at the big picture.

I also sleep well at night, although some nights I toss and turn for a bit trying to think of the next way to cause lad pain

Master of Master Baiters Joined: 11 Jan 2014 Posts: 688

I copy some of my funnier moments onto Facemuck and have friends send me their "You are rich" emails. My missus says it keeps me quiet so she can watch Corrie! Win, win!

Posted: Tue Jan 28, 2014 12:41 pm

weaselhunter wrote:

I also sleep well at night, although some nights I toss and turn for a bit trying to think of the next way to cause lad pain

I have been having some poo nights sleep of late thinking of baiting,
I have even dreamed about it Embarassed

Posted: Tue Jan 28, 2014 1:24 pm

I finally got around to telling most of my Family. My Dad asks how many bad guys I caught sometimes but my Mother hasn't ever questioned anything.

As far as friends and family goes I get mixed reactions. Everything from "WTH do you do that for?" to "That's Great!!".

419Eater is my life Joined: 23 Jan 2014 Posts: 295

Quote:

I have been having some poo nights sleep of late

I hope that was a typo, if not, you may want to check <a href="http://www.depend.com/">HERE</a>

Posted: Tue Jan 28, 2014 10:41 pm

^^^

Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2014 12:07 am

weaselhunter wrote:

Quote:

I have been having some poo nights sleep of late

I hope that was a typo, if not, you may want to check <a href="http://www.depend.com/">HERE</a>

Bloody liberty,I might follow through on the odd occasion.

419Eater is my life Joined: 23 Jan 2014 Posts: 295

Maybe your next bait could involve a bedpan salesman Smile

Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2014 1:48 pm

No one* knows... 'tis the mask I wear...

*with the possible exception of my office network administrators. If they have been monitoring my net usage they'd probably know by now :p

Wannabe Baiter Joined: 08 Jan 2014 Posts: 82 Location: UK

What do others think about this particular hobby?
Basically, WTF seems to be the main response.

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