The Tale of the Painted Breast: a classic 419 'reverse scam'

**Chris** · 20-09-2004, 11:31

For anyone who might have heard or seen the feature the BBC did online and on Radio 4 over the summer on the antics over at www.419eater.com, you might be interested to know that the mammoth scambait against 'Prince Joe Eboh' seems to have finally come to an end, after five months and with the scammer conned out of an estimated $129.

http://www.419eater.com/html/joe_eboh.htm

'Scambaiting' is the art of replying to those annoying emails you get from people claiming to be the wife of a deposed dictator, urgently needing to get $30 million out of the country, and can you please help, etc. The scambaiters string the scammers along, trying to waste their time and money, and hopefully getting a few laughs along the way having them pose for stupid photos, fill in phoney forms and the like.

The 'bait' against 'Prince Joe Eboh' is well worth reading from start to finish. There's a link to the audio interview included partway through it, and the BBC online version of the feature is here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/3887493.stm

This has given me plenty of laughs over the last few months, I can't wait for the next one ... the guy who runs that site is a master of the art.

Bifta · 20-09-2004, 11:36

The one about Steve Ebe was good too

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/sh...&highlight=419

**Chris** · 20-09-2004, 11:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bifta

The one about Steve Ebe was good too

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/sh...&highlight=419

Yep, that was the first bait I ever read and I nearly wet myself laughing at it ... thought that thread was a bit old to dig up again tho

Ramrod · 20-09-2004, 11:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris T

Yep, that was the first bait I ever read and I nearly wet myself laughing at it ... thought that thread was a bit old to dig up again tho

Was that the one with the slogan: "we don't just take IT to the top, we take IT up the a**'?

**Chris** · 20-09-2004, 11:58

Yep, that was the one.

Caspar · 20-09-2004, 12:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris T

For anyone who might have heard or seen the feature the BBC did online and on Radio 4 over the summer on the antics over at www.419eater.com, you might be interested to know that the mammoth scambait against 'Prince Joe Eboh' seems to have finally come to an end, after five months and with the scammer conned out of an estimated $129.

http://www.419eater.com/html/joe_eboh.htm

<SNIP>

This is one of the funniest things I've ever read!!!!

..and longest!!!!