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I trapped scammers in an impossible maze [video]

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Re: I trapped scammers in an impossible maze [video]

#251

Post by cdchn »

phatfish wrote: post #169
bertil wrote: post #108

This is product thinking. Let’s get deep: Story time! I initially liked the guy but grew a bit tired of him using what could be veiled racism for views — I’m not accusing him of anything; it just felt cringy-er than I like my YouTube. The ethics are more complicated than that, but something bothered me, especially since that special episode where they sent someone physically there, let pests in the building, etc. I c…

Essentially prank calling scammers gets old fast, and is just an avenue to make money from Youtube. Which means upping the ante to keep viewers, eventually videos reach a grey area where they get as mean as the scammers themselves. This automated method is cool though, so it makes an interesting video. Could have done without the Kraken shilling though, they are part of the problem.

>Could have done without the Kraken shilling though, they are part of the problem.

That made me a bit sad. That now he's getting paid by crypto - arguably the greatest scammer enabling technology since the telephone.

Re: I trapped scammers in an impossible maze [video]

#252

Post by cdchn »

bertil wrote: post #164
netsharc wrote: post #144

Earlier quoted context omitted.

FWIW, after a few videos I found Mark Rober insufferable, he seems too full of himself. I did enjoy his first glitter vs anti-package-thieves video, but not his later videos

Oh, his latest videos and the package-thieves are way less entertaining than his previous ones. There are interesting hesitations when he ponders the ethics and legality, but it’s otherwise (unfunny) schadenfreude. I think that’s the influence of other YouTubers: he’s hanging out with the Safety Third guys, who are (as their name implies) trying to fast-run a Darwin prize. They make entertaining science-y stuff. He’s…

Tech Ingredients is the only person out of all you listed that I wouldn't describe as "insufferable."

Re: I trapped scammers in an impossible maze [video]

#253

Post by cdchn »

netsharc wrote: post #167
bertil wrote: post #164

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Oh, his latest videos and the package-thieves are way less entertaining than his previous ones. There are interesting hesitations when he ponders the ethics and legality, but it’s otherwise (unfunny) schadenfreude. I think that’s the influence of other YouTubers: he’s hanging out with the Safety Third guys, who are (as their name implies) trying to fast-run a Darwin prize. They make entertaining science-y stuff. He’s…

Well, to derail this to a review of YouTubers I've seen, Destin is okay, his happy optimistic about everything attitude annoys the dark-hearted cynic in me a bit. Technology Connections: interesting content, sometimes the humor is cringeworthy. He knows he's making a cringe joke or a very very lame pun, so he leans into it, "I know this joke isn't funny but the fact that you're aware that I'm aware that I'm making a…

> Electroboom

His "i electrocuted myself lol" schtick gets old fast but otherwise good.

Re: I trapped scammers in an impossible maze [video]

#254

Post by cdchn »

CursedUrn wrote: post #132
lupire wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are no "international hacking laws". That's why all these scammers operate with impunity.

I meant it would violate the laws in the victim's country. There are certainly laws against installing malware on someone else's machine in lots of countries.

Bribes.

Re: I trapped scammers in an impossible maze [video]

#255

Post by IG_Semmelweiss »

chrisjc wrote: post #107
lapetitejort wrote: post #3

The twist at the end is wonderful in so many ways. Kitboga, by complete happenstance, directly saves someone from a prolonged scam. Not only that, but he may have inadvertently stumbled upon a new technique to help out victims. Trick the scammers into giving their victims Kitboga's number so he can help them directly. I am excited for his future endeavors.

This situation didn't make any sense to me. Wasn't Kitboga and his team playing the part of the party being scammed? What did this lady have to do with bitcoin receipt/qr-code?

i think for some reason the scammer asked the victim to call kraken

  Presumably because the scammer's account was on kraken?
The really odd part is how the scammer came across some of Kitboga's real info (kraken account, email, etc). Since that was the key detail that allowed Kraken to flag the victim's existing to Kitboga.

REminder that at this point Kitboga and victim had still not connected.

Scammer then gave QR maze infoline # to victim,and asked victim to try to call and untie the knot. That's really how Kitboga got involved.

Re: I trapped scammers in an impossible maze [video]

#256

Post by g-b-r »

ilamont wrote: post #138
wing-_-nuts wrote: post #119

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Calling comcast customer support almost guarantees this happens. You call in, repeatedly ask for a representative, they will hang up on you. The only way I've reliably been able to talk to anyone to say you wish to 'Talk to a representative about cancelling my account'. TBH, I kind of dread when they start incorporating LLMs or better ai, because it will be truly impossible to speak to a human anymore.

> The only way I've reliably been able to talk to anyone to say you wish to 'Talk to a representative about cancelling my account'. Threatening to leave is also a reliable technique to stop ridiculous price hikes and even get hefty discounts. Sometimes you have to talk to someone on the "retention team." At other times you can do it online. Most recently I preserved the NYT intro rate of $4 every 4 weeks (instead of…

Comcast specifically though throttled the retention policies for Sky Italia when they bought them, it used to be that you could get a 60% discount easily, after their purchase it became at most 40% if I remember well

Re: I trapped scammers in an impossible maze [video]

#257

Post by QuarterReptile »

JaDogg wrote: post #202
montag wrote: post #183

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sounds like you are talking about a very specific place. I object to the reduction that "most things in the world are some form of a scam." High-trust societies do exist.

I agree. Extracting individuals from this mindset requires significant effort. -- this applies to me too. Furthermore, aren't most high-trust societies, such as Japan or European countries have similar stock of people. I am uncertain whether individuals like me, who look different due to skin color / have an accent, would be readily accepted into these high-trust societies.

The best high-trust societies build around a non-racial center.

Re: I trapped scammers in an impossible maze [video]

#258

Post by kyleee »

function_seven wrote: post #98
starik36 wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

His first ever show on KFI with the fake station manager was the most confusing time in my life.

I delivered pizzas back when Phil was on KFI. There were so many late deliveries because I just couldn’t get out of my car until a commercial break. RC Collins, Bud from Ojai, Margaret Gray, Bobbie Dooley, etc. All hilarious.

“Ted’s of Beverly Hills - We wanna put our meat in your mouth”

Re: I trapped scammers in an impossible maze [video]

#259

Post by serf »

sumedh wrote: post #190
josu wrote: post #172

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>low wages and high unemployment Low wages sure, but high unemployment is not correct. Most scammers seem to be based in India where unemployment is around 3%.

The low wages are not enough to live a meaningful life.

money buys options and gives opportunity, it by no means provides a 'meaningful life'.

Re: I trapped scammers in an impossible maze [video]

#260

Post by akoboldfrying »

alexey-salmin wrote: post #112
boneitis wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This was my first thought. Commenters here are thoroughly entertained, but all I see are the efforts of people that mold the internet experience into what I have to deal with on a daily basis. They would make great additions to AI and CAPTCHA teams. /snark It's pretty wild that my $20 subscription earns me a long string of puzzles. Sometimes I am forced to solve so many of the very-difficult-to-solve variety that I j…

> It's pretty wild that my $20 subscription earns me a long string of puzzles. Well that GPT5 isn't gonna train itself

... maybe it will
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