Internet Crime and Anti-Fraud Activism

Scambaiting is a form of vigilantism that targets internet scammers who try to trick people into advance fee payments. In the past, victims were mainly contacted by bulk emails; now the widespread use of social networking services has made it easier for scammers to contact potential victims – those who seek various online opportunities in the form of sales and rentals, dating, booking holidays, or seeking for jobs. Scambaiters are online information communities specializing in identifying, documenting, and reporting activities of scammers. By following scambaiting forums, it was possible to categorize different scambaiting subgroups with various strategies and tools. These were tested in hands-on sessions during creative workshops in order to gain a wider understanding of the scope of existing internet scams as well as exploring counter strategies to prevent internet crime. The aim of the workshops was to recognize and develop diverse forms of anti-scam activism.

Towards a Categorization of Scambaiting Strategies against Online Advance Fee Fraud

Scambaiters are individuals in online information communities specializing in identifying, documenting and reporting actions of so-called ‘419 scammers'. A qualitative research approach was applied to two active scambaiting communities - 419eater.com and thescambaiter.com. Content analysis of several discussions and the examination of interviews from the web radio ‘Area 419: Scambaiting Radio' resulted in the seven categories of scambaiting techniques that are presented in this article. The aim is to both give a wider understanding of the scope of existing Internet scams as well as answering questions of why and how individuals or communities of scambaiters take action against Internet scammers. The analysis on various scambaiting practices is intended as a base for future discussions, for instance, whether some scambaiting methods should be implemented in media competence training.