Scambaiters
What are they?
What is a Scambaiter?
A scambaiter is someone that contacts scammers and pretend to be a victim. We do this for many reasons. One is to gather intel to try and stop these people from doing this. Two we do this to waste their time so that they can not be on the phone with someone and scam them. Information we gather is passed along to the proper channels.
Can I be a Scambaiter?
It takes a special group of people to be a scambaiter. You have to be Tech Savvy and also an Actor of sorts, as you pretend to be someone fictional. WE NEVER USE OUR REAL IDENTITIES OR INFORMATION.
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We use Fake PC's called Virtual Machines. These are basically a PC within a PC and can easily be restarted to a present configuration. These also contain no real data about the user in general.
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We utilize Fake Emails. These emails are not ones you would use for Everyday life. They are fictional emails about a fictional person. Usually the emails on them are generated to simulate actual emails.
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We use Fake Bank Accounts. NEVER USE YOUR REAL BANK DETAILS to attempt to deceive scammers.
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We use Fake Phone numbers. These are phones basically like a Burner phone. You never want to give your Real Phone number that can be traced back to your Real self.
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We use Fake Addresses. NEVER USE YOUR REAL ADDRESS
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We use Fake Identities. YOU NEVER WANT TO USE YOUR REAL NAME, SSN, DOB or Photo. Some scammers will try to get a copy of your Drivers License. NEVER GIVE THAT INFO OUT.
If I am Contacted By a Scambaiter
If someone calls you claiming they are a scambaiter, they may provide you with information to possibly help in recovering some of your funds or some peace of mind. In some cases you might be reached out by a Scambaiter as you are being scammed. They are trying to save you from these people. We are not the bad guy and remember we do this for your protection.
Normally Scambaiters will not ask to connect to your computer. They might tell you that the scammers left software on your PC and are telling you to either have the PC reset or have it checked by a legitimate tech support. Some may offer guidance on how to find such app and how to remove them.