They say there will always be scammers. I say: good. As someone who went to college for IT and Multimedia Design, I’ve made it a side-quest to learn their scripts. Now, instead of just avoiding them, I turn the tables and have fun. My goal: waste their time so thoroughly they rethink their career choice. Maybe I even charge them for mine.
🎯 The Golden Rules (Before You Play)
- NEVER pay to "claim" a prize. If you "won" something you didn’t enter, it's a tax (on the stupid).
- DYOR is your shield. Before any interaction or "investment," look into the project, team, and tech. No white paper? Ghost it.
- If it's too good to be true, it's a script. They're reading from a playbook. You can learn it.
🤥 The Usual Suspects (Common Scam Types)
· The Advanced-Fee/Prize Scam: "You've won! Just pay a small fee for release/transfer." (See Rule #1).
· The "Investment" Opportunity: Fake exchanges, "guaranteed" high-yield programs, or impersonations of well-known figures offering "secret" tips.
· The Phishing Play: Fake customer support, wallet "security" alerts, or airdrop links designed to steal your keys.
· The Romance/Trust Scam: Long-game building of a relationship before the inevitable urgent request for funds.
😈 My "Fun-with-Scammers" Starter Script
When I'm bored and one slips into my DMs, here's my go-to opening move to derail their script immediately:
Scammer: "Hello dear, I am [Fake Name], official support for [Big Exchange]. We have detected a problem with your account."
Me: "Oh wow, perfect timing! Your security system just flagged a massive, anomalous withdrawal from your end. My forensic ledger is tracing it back to your IP cluster right now. Hold the line, my legal team is joining the call to discuss liability and the 3 BTC restitution minimum. Please provide your full legal name and jurisdiction for the service of paperwork."
(90% of the time, this results in immediate disconnection. The other 10% is pure comedy.)
The Principle: Flip the script. Assume authority over them. Use their fear (exposure, legal action) against them. Speak in a language of consequences they understand.
⚡ Level-Up: Charge Them For Your Time
If they're persistent, I might tell them about my real work. Something like:
"Look, you've clearly reached a Sovereign Consultant. My rate for engaging with threat actors is 0.01 BTC per 15-min block, payable upfront to the following burn address [Burn Address Example: 1BitcoinEaterAddressDontSendf59kuE]. Your current tab is 0.03 BTC. Shall I continue my analysis of your operational security failures, or will you be settling up?"
Why This Works: It reframes the entire interaction. You're no longer prey; you're a professional whose time is valuable. It’s a psychological power move that breaks their "mark" mentality.
🔥 The Goal & The Lesson
I do this to:
- Waste their operational time (time spent on me is time not spent scamming someone vulnerable).
- Have a laugh and stay sharp.
- Demonstrate that sovereignty isn't just about holding keys—it's about holding frame.
The deeper lesson for Stacker News: In a permissionless world, vigilance is your first line of defense, and humor is a potent weapon. We build robust systems, but we must also be ready to play psychological judo with those who try to exploit them.
What are your best scam-baiting stories or scripts? Let's compile the best tactics in the comments. 🍿👇
#security #scam #sovereignty #bitcoin #security #psychology #socialengineering #counterplay #stackermuse