# Stats on internet scams **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 11, 2017, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stats-on-internet-scams/790992 "2017-07-11T11:19:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2017, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stats-on-internet-scams/790992/1 "2017-07-11T11:19:10Z")
Specifically the deposed prince scam, you know the one where he will share his millions with you if you will let him put his money in your account. Are there any verified accounts of anyone ever having fallen for this? It just seems so out there. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2017, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stats-on-internet-scams/790992/2 "2017-07-11T12:49:01Z")
Lots of verified accounts, including [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=498879) where a doper, **choie** , witnessed a neighbour who was unwittingly fooled and refused to believe it was a scam. [Some](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=530335) [previous](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=651416) [threads](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=683714). ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2017, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stats-on-internet-scams/790992/3 "2017-07-11T14:08:38Z")
Ok, thanks. Wherein once again I prove my google-fu is, shall we say, subpar. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2017, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stats-on-internet-scams/790992/4 "2017-07-11T15:09:33Z")
> [@Lucas\_Jackson](#): > > Wherein once again I prove my google-fu is, shall we say, subpar. Don’t be too hard on yourself, I had to search about 8 times with different keywords to find those. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2017, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stats-on-internet-scams/790992/5 "2017-07-11T20:31:45Z")
The fact that they are still around tells me there are enough people who fall for them, at least for a period of time, to make it worth their while. It doesn’t surprise me any more than the scam where someone’s supposed grandkids call them up and say they are in jail and need to be bailed out. People don’t recognize the voices of their grandchildren? Apparently some don’t. Remember there are a lot of gullible people out there, especially lonely older folks, who trust everyone and believe what someone tells on the phone or in an email. As long as there are gullible people, there will be scammers trying to take advantage of them. ---
**Author:** ![Evan\_Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b487fb/32.png) [@Evan\_Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evan_Drake)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2017, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stats-on-internet-scams/790992/6 "2017-07-11T22:26:19Z")
_Yeah_… Earlier today I googled **Lennie** **scammer** following a tip in a **Cracked** comment. To start you off: **[Lenny !](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLduL71_GKzHHk4hLga0nOGWrXlhl-i_3g)** [YouTube collection] **[Reddit It’s Lenny.](https://www.reddit.com/r/itslenny/)** **[Lenny’s history & why he isn’t Creative Commons](https://www.reddit.com/r/itslenny/comments/5lcfwq/lennys_history_why_he_isnt_creative_commons/)** [TLDR: Author would have to reveal name.] \*Segalle obligingly raises her voice as she quizzes Lenny on the voting intentions of his household, only to be treated to inside information on Lenny’s daughters — Rachel, a bit of a hothead, you know, and Larissa, the third-eldest but first in the family to go to university — before he again asks her why she’s calling. \* National Post Canada 2015 Aug 28 Mainly for telemarketeers originally but morphed into tormenting scammers. - sound of ducks attacking \* ---
**Author:** ![somepumpkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7feea3/32.png) [@somepumpkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/somepumpkin)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2017, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stats-on-internet-scams/790992/7 "2017-07-11T22:37:59Z")
(I didn’t read the other threads.) I’ve a buddy who \*bought \*this hook, line and sinker, knowing it was a scam. He did it to write a book. He survived the ordeal, including a trip to Benin and on to Togo, but he never got any money from any one. He does have a good story to tell, though. That’s worth something, but a long way from US$1,000,000. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2017, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stats-on-internet-scams/790992/8 "2017-07-11T22:41:04Z")
[Here’s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=825917) a thread from less than 2 months ago.