# What kind of scam is this? What do they really want? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 28, 2018, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-scam-is-this-what-do-they-really-want/822138 "2018-09-28T20:53:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2018, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-scam-is-this-what-do-they-really-want/822138/21 "2018-10-02T22:37:22Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > On occasions, I have enjoyed a bit of scam baiting…Here’s one I’ve got going at the moment:… I was all set to tell you to stop wasting your time, but I really enjoyed reading that exchange. mmm ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2018, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-scam-is-this-what-do-they-really-want/822138/22 "2018-10-03T00:28:47Z")
We got a call this afternoon, and the message just said it was about our “problem”. The only problem was that the phone rang while we were indulging in some afternoon delight. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2018, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-scam-is-this-what-do-they-really-want/822138/23 "2018-10-03T08:07:23Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > Seems to me that the proper response to the last one would be He has gone a bit quiet (I can’t really understand why… I’m emailing him several times a day 😃 ), so I might try that! ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2018, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-scam-is-this-what-do-they-really-want/822138/24 "2018-10-03T18:03:38Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > Oh, is that all? But I am not the least tempted to reply. But the only real harm in replying is that it might encourage them. As long as you don’t give them any information (address, phone number) where they can track you down, there’s no real problem with “just talking.” Be warned; in addition to the “usual” way these things work (“There’s a slight problem; we need another $500 to bribe this guard we didn’t know about before…”), there’s a variation on this; “You don’t have to send any money now; in fact, here is a plane ticket to see our operation so you can see for yourself that it is legitimate!”; the plane ticket is real, but so are the guns pointed at you when the scammers kidnap you and demand you contact somebody for ransom money…and never mind that, once they get the money, they can kill you anyway and they’re still pretty much untraceable. Here’s a variation based on a scam against people selling things; they _do_ send you some of the money…but it’s a Money Order with a request that they need you to send some of the money back. Needless to say, it’s fake, and when the bank discovers it, they will demand that you pay back all of the money. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2018, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-scam-is-this-what-do-they-really-want/822138/25 "2018-10-03T20:24:10Z")
[From 2005](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=350648). At least a Doper got a bottle of wine out of it. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2018, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-scam-is-this-what-do-they-really-want/822138/26 "2018-10-03T21:06:35Z")
> [@That\_Don\_Guy](#): > > …there’s a variation on this; “You don’t have to send any money now; in fact, here is a plane ticket to see our operation so you can see for yourself that it is legitimate!”; the plane ticket is real, but so are the guns pointed at you when the scammers kidnap you and demand you contact somebody for ransom money…and never mind that, once they get the money, they can kill you anyway and they’re still pretty much untraceable. Cite that this has ever happened? Not that anyone has ever been kidnapped for ransom, of course they have; but color me skeptical that any kidnapping operation is buying plane tickets and sending them out to prospective kidnappees. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2018, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-scam-is-this-what-do-they-really-want/822138/27 "2018-10-03T21:51:15Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > Cite that this has ever happened? Not that anyone has ever been kidnapped for ransom, of course they have; but color me skeptical that any kidnapping operation is buying plane tickets and sending them out to prospective kidnappees. Not for you or me, but if it is a wealthy person, it might work. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2018, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-scam-is-this-what-do-they-really-want/822138/28 "2018-10-03T22:04:03Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Not for you or me, but if it is a wealthy person, it might work. A wealthy person would fly somewhere because somebody they have never heard of sends them a plane ticket? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2018, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-scam-is-this-what-do-they-really-want/822138/29 "2018-10-03T22:33:32Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > A wealthy person would fly somewhere because somebody they have never heard of sends them a plane ticket? You just need one dumb, wealthy person. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2018, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-scam-is-this-what-do-they-really-want/822138/30 "2018-10-03T22:42:07Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > You just need one dumb, wealthy person. Ok, if you don’t find this idea ridiculous, let’s get back to asking for a cite that scammers have ever bought plane tickets and sent them to people on the chance that they might use the ticket to travel to place where it’s convenient to kidnap them. The closest scenario I can imagine is a long con where someone poses as a hot girl online and tempts a foolish man to travel to visit her. But the scammer is still not going to buy the plane ticket. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2018, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-scam-is-this-what-do-they-really-want/822138/31 "2018-10-03T23:00:41Z")
-nm ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2018, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-scam-is-this-what-do-they-really-want/822138/32 "2018-10-04T01:24:17Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > Ok, if you don’t find this idea ridiculous, let’s get back to asking for a cite that scammers have ever bought plane tickets and sent them to people on the chance that they might use the ticket to travel to place where it’s convenient to kidnap them. > > The closest scenario I can imagine is a long con where someone poses as a hot girl online and tempts a foolish man to travel to visit her. But the scammer is still not going to buy the plane ticket. I’m working on it, baby! You’re hot! …Err, Dude, yeah. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2018, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-scam-is-this-what-do-they-really-want/822138/33 "2018-10-04T07:07:17Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > Cite that this has ever happened? Not that anyone has ever been kidnapped for ransom, of course they have; but color me skeptical that any kidnapping operation is buying plane tickets and sending them out to prospective kidnappees. I’ve heard of scambaiters persuading scammers to part with small amounts of money, but in all the kidnapping (or potential kidnapping) cases I’ve read about, the scam is already well underway at the point where flights are being discussed and the mark is most often already nuts-deep in debt from ‘fees’ he/she has already sent to the scammer - I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a case where the scammer bought the tickets - it’s easier for them to just tell the mark to beg, borrow or steal some more funds for the flight. Maybe it’s different for scams where kidnapping is the primary initial goal ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2018, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-scam-is-this-what-do-they-really-want/822138/34 "2018-10-04T12:30:34Z")
The kidnappee doesn’t have to have money, the relatives do. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2018, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-scam-is-this-what-do-they-really-want/822138/35 "2018-10-04T14:15:07Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > I’m working on it, baby! You’re hot! …Err, Dude, yeah. OK ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2018, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-scam-is-this-what-do-they-really-want/822138/36 "2018-10-04T14:20:02Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > The kidnappee doesn’t have to have money, the relatives do. [That doesn’t always go according to plan either](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Paul_Getty_III). ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2018, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-scam-is-this-what-do-they-really-want/822138/37 "2018-10-04T14:45:59Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > [That doesn’t always go according to plan either](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Paul_Getty_III). From article: “After Paul’s ear was sent, his grandfather negotiated a deal to get him back for about $2.9 million (equivalent to $16 million in 2017[10]). He paid $2.2 million—the maximum amount that was tax deductible—and lent the remainder to his son, who was responsible for repaying the sum at 4% interest.[15] Paul was found alive on December 15, 1973, in a petrol station of Lauria in the province of Potenza shortly after the ransom was paid.[16] At his mother’s suggestion, he called his grandfather to thank him for paying the ransom, but J. Paul Getty refused to come to the phone.[15]” Wow. How to become rich and stay that way. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2018, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-scam-is-this-what-do-they-really-want/822138/38 "2018-10-10T21:21:52Z")
Pretty sure I just got [one of these](https://www.npr.org/2018/05/10/609117134/chinese-robocalls-bombarding-the-u-s-are-part-of-an-international-phone-scam) on my work number, incoming call spoofed a World Wildlife Fund number. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2018, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-scam-is-this-what-do-they-really-want/822138/39 "2018-10-10T21:36:29Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > The kidnappee doesn’t have to have money, the relatives do. Or the person has kidnap insurance. ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2018, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-scam-is-this-what-do-they-really-want/822138/40 "2018-10-11T19:22:12Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > Cite that this has ever happened? Not that anyone has ever been kidnapped for ransom, of course they have; but color me skeptical that any kidnapping operation is buying plane tickets and sending them out to prospective kidnappees. [Here’s one](http://www.nbcnews.com/id/45989865/ns/technology_and_science-security/t/nigerian-email-scam-ends-real-life-kidnapping/) [Here’s another](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/southafrica/1334047/Briton-kidnapped-by-Nigerian-gang-in-cash-fraud.html) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-scam-is-this-what-do-they-really-want/822138.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-scam-is-this-what-do-they-really-want/822138.md?page=3)