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Pastimes : Nigerian Scam Baiting - Let's Discuss the Modalities
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To: S. maltophilia who wrote (118)6/21/2012 7:28:43 PM
From: Jeffrey S. Mitchell   of 130
 
I boil everything down to common sense, including lengthy scientific research papers. For example, take a guy working his way through a large crowd proclaiming to be the messiah/Jesus reincarnated/the son of God/etc. Contrast that with another guy proclaiming he can save you 15% on your car insurance in just 15 minutes. Who do you think has his work cut out for him? While the latter sales guy is going to engage a lot more people, he's going to have to spend quite a bit of time with each one to make a sale. Conversely, either you are going to take it on faith the other guy is who he says he is, or more likely chuckle and walk on by.

Compounding the problem is that we are somehow fascinated by things that seem too good to be true vs. things that are more than likely true. For example, we are more likely to visit the booth of someone proclaiming he can help us buy any home with no money down, or pay off our mortgage in just five years with the money we already earn. We want these to be true so we tend to make them true in our minds with the rationale, hey, you never know.

Yes, this aspect of human psychology, which encompasses people that get ripped off in stock scams often blaming themselves, is fascinating.

- Jeff
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