Scamming the Scammer: A Hilarious Case Study in Ethical Propaganda

 By J. André Faust (Mar 03, 2025)

Introduction

Online scammers prey on unsuspecting victims daily, with seniors often being their prime targets. The playbook is simple: establish trust, introduce an emotional hook, and apply just enough pressure to convince the victim to send money. But what happens when the scammer meets someone who not only refuses to fall for the con but actively turns the tables? This blog explores a real exchange where a scammer was lured into a web of confusion, absurdity, and frustration—ultimately wasting their time and disrupting their operation.

The Setup: Baiting the Trap

Like many scams, this one began with a seemingly harmless message. The scammer feigned familiarity, pretending to be someone in need of help. The request? A modest sum of money, just enough to be believable—$50, supposedly to help their child. It was clear from the awkward sentence structure and grammatical errors that English was not their first language, which is often a hallmark of online fraud operations run from overseas.

Instead of shutting them down immediately, I decided to engage. Why? Because the best way to fight these scammers is to waste their time. Every second they spend engaging with me is a second they aren’t trying to con someone more vulnerable.

The Troll Begins: The Haunted Gift Card Gambit

When the scammer inevitably asked for money, I offered to buy them a Steam gift card. However, I added a twist: "I bought the card, but the cashier told me it's haunted. Should I still send it to you?" To my amazement, they replied "Yes." At this point, I knew I was dealing with someone either desperate or completely oblivious to the absurdity of the situation.

This led to a series of hilarious interactions. I insisted that the card had supernatural properties, suggesting that previous users had mysteriously disappeared. Rather than questioning this, the scammer remained fixated on one thing: getting the gift card.

The Final Blow: The Fake Apple Gift Card

Recognizing that the scammer likely relied on copy-pasting messages into a translation tool, I sent them an image of a completely fake Apple gift card. The card was intentionally absurd, featuring an impossible balance of $1,000,000 and a disclaimer that read, "Not valid for scammers." Since they couldn’t copy-paste the text, they were trapped, unable to figure out what had just happened.

Their response? A confused, garbled message: "Where are there??"—a clear sign that their brain had entered full meltdown mode.

The Ethics of Scammer Trolling: Fighting Fire with Fire

While it may seem like a joke, wasting scammers' time serves a larger purpose. These operations rely on high-volume engagement, targeting thousands in hopes that a small fraction will fall for the scam. If more people engaged in scammer trolling, we could collectively disrupt their ability to function. This is an ethical use of deception—a form of counter-propaganda that uses their own tactics against them.

Final Thoughts: Why This Works

1. It disrupts the scam economy. Every moment a scammer spends being trolled is a moment they aren’t extorting someone else.

2. It exposes their tactics. By engaging, we learn more about how these scams work and can educate others.

3. It makes scamming less profitable. If enough people wasted scammers’ time, their success rate would plummet.

Conclusion: Turn the Tables, Have Some Fun

Scammers rely on emotional manipulation, but their Achilles’ heel is lack of adaptability. They operate on scripts and struggle to deal with unexpected responses. By using humor, absurdity, and ethical trolling, we can disrupt their efforts and maybe even make them question their life choices.

Next time you get a scam message, consider engaging—not as a victim, but as a prankster. Who knows? You might just leave them haunted by the experience.

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