Spam

[Owen Lewis]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: ukcrypto-admin@chiark.greenend.org.uk
> [mailto:ukcrypto-admin@chiark.greenend.org.uk]On Behalf Of Roland Perry
> Sent: 10 October 2002 17:10
> To: ukcrypto@chiark.greenend.org.uk
> Subject: Re: Spam
>
>
> In message <FMEFLOMOCGIMKOKKKLFIMEPJCFAA.oml@sysrx.uk.com>, Owen Lewis
> <oml@sysrx.uk.com> writes
> >'Work' means different things to different people.
> >
> >Count the number of years that these scams have been running, multiply by
> >some factor of 365+ (your own assessment of their rate of
> occurrence). And
> >the number of prosecutions has been?? (No need to worry about
> *successful*
> >prosecutions).
>
> Several that I'm aware of in recent times - although they are cases
> where people have lost money, not the initial spamming exercise.

Well, I expect that can be read as 'more than one'. You attest to knowledge
of more than 365 of these scams a year. I believe that the Met's average
detection rate is about 8%. In the case of NSs, what, to your understanding,
is the number of prosecutions a year? I admit to knowing of none but that is
not necessarily a fair indicator.

Interesting though. A key feature of these - and some other scams - is that,
through greed, the 'mark' consents to make one or more criminal acts
(conspiracy being perhaps but the first of these). In general, this produces
several effects when the scam has been successful:

	1. It makes the mark reluctant to complain of his loss.

	2. It might make difficult the prosecution of the scammer without
prosecuting also the mark who conspired with him and now bleats like the
fleeced lamb he is.

	3. Even where recovery of lost funds was possible, it makes their return to
the mark unlikely.


> I understand that new cases arise rather more frequently than you'd
> expect, but for various good reasons the officers are publicity-shy.

I do not follow you. Investigating officers details are but rarely
publicised as a result of a prosecution of any sort. What do you suppose is
so particularly sensitive in regard to NSs? I do admit to being amused at
the thought of reporting restrictions being imposed whenever a one of these
con artists is brought to justice :-)

> NICS have a number of officers full time on the intelligence gathering,
> and the Met handle the operational side.

Hmm..

Owen