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Random Stupidity 29 June 2004 Edition
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It has been proven any number of times that the internet is a haven for idiots, morons, retards, fools and the easily duped.

Well guess what folks, more proof has arrived!

If you have good spam filters you may not have seen the growing wave of spam that promotes a concept known as "The Randomizer" and promises thousands of dollars for doing nothing.

Gosh, sounds almost too good to be true doesn't it?

But that seemingly doesn't stop those with an IQ smaller than their shoe-size from rushing out and investing in these "sure-fire path to wealth" schemes.

Of course to say that such schemes don't also attract the smart, intelligent, well-educated and discerning net users would be untrue. However, it's the smart people who are probably the ones behind these "dupe an idiot" schemes and who are the only ones to actually make any money from them.

If you're unfamiliar with how they work, here's a quick explanation...

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A Randomizer site runs a list of people who have paid a nominal fee to be listed (usually US$5 - US$20).

Once you've paid your money and got on this list, your name/ID is then randomly chosen to be the "sponsor" of a new member. When that member pays up their $20 or so, some of that money (usually about half) is sent to you, usually via your PayPal account -- the scheme's organiser pockets the rest.

But how are new members encouraged to join?

Usually by spam that is sent out by the organiser -- but as often as not that's supported by the efforts (usually also spamming) of individual members who think that the more people who sign up, the more money they'll earn.

Of course what the dullards don't stop to think about is that every time a new member is added to the list, the chances of their own name/ID being chosen as a sponsor reduces.

Yes, it's nothing more than a twist on the old Ponzi/Pyramid scheme and would almost certainly be considered highly illegal in many countries, including New Zealand.

But this doesn't stop the cretins from flocking like lemmings to sign up it would seem -- and come to think of it, what better medium to reach a qualified audience of nitwits than spam? After all, only a fool would buy anything from a spammer.

So, once again let me issue a general request that you educate your friends and families not to be accidentally sucked into one of these schemes for fear of wasting their money -- or worse -- falling foul of the law.

Here are a few randomizer sites that have been promoted via spam arriving in my mailbox recently (note that quite a few are clearly run by the same crowd using reskinned websites -- read and weep.

Yes, You Can Gift Money
I've published this website for the past nine years as a service to the local internet and IT industry and during all that time it has been 100% free to access. It is my intention to ensure that it remains completely free and free of charge and contains only the most sparse levels of advertising. Aardvark is not a business, it is a free resource.

If you feel that this is a good thing and/or you hold a "geniune affection" for yours truly -- then you are welcome to gift me some money using the buttons provided. In gifting this money you accept that no goods, service or other consideration is offered, provided, accepted or anticipated in return. Just click on the button to gift whatever you can afford. NOTE: PayPal bills in US dollars so don't accidentally gift more than what you were intending :-)

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