Note: This column represents the opinions
of the writer and as such, is not purported as fact
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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.
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