Scammies in Ur Jammies, or "If You Fall For It, You Deserve It?"

Scammer philosophy is interesting: "People are stupid. Whoever falls for stupid ideas, tricks, etc. should be punished." (In the comments here.)

In the Cinderella book Ella Enchanted, Ella talks to her father and an elderly suitor about punishments for robbery. Ella's father believes in harsh punishment, while the suitor believes in mercy.

Ella knows her father is an unscrupulous merchant so she asks him if it's still theft when someone is tricked out of their money or possessions. He replies no, it's not the same. If people aren't smart enough to hold onto their possessions, they don't deserve them.

Ella suggests that if a man doesn't have enough security to protect his home, he could also be accused of not being able to hold onto his possessions, and therefore doesn't deserve them.

Her father concedes the point.

If you get scammed, let's hope it's by a scammer with a code of business like the one interviewed in the above link -- one who only cares about getting the gold and items that Blizzard will replace and who doesn't monkey with your account or (worse) try your password on your bank account.

Read that article, refresh yourself on my old tips, and a few things I want to emphasize:

• The Authenticator can't be circumvented UNLESS you give out one of its codes -- then your hacker can use that to enter your account ONCE.
• Always change your password after you get hacked. Hackers will go back and try again once your stuff is restored.

Scammers get your info from:

• You giving it to them.
• You downloading/running their keylogger.

The best account protection is you. Don't give them an excuse to say you deserved to be punished.