Welcome back!

Last time, we shared how you can use BobRTC to easily contact scammers. It's an amazing turnkey solution.

But regardless of how you choose to contact scammers, the most important tool of any scambait is...you. While other tools can make it easy to find your target and call them with a disposable number, at the end of the day, you are the most vital key to a successful scambait call. So how can you prep for the spotlight? Today, I'll share some tips on how to get ready to take down some bad people.

1. Self Prep
2. Tech Prep
3. Backup Prep

It's fun to take down scammers, but throughout the process you are playing a fake persona (or you should be, don't scambait with your real name, phone, or other identifying information). It can take a decent toll on your health. Case in point: I faked a female victim for about two hours straight. Fun times, but my throat was sore for the rest of the day. In other cases, faking a victim can take a mental toll. If you or someone you know got scammed in the past, playing the part of an unknowing person can cause negative thoughts to bubble up. REMEMBER, scammers are bad, but you are immensely valued. Don't force yourself beyond your limits to take down the bad guys. Stop the call if it gets tough, take a break for a few days, and come back when you're ready. They'll still be there, and you'll be mentally ready to tackle them head on.

Once you're ready mentally and physically, it's time to prepare your equipment. Make sure your phones and laptops are charged, and that all your recording tools are ready to go. If you are using OBS or some other tool/software to record the interaction, double-check that it's on and that you have space. It's always a good idea to do a run-through of everything you plan to use before you start a call, so you can catch any issues ahead of time. Finally, if a call starts going a different direction and you aren't technically prepared (e.g. they start asking for a screen share and you don't have a burner laptop with a VM ready to go), don't continue with it. Try to say you'll call them back once you find what they're asking for, or just end the call by saying you don't have what they need. Some scammers are part of well-funded operations, and they can take advantage of slight openings to ransack your systems. If in doubt, then don't.

Finally, it's always good to have backups of your tools somewhere close. OBS can crash, your VM hangs, or a phone can just lose connection. Sometimes, the oldest tech is the best tech. We've ended up using Voice Memos to record interactions when our mics break, and other times we shift our vocal ranges and pronunciations with a candy in our mouth if voice modulators crash. Not only does this help your call stay consistent, but it's good practice to ensure that you don't have to restart your progress with the scam due to unexpected circumstances.

So in conclusion, preparation is extremely important to scambaiting, and being ready for the unknown is vital to handling the unexpected nature of scam calls. But remember, you and your health comes first each and every time. Take the time you need to prepare yourself for a scambait, and then bring your talents out and take them down like the amazing scambaiter you are.

Yours truly,

dndboiii