I got my money back from a scammer by contacting his mom on Facebook (2016) (blog.haschek.at)

Article summary

The author of the article was scammed out of $500 by a person who bought an Apple gift card from them. The scammer tried to cover their tracks, but the author was able to track them down through their online activity and eventually contacted their mother on Facebook, which led to the scammer returning the money. The author reflects on the experience and notes that it highlights the importance of being careful when making online transactions. The scammer's mistakes, including reusing usernames and having a public Facebook profile, made it possible for the author to track them down.

Main themes

• online scams
• privacy settings
• revenge and restitution
• online tracking
• personal responsibility

What commenters say

• Involving a scammer's family members can be an effective way to get them to take responsibility for their actions and make amends.
• The US justice system may not be the most effective way to deal with small-time scammers, and involving parents or other authorities may be a better approach.
• Scammers who get away with their crimes once are likely to continue scamming others, and may even become more sophisticated in their methods.
• Using escrow services and being cautious when making online transactions can help prevent scams from happening in the first place.
• In some cases, it may be more effective to shame or expose scammers rather than involving law enforcement or their family members.
• The effectiveness of involving family members in resolving online scams depends on the individual circumstances and the relationships between the scammer and their family.
• Some commenters believe that scammers should be reported to the authorities and face legal consequences, rather than being given a second chance or being shamed online.