bizarre and an extremely brutal way of extorting money from people. The mob used to ask for protection money, if you refused, they'd fuck your store up.
but this is just fucked up and repulsive. it's sad how poverty can dehumanize people into doing inhuman things for money.
You are very right, but there is _something_ to the theory that the availability of good jobs is a big factor. I've read a lot of cases where the FBI will capture Eastern European hackers by pretending to be an old friend of theirs, claiming to have been MIA for a while because they found a good legitimate job, and then inviting the target to apply. The target sends a passport scan as part of the application process and then gets arrested.
I think one of the biggest factors is culture. If you live in this "skype scam city" and all of your friends are doing it, then no one is judging you and you won't have too much trouble sleeping at night. On the other hand if you're in a very moral place you probably wouldn't do it.
Certainly, but again, ethically dysfunctional cultures are to be found at all levels. Lehman Brothers employees were in an environment where dishonesty and malfeasance was acceptable, so they felt OK about helping destroy an economy for personal gain. As will the Wall St financiers who create the next financial crisis ..
but this is just fucked up and repulsive. it's sad how poverty can dehumanize people into doing inhuman things for money.