‘Scam baiters’ get a kick out of conning the con artists

The scam baiters say they do not earn a penny from their work and that they have other reasons for taking on the con artists.

One man from the US, who wished to remain anonymous, wanted to turn the tables after his mother was caught up in a “grandparent scam”, and came close to losing $5,000 (£3,900).

For Wayne, the motivation is simply the “buzz” he receives from knowing he can help someone.

He says people have contacted him via his website on the verge of suicide.

Questions remain, however, over whether scam baiters are sufficiently equipped – or best placed – to deal with scammers rather than the authorities.

Official advice is to report any suspected offenders to Action Fraud – the UK’s national fraud and cyber-crime centre, which focuses much of its resources on prevention and raising awareness.

And Wayne says scam baiters do point people towards the official routes when they feel out of their depth.

But Jill argues they still play an important role, as advances in technology and the fact many of the scammers are overseas mean it is difficult for authorities to catch such criminals.

And they reject the label vigilante. “Vigilantes work outside the law,” says Wayne.