Pierogi (Scammer Payback channel) streamed officially as a scambaiter in July 2019. On November 24th, while live, Scammer Payback hit 200,000 subscribers. This exponential growth came from the grind of initially streaming two to three times a week, to the five times a week on YouTube and Twitch that we are used to only 17 months' later. Working his full time job in Cyber Security, Pierogi was ideally placed to use his skills against the technical scammers fleecing unsuspecting (mostly elders) across the US, the UK, Europe and Australia. The mental dexterity he displays whilst reeling in hapless 'technicians' in scam call-centres has become legendary to his die-hard followers and those that Covid lockdown brought stumbling into his world on a YouTube binge. 'Social Engineering' is the phrase that describes the psychology behind duping the tier 1 call-centre scammers with enough of a relationship to throw them off-script and gain information and time before progressing to the next level. Without giving too much away, a night's scambaiting can typically run for five hours, each time giving visibility to the structure and progressions of the scams. Each bait is different, and an adventure. A naturally warm-hearted individual he gets ice in his veins when mentally duelling with the tactics employed by scammers. The energy and zeal he brings to informing those who watch is matchless and it could be easy to forget that as at today's date he works full time and fits in treasured family time alongside the interaction he has with his live followers in the chat and onscreen. It feels like a ticket to an intimate party as Pierogi flips between talking to viewers, back to the scammer, and displaying a greenscreen projection of what's technically happening while bamboozling them into wasting time and sometimes causing them to lose their victim files. Over 90% of his content is free to allow for education and awareness to the broadest viewership. You'll see him enjoy snacks and a beverage on the fly so that he keeps his energy up for cracking wise, singing, rapping and occasional dancing, and improvising his way out of situations. It is both intimate and compelling, and if you don't always understand what is going on, the only request he makes of you is 'don't backseat scambait' - meaning just because you don't know what is happening and feel compelled to shout directions out in the livechat, doesn't mean HE doesn't have control of the sitation. They are NOT 'on to him' because they ask him questions, and he doesn't need to collaborate with any other scambaiter to get results. You will see him collaborate, though, with Jim Browning, and on several occasions with Trilogy Media to get closer to catching a money mule in the US. The 58,000 new subscribers this week would probably have their own stories about why they're hooked. One thing we all know is that we all along for the ride. subscribe to Scammer Payback on www.youtube.com/scammerpayback and www.twitch.tv/scammerpayback Socials www.tiktok.com/@scammerpayback www.twitter.com/scammerpayback www.instagram.com/scammerpayback www.facebook.com/SP Community
