Scam Culture
“Get rich or lie trying” — Symeon Brown
This seems to be the motivational phrase of scammers around the world. In the last 10 years, we have met some of the most influential scammers in history; such as Elizabeth Holmes (committed criminal & investor fraud claiming to have a novel product for blood testing), Simon Leviev (committed identity fraud and romance fraud), Heather Morgan (committed criminal fraud, attempting to launder stolen bitcoin), Billy McFarland (committed criminal & investor fraud claiming to host a luxury concert), Anna Sorokin (committed criminal fraud, defrauding major financial institutions and hotels), and of course, Nigerians local legends Invictus obi (internet fraud) and Hush Puppi (internet fraud).
Interestingly, these scammers are put on pedestals, they are marveled at and have become influencers in their own right. As a reward for their get-rich-quick schemes, these scammers are receiving book deals, documentary rights, podcasts, tv, and movie deals; in addition to minimal (in my opinion), if any, jail time.
So why does it seem like there are more scammers in society and why are they so young (the oldest in the group above is Hush Puppi, 39 years old)? Why exactly are they becoming famous for legally and morally wrong acts?
First off, I do not think there are more scammers in society now than there were 40 years ago. Scammers are great storytellers and are still telling the same stories in the same way as they did 40 years ago, the only difference is that their platform is more far-reaching, giving them more attention. Social media has made it very easy for scammers to reach a larger audience, convincing us of their narrative, creating strong followership and so we eventually turn these scammers into influencers.
Using social media, they tell stories around innovation, novel experiences, positively changing the order of things, belonging, and of course about money (how to make more or how to save money, or how to show you have money). The first thing they do is study their target audience, they win their trust, they speak to their emotions and they spend on them — a lot.
By the mid 19th century, the United States led the charge in making money, wealth, or its perception the most powerful metric. And since then century over century, money and wealth becomes more powerful.
“Anna (Sorokin) looked at the soul of New York and recognized that if you distract people with shiny objects, with large wads of cash, with the indicia of wealth if you show them the money, they will be virtually unable to see anything else. And the thing was: It was so easy.” — Jessica Pressler
Scamming has now been rebranded to ‘hustling’ — ‘husting your way up the economic chain’, it seems to have its stigma waning and seems to be something desired. Social media (one of the most primary sources of information from young people) has made it easy for ‘invisible money which has always been exchanged in cooperate America (through financial services), and the tech industry (through valuations) to be seen and attained.
So with the importance of money increasing, scamming culture being rebranded and social media penetrating every corner of the world, I expect to see massive growth in the scam culture with little to no repercussion and scammers being branded as influencers and role models.
