How much time will you spend pulling together a confidence scam? And how integral is having a third party to facilitate what you do?
It depends upon how much I am enjoying that particular scam. If I am enjoying it then time is never really an issue. I've spent months on individual scams, developing relationships, spending time on voice comms or the phone, whatever was required at the time. Other scams were instant 5-minute wonders. The difference between what I do and what a real life scam artist does is that in real life they are governed by money, how much time is any particular scam worth investing in? In New Eden I am driven by enjoyment and thus the time spent on any particular scam is what I choose it to be.
I have used third parties as and when required, be it as references or outright accomplices taking a back hander. You would be surprised at who has taken ISK, very few haven't sold their souls for ISK. Only two people stand out though: a pilot called Bozl1n, who I have roamed New Eden with since the server went up and, of course, Chribba. Both have refused huge temptation and as such they are amongst the few pilots that I have respect for.
Once you take my ISK, you are lost. And even worse than that, you become just another of my bitches.
You successfully pull off con after con, despite the fact that you're notorious for this among the EVE community. To what would you attribute this success?
I attribute it in part to a developed set of people skills, in part to research carried out on developing new methods, but mostly I would have to say it comes down to the sheer greed, stupidity, and gullibility of the majority of the citizens of New Eden.
You've made quite a number of EVE players very angry over the years. What kind of revenge or reprisal have you faced in-game? Any interesting stories there?
As far as in-game revenge goes, I think the revenge instigated on the largest scale was when I took Red Alliance for 12 billion ISK whilst I was a member of Phalanx Alliance, as part of Solidline corp. I was booted from the corp and alliance, but that didnt stop RA from going to war with PA for a week. Dozens of pilots died whilst I sat in that station lapping it up.
"I have no threshold. I've stolen from and then murdered people I have flown with for years, on a whim." |
On a more personal level, I remember just after I had scammed half of the pilots in m0o, 3 of their pilots had been chasing me for 15 or so jumps. During my time in the corp a fair few of us listened to EVE Radio and I just couldn't resist making a donation to the station and getting "Staying Alive" by the Bee Gees dedicated to the 3 pilots hot in pursuit of me. Great fun, that one amused me for a long time. I got away in the end as well!
At times, you've managed to con other criminals in New Eden. Are they more of a challenge than your standard marks?
Not much, no. Criminals have the same desires, needs and weaknesses as the average law-abiding carebear. They may be a little wiser to some scams than your average law-abiding citizen, but as long as you are using a scam that is ahead of the curve and not yet commonplace, then they are as vulnerable as the next person. I've never let the fact that someone is a criminal put me off from making them my mark -- just take Ginger Magician, a well-known criminal whom I took for 8 billion, proving he was as dumb and gullible as the next guy.
What is your threshold about what you will, or will not, do in the game? And given how much rage your playstyle provokes, have you considered changing it?
I have no threshold. I've stolen from and then murdered people I have flown with for years, on a whim.
I once killed an Imperial Apoc belonging to one of my mates whom I had played with for a long time when he logged off for shits and giggles.
"I absolutely will not ever change no matter how much rage it provokes. Hell, that rage is what drives me." |
No, I have no threshold, no limits, and I absolutely will not ever change no matter how much rage it provokes. Hell, that rage is what drives me. I have received in-game threats, out-of-game death threats, malicious phone calls, and have had all my personal details posted on the forums and much, much more. None of this will make me change the way I roam New Eden. Nothing. I've got a big pair of balls and I'm proud of them.
You've attained a great deal of wealth in New Eden, but you've told me before that you're not in it for the ISK anymore. What does one of EVE's most successful conmen *do* with that much ISK, and what can New Eden expect from you in the future?
Somewhere along the line I had accrued enough ISK that I simply didn't desire it anymore. I did however find myself wanting more of the buzz from a successful job. As for what I do with the ISK, now, well you can only buy so many shiny toys with it and after that I started spending it in more inventive ways. For example, I scammed Redon of Vengeance of the Fallen (VOTF) for a few billion and instead of keeping the ISK I split it up and gave it to his corp mates, then told him what I had done... but not whom I had given the money to. I believe two gave him their shares back, but the rest kept it. He spent weeks ranting in corp chat and on TS about it, trying to find out who had it and I was privy to it all thanks to one of his corp mates mailing me daily with details. That was a great way to spend a few billion ISK. Highly recommended.
As for the future, well that would be telling, wouldn't it? I've just finished a sabbatical away from EVE and am looking forward to watching a whole new generation of carebears rip their fur out in emo rage against me. The thought of it gets me all hot and flushed with excitement... I think you're going to have to excuse me now...
Right, Miz. Thanks for speaking with Massively.
