[Discussion] Can't decide whether I should (try) to punish this kid or not for a 4 keys scam.
It went like this: I was looking to sell just 4 keys for real life cash - posted it on a local fb group (where I always do) and got a text from a kid of 13-14 years of age. Since it was only 4 keys, I didn't take the necessary precautionary measure to scrutinize the sellers with best rate (ask a few trusted well known traders about him, make a rep post for him in group or go for the middleman etc etc).
Also, I went through his profile and it looked legit. He had his friends, family members added with his pictures of hanging out with his school friends etc. I wasn't expecting him to jeopardize his real life reputation like that with his real facebook account (i mean if he wanted to do it - he should have made a fake account atleast).
Along the way, I realized its more likely a scam (offering insane prices for additional keys etc) but I still went ahead thinking, good thing if he does that - he might end up learning a lesson of his life. I could literally destroy his real life reputation by telling his friends/family members about it and showing them all the proof required.
And so it happened, right after the trade, he blocked me from fb and immediately deactivated his profile.
But it was too late for him as I had already opened all the required tabs of his school friends and family members, also had taken the screenshot of our conversation as a proof. I even know the school he's enrolled in.
Now, I'm not sure if I should do it or not - thinking it might be too much for him. I honestly don't care about those 4 keys (I won't be taking them back even he offers to) but its just that I don't wanna see him embarking upon this path. I would have really liked to talk to him about it and made him realize what he did and how wrong it is but he had me blocked right away. Now that option is gone.
What do you guys think should I do? Proceed to tell his family/friends about it or let it go?
Edit: As some of you suggested a mild approach that I should tell his parents directly without telling anyone else, I'm afraid that might not be possible since he has relatives added (cousins, uncle, aunts and a brother which is accused of scamming himself but not his parents) and I'll have to make my way through one of those sensible, mature cousin or one of his aunt/uncle and that would not be possible without letting them to know the issue.
Posted Jun 3, 2017, 5:58 PM UTC · edited