[ergonaught]

Scams are increasingly common. "Since when" is, say, sometime in the past 10 years.

It's partly due to technology completely removing barriers to entry and providing global and powerful amplification, coupled with sociocultural "bonkers insanity" (a technical term) where almost everything has become an advertise or a performance or etc, which has its own effect of lowering barriers and amplification.

The feedback loops there just accelerate it.

It's not new (watch any set of TV infomercials, or most of what happens on QVC or Home Shopping Network or whatever the equivalents to these things are today) but there really is more of it, and they're getting better at it, as above.

Technology + Humans. IMO.

[ergonaught]

I mean, it isn't a "scam", but I for one would love to never again have someone invite me out to lunch like they want to hang out as friends, only to discover they're just trying to get me to buy something.

Extremely rare occurrence before the last 10 years of influencer hustle culture. Now, not so much.

[shapefrog]

> Extremely rare occurrence before the last 10 years of influencer hustle culture. Now, not so much.

You must not have been arount > 10 years ago ... see Amway, tupperware, etc.

https://www.history.com/news/tupperware-parties-brownie-wise

Such an old story it is in the "history" section.

[ergonaught]

I've been around over 5 decades, sooooo.

"Scams have been around forever" does not really address (nor refute) "Scams have become more far more prevalent".

[shapefrog]

> I've been around over 5 decades

Not invited to an Amway party back in the day??

But now in your 5th decade being invited to tiktok teen multi level marketing crypto supplement parites?

Respect to you for living your best life in your 50/60s