[tyre]

> You have to take their words for it but how can you trust crooks?

Because these are repeat actors. If they take a ransom and then re-sell it, no company will pay them ever again.

Don't think of experienced criminal enterprises as "groups of irrational scoundrels." They are companies, with employees, who understand game theory.

[dylan604]

At some point, these people will come up with a ransom-as-a-service that you can subscribe to make monthly payments. It's no different than having to pay criminals monthly for security to prevent them from harming your themselves.