Re: extortion via digital cash

[Rabid Wombat <wombat@mcfeely.bsfs.org>]

On Tue, 15 Oct 1996 scottb@aca.ca wrote:

> 
> Hi, I have been reading numerous threads on digital cash, and I have some
> questions I would like discussed.
> 
> currently when someone does extortion (kiddnapping too), they have two 
> choices;
> 
> 1-pick up the cash personally (or via a stooge)
> 2-transfer the funds via bank
> 
> Both ideas are bad, in that you stand a good chance at getting caught.
> 
> I was wondering, what if you demanded payment via Ecash, through nym 
> servers, aliases, etc.  From what I understand, it is just like cash, ie: no 
> record of transaction, but you get the added bonus of not having to meet the 
> other party-like a fund transfer.  Once you have your 1,000,000 Ecash, you 
> could dump it on a disk, and close your internet account (unless you really 
> really trust your privacy technology).  And I also think that you would have 
> the option to cash this into real funds at either the Mark Twain bank, or 
> likely somewhere in the Caymen Islands (maybe through those online gambling 
> houses).

With a very large number of ecash users, perhaps. Otherwise, you can 
kinda figure out which kid raided the cookie jar - he's the one with 
chocolate chips smeared all over his face.

Also - in order to communicate back to the perpetrator, the victim needs
to communicate to the first step in the chain. The operator of that chain
should not be held responisble for the system being used for criminal
activity IF they are unaware of such activity. However, if they are
informed that the perpetrator is forcing the victim to communicate through
their system, they are no longer unaware - privacy is one thing, aiding 
and abetting a crime is another. What's to keep the authorities from 
following the trail of crubs back to the perpetrator, other than the 
usual threats of "don't call the cops" and "you have 24 hours to respond?"
A few hops through some generally uncooperative jurisdictions might do, 
but perhaps El Dictator of Little Bannana Republic might just decide to 
hold the perpetrator's "payment" hostage ...

Sounds like the making of a good movie script. Can we get Tom Cruise and 
one of those Thinking Machines laptops??  ;)

-r.w.


> 
> I am hoping that this will spark some discussion, and maybe slow down the 
> dlv, TM spam war.

A worthy cause  :)