On 29/04/2021 15:53, Chris Green wrote:
#Paul wrote:
N_Cook wrote:
Fair enough for banking stuff, but why any crooks would be
interested in the details of my casual browsing I don't know.

They do not care that you are you. "They" only care whether
they can exploit you: perhaps defrauding you, hacking your
pc via a browser exploit or malware download, perhaps
running ransomware, that kind of thing. You are not special,
you are merely a potential target, you are just one entry on
an automated list. Knowing your interests can make it easier;
as does knowing that your browser uses outdated and/or
flawed security.

I'm baffled by this "but no one cares about me" defense. Do
pickpockets only select people by name? I think rather they
only care how easy the wallet is to lift, and how much
might be in it.

Yes, but I don't keep any wallets in my PC (yes, I know some people do
but I'm careful not to).

A pickpocket will generally only target someone whom they know has
something valuable in their pocket. Similarly car thieves are much
more likely to break a window and steal something if they can actually
see it on the seat.

Pickpockets *don't* generally root around in the pockets of everyone
in a crowd, it would be counter-productive because it would hugely
increase their chance of being caught.


So is it a double-bluff, the business of police putting up a notice in a
notorious place, saying
"Beware pickpockets are acting in this area"
Then pickpockets hang around , knowing that a lot of people on seeing
such a sign, pat the pocket where their wallet is.
( Like the people on seeing a sign saying
"Beware, wet paint", go up and touch it to check.)

Then police hang around the pickpocket site , to nick the dips.

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