Lad Vampire
Encyclopedia
The Lad Vampire was a freeware
web-based application used by the Artists Against 419
to take some fraudulent
websites offline. Using it was very easy: users simply started up the Lad Vampire webpage (see external links) and left it running.
The program worked by repeatedly downloading images and HTML
files from the scam site until its bandwidth limit was exceeded and the site shut down. Many people used this program at the same time, and a fraudulent website was quickly taken offline. The rationale was as follows: if 50 people continuously downloaded a 20 kilobyte
image simultaneously from the scam-site for 12 hours, this would use 40 gigabytes of site bandwidth. However, if the scam-site in question only had 10 Gb of bandwidth allocated to it per month, it would automatically shut down after a few hours. Afterwards, the web hosting company would either refuse to host the scam-site, or insist on charging the fraudsters a higher fee to do so. Even if the allocated bandwidth for the scamsite was subsequently raised from 10 Gb to 50 Gb, the AA419 team would simply target it again until it exceeded its allocation. In this way, AA419 supporters were able to have a real and measurable effect on fraudsters.
The name Lad Vampire is derived from the slang term for Nigerian fraudsters i.e. "The Lads from Lagos
" and the term "Vampire" refers to the fact that the program drains away the target's bandwidth.
Another, similar freeware tool used by AA419 was the Java
-based application Muguito
. Both Muguito and the Lad Vampire were very easy and straightforward to use.
Note: AA419 stopped using the Lad Vampire and Muguito in September 2007. Neither is operational now.
Freeware
Freeware is computer software that is available for use at no cost or for an optional fee, but usually with one or more restricted usage rights. Freeware is in contrast to commercial software, which is typically sold for profit, but might be distributed for a business or commercial purpose in the...
web-based application used by the Artists Against 419
Artists Against 419
Artists Against 419 is an Internet community dedicated to identifying and shutting down 419 scam websites...
to take some fraudulent
Advance fee fraud
An advance-fee fraud is a confidence trick in which the target is persuaded to advance sums of money in the hope of realizing a significantly larger gain...
websites offline. Using it was very easy: users simply started up the Lad Vampire webpage (see external links) and left it running.
The program worked by repeatedly downloading images and HTML
HTML
HyperText Markup Language is the predominant markup language for web pages. HTML elements are the basic building-blocks of webpages....
files from the scam site until its bandwidth limit was exceeded and the site shut down. Many people used this program at the same time, and a fraudulent website was quickly taken offline. The rationale was as follows: if 50 people continuously downloaded a 20 kilobyte
Kilobyte
The kilobyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information. Although the prefix kilo- means 1000, the term kilobyte and symbol KB have historically been used to refer to either 1024 bytes or 1000 bytes, dependent upon context, in the fields of computer science and information...
image simultaneously from the scam-site for 12 hours, this would use 40 gigabytes of site bandwidth. However, if the scam-site in question only had 10 Gb of bandwidth allocated to it per month, it would automatically shut down after a few hours. Afterwards, the web hosting company would either refuse to host the scam-site, or insist on charging the fraudsters a higher fee to do so. Even if the allocated bandwidth for the scamsite was subsequently raised from 10 Gb to 50 Gb, the AA419 team would simply target it again until it exceeded its allocation. In this way, AA419 supporters were able to have a real and measurable effect on fraudsters.
The name Lad Vampire is derived from the slang term for Nigerian fraudsters i.e. "The Lads from Lagos
Lagos
Lagos is a port and the most populous conurbation in Nigeria. With a population of 7,937,932, it is currently the third most populous city in Africa after Cairo and Kinshasa, and currently estimated to be the second fastest growing city in Africa...
" and the term "Vampire" refers to the fact that the program drains away the target's bandwidth.
Another, similar freeware tool used by AA419 was the Java
Java (programming language)
Java is a programming language originally developed by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems and released in 1995 as a core component of Sun Microsystems' Java platform. The language derives much of its syntax from C and C++ but has a simpler object model and fewer low-level facilities...
-based application Muguito
Muguito
Muguito was a freeware Java application used by the Artists Against 419 to take some fraudulent websites offline. It was a replacement for the Mugu Marauder tool....
. Both Muguito and the Lad Vampire were very easy and straightforward to use.
Note: AA419 stopped using the Lad Vampire and Muguito in September 2007. Neither is operational now.