The Product is anything you are good at, something you excel at enough to get you noticed within the ranks of The Target. It does not strictly have to be something regarding EVE Online, either. By the time you have reached Phase 3 you should have figured out what The Product is. If you have not, here are a few examples.
Finding The Product
Your Product should be something The Target needs, something that would help the corporation itself rise to greatness were you not planning on taking their shit and running to Mexico with it, proverbially speaking. For instance, let's say you have a webserver you use now and then and you know a thing or two about web development. See if the CEO is interested in a corp site and if he'll pitch money for a domain. Your product is a website for The Target. This approach is extremely valuable, as it will immediately put you in a leadership position on the website. You will be the administrator, you will instantaneously hold a great deal of power within The Target. Anything someone says on the website is at your disposal, and you can monitor all communication therein.
Alternatively, let's say you excel in literature or prose, you can try to weasel your way into being The Target's crier. Typing rules, mails and announcements. Like the website approach, this will put you in the loop within The Target, and you'll have direct access to the CEO and his dictations.
Let's say the target is a PvP corp. If you know your way around PvP, you can solidify your position by giving tactical advice and appraisals, managing small gangs and fleets. It will require some talking to get into this position, but once you're in you once again have direct access to the CEO and have become a leader among your cohorts. Additionally, you may be given near immediate access to hangars containing PvP modules and ships to aid you in your fights.
The best product is one similar to those above. One that makes you stand out, one that gives you power. Never sell the product too soon, instead groom and prepare it as best you can for several weeks at least. Finding the product is as simple as doing the proper research you hopefully have done during Phase One. What does The Target need? Advertisement? Logistics? Industrial capacity? Transportation? Tactical advisory? Monitor The Target and make a list of things they would value, and decide which role you could fill.
Selling The Product
Once you've found The Product you have to sell it. This takes a great deal of persuasion and patience. You can't just go to the CEO as a two-day-long member and tell him you want to make them a site. You have to make friends first, you have to become acquainted. Drop hints regarding The Product. It is especially effective if it is the CEO's idea to utilize your skills. For instance, if you have the webserver, talk about it from time to time when the CEO is present. You will have a much easier time rising in rank if it's the CEO's idea to make the website.
In the end, selling The Product is very akin to running normal scams. You need to represent yourself with moderate truth and you need to give before you can take. Without it, you will never have a successful Heist.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Monday, March 1, 2010
Phase Two: Infiltration
So you've defined The Target. Now you need to infiltrate. There are a plethora of methods in doing so, so again: I cannot tell you exactly how it will go down. By this point you should have collected a great deal of information on The Target. You should, ideally, know where their members typically fly and what stations they typically hole up in. Instead of telling you exactly how to infiltrate the target I am going to give you some basics information on different types of infiltrations.
There are two types of corporations when it comes to infiltration: Open recruitment and invitation only.
Infiltrating Open Corporations:
Under normal circumstances, you will get into open corps very easily and sometimes have an easier time rising through the ranks, but there won't be very much for you to take. Open recruiting corporations are normally the least profitable. They are normally miners, mission-runners and casual PvPers. They rarely have a significant chunk of Null-Space and don't have much of an internal infrastructure to speak of. They have revolving-door membership, meaning leaders will come and go much quicker than invitation corporations. This gives you more chance to prove yourself to them. However, odds are they won't give you much access to funds or hangars and they rarely have more than junk and meager funds in them. Maybe you'll get away with a couple battleships, modules and ISK. If you're lucky you might find some minerals and a BPO or two.
Infiltrating an an open corporation is as simple as opening a conversation with the right person, but there are some things you need to keep in mind. You need to make THEM want YOU. Don't appear too desperate or excitable, you ought convince them that you are the right fit. If they are miners, you should already have a mining barge and some capacity for profit. If they are mission runners they may want you to have a "try-out" with them on a mission or two, in which case you need to kick enough ass to get noticed but not too much ass that they doubt your alias. If they are PvPers you will probably need to prove you are proficient at fighting, which means you'll need to have trained your character proper before making the approach.
Infiltrating Invitation Corporations:
Invitation corporations are difficult to infiltrate and slow to trust, but this is almost always because they have a lot of shit worth protecting from bastards like you. Getting into an invitation corp is a lot more complicated than just answering a recruitment post on the forums. Like mentioned above, THEY need to want YOU. However, unlike above, getting them to want you is a much more difficult process. The easiest way of doing this is befriending a member of The Target who can sponsor you. Either have a few friendly exchanges on the forum or even get an invitation to the corp on an entirely different community. You need to be noticed by them, and making a solid contact within The Target before you even begin to infiltrate them is a great start.
If you find yourself incapable of making friends, you can use other methods. Pirate corporations tend to recruit based on first-hand interactions and observations. If you prove yourself to be an able pirate publicly you might just get an invite, but the likelihood of getting an invite from the corporation you want is slim. Otherwise, you can lie your way into conversation with a member of The Target. Perhaps you completed a contract for them and you offer to do more for less. That gets your foot in the door. Clearly, if you were a God in PvP or industry you wouldn't be fucking about in scams to begin with. You need to know how to make people think you're better than you really are. This means you need to lie like a son of a bitch.
Let's say you kill a member of The Target in low-sec during a PvP scuffle. You can strike up conversation right there, and be civil about it. If you're modest, civil and nice you can turn an enemy into an ally. Don't brag, compliment THEM on their fighting. Tell them they would have had you if it weren't for that last chunk of your capacitor's power. Downplay your skill and exacerbate theirs, PvPers love nothing more than to have their ego stroked.
You don't even need to win a fight. You can out-and-out lose, start up conversation and ask how they got so damn good. Present yourself as a new but competent player and you might just be able to finagle your way into an invitation.
There is no sure-fire way to infiltrate a corporation. You do what you can and take what you can get. Roll with the punches and improvise.
There are two types of corporations when it comes to infiltration: Open recruitment and invitation only.
Infiltrating Open Corporations:
Under normal circumstances, you will get into open corps very easily and sometimes have an easier time rising through the ranks, but there won't be very much for you to take. Open recruiting corporations are normally the least profitable. They are normally miners, mission-runners and casual PvPers. They rarely have a significant chunk of Null-Space and don't have much of an internal infrastructure to speak of. They have revolving-door membership, meaning leaders will come and go much quicker than invitation corporations. This gives you more chance to prove yourself to them. However, odds are they won't give you much access to funds or hangars and they rarely have more than junk and meager funds in them. Maybe you'll get away with a couple battleships, modules and ISK. If you're lucky you might find some minerals and a BPO or two.
Infiltrating an an open corporation is as simple as opening a conversation with the right person, but there are some things you need to keep in mind. You need to make THEM want YOU. Don't appear too desperate or excitable, you ought convince them that you are the right fit. If they are miners, you should already have a mining barge and some capacity for profit. If they are mission runners they may want you to have a "try-out" with them on a mission or two, in which case you need to kick enough ass to get noticed but not too much ass that they doubt your alias. If they are PvPers you will probably need to prove you are proficient at fighting, which means you'll need to have trained your character proper before making the approach.
Infiltrating Invitation Corporations:
Invitation corporations are difficult to infiltrate and slow to trust, but this is almost always because they have a lot of shit worth protecting from bastards like you. Getting into an invitation corp is a lot more complicated than just answering a recruitment post on the forums. Like mentioned above, THEY need to want YOU. However, unlike above, getting them to want you is a much more difficult process. The easiest way of doing this is befriending a member of The Target who can sponsor you. Either have a few friendly exchanges on the forum or even get an invitation to the corp on an entirely different community. You need to be noticed by them, and making a solid contact within The Target before you even begin to infiltrate them is a great start.
If you find yourself incapable of making friends, you can use other methods. Pirate corporations tend to recruit based on first-hand interactions and observations. If you prove yourself to be an able pirate publicly you might just get an invite, but the likelihood of getting an invite from the corporation you want is slim. Otherwise, you can lie your way into conversation with a member of The Target. Perhaps you completed a contract for them and you offer to do more for less. That gets your foot in the door. Clearly, if you were a God in PvP or industry you wouldn't be fucking about in scams to begin with. You need to know how to make people think you're better than you really are. This means you need to lie like a son of a bitch.
Let's say you kill a member of The Target in low-sec during a PvP scuffle. You can strike up conversation right there, and be civil about it. If you're modest, civil and nice you can turn an enemy into an ally. Don't brag, compliment THEM on their fighting. Tell them they would have had you if it weren't for that last chunk of your capacitor's power. Downplay your skill and exacerbate theirs, PvPers love nothing more than to have their ego stroked.
You don't even need to win a fight. You can out-and-out lose, start up conversation and ask how they got so damn good. Present yourself as a new but competent player and you might just be able to finagle your way into an invitation.
There is no sure-fire way to infiltrate a corporation. You do what you can and take what you can get. Roll with the punches and improvise.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Phase One: Defining The Target
Despite the months it takes to properly infiltrate, defining The Target is most certainly the most arduous task in Corporate Subterfuge. Sifting through the corporation advertisements will not cut it in this business. Defining The Target will take extensive research and a lot of time. You need to use whatever information you can find on a prospect. Check the forums for potential targets and monitor their activity. Gauge how successful they are and put an estimate on how much you can take from them. Find and monitor members either yourself with alts or using your contacts. Get a feel for what members of The Target do, and if at all possible take some notes on their fleet composition and areas of activity.
There are no golden numbers in this business, there is no rule of thumb for how many prospects you should have lined up. Sometimes you'll find fifty promising Targets whilst lurking around EVE communities, and other times you'll stumble into one perfect Target.
Of course, maybe you already have a Target in mind. Maybe some pissant little corporation has garnered the wrong kind of attention, maybe they're a direct competitor, or maybe you just want to empty their wallets just for the sake of being vindictive. That's all fine and dandy, you have already completed Phase One.
However, if you are a career con man odds are you've got no vendettas to see to, you just want to make some money from some chumps in space. If this is the case, here are a few useful tips for finding your quarry:
- Check the forums constantly. Don't just look at that post in the advertising board, scour the entire community for any information on The Target that you can find.
- Thrive in Drama. EVE Online corporations are fraught with drama. People getting pissed, breaking away, stirring up shit. This is the perfect camouflage for a con man. If everyone's attention is going toward some whiny child is spending all night bitching about how a pirate had the audacity to pod him in Low-Sec, you have a lot more room to operate and talk to other people one-on-one without being in the spotlight. Always look for a Target that can't keep its shit together.
- Beware Recruitment Spam. Only two types of corporations spam recruitment advertisements: new corps and dying corps. Either way, they're not going to have very much for you to take.
- The easier it is to infiltrate, the harder it will be to steal from. If a corporation is openly recruiting, they're going to be much less inclined to trust you. Comparatively, if they invite you to join their group they likely already trust you to a certain extent. Pick your Target accordingly.
- Know The Target, know yourself. You're not going to get anywhere in a PvP corporation if your alt is comprised entirely of industrial skills. They may trust you, but they probably won't see you as leadership material. In order to steal from corporations they have to grant you access to the wallets and hangars, and this almost invariably means you need to be a leader among them in some capacity.
There are no golden numbers in this business, there is no rule of thumb for how many prospects you should have lined up. Sometimes you'll find fifty promising Targets whilst lurking around EVE communities, and other times you'll stumble into one perfect Target.
Of course, maybe you already have a Target in mind. Maybe some pissant little corporation has garnered the wrong kind of attention, maybe they're a direct competitor, or maybe you just want to empty their wallets just for the sake of being vindictive. That's all fine and dandy, you have already completed Phase One.
However, if you are a career con man odds are you've got no vendettas to see to, you just want to make some money from some chumps in space. If this is the case, here are a few useful tips for finding your quarry:
- Check the forums constantly. Don't just look at that post in the advertising board, scour the entire community for any information on The Target that you can find.
- Thrive in Drama. EVE Online corporations are fraught with drama. People getting pissed, breaking away, stirring up shit. This is the perfect camouflage for a con man. If everyone's attention is going toward some whiny child is spending all night bitching about how a pirate had the audacity to pod him in Low-Sec, you have a lot more room to operate and talk to other people one-on-one without being in the spotlight. Always look for a Target that can't keep its shit together.
- Beware Recruitment Spam. Only two types of corporations spam recruitment advertisements: new corps and dying corps. Either way, they're not going to have very much for you to take.
- The easier it is to infiltrate, the harder it will be to steal from. If a corporation is openly recruiting, they're going to be much less inclined to trust you. Comparatively, if they invite you to join their group they likely already trust you to a certain extent. Pick your Target accordingly.
- Know The Target, know yourself. You're not going to get anywhere in a PvP corporation if your alt is comprised entirely of industrial skills. They may trust you, but they probably won't see you as leadership material. In order to steal from corporations they have to grant you access to the wallets and hangars, and this almost invariably means you need to be a leader among them in some capacity.
Phase Zero: Prepare
Before you can construct your lies you first need a solid foundation. This can be established through several different procedures. Be warned, ill preparation WILL cost you time and effort, and it will oft be for nothing.
Create your Alias:
The most useful tool for an EVE Online con man is the Alternate Character. Alts cannot be traced to an account by anyone but CCP. This does not mean The Target will not be able to deduce your true identity. You need to keep your forum interactions to a minimum, censor yourself at every opportunity and always obey Rule 1 if you want your alias to be believed. NEVER scam people on a character that is not expendable. If you find yourself hesitating to push that "delete" button next to your character's portrait, you need to keep it clean and make a new one.
Start by creating your Alt. You will need to fund him with ISK and supplies from your main character. You will invest a great deal of ISK in this alt, and this means you need ISK to begin with. It takes money to make money, and you can't jump into scams without an established source of revenue. Have a legitimate Main trained and fitted to support your Alias.
The level of training your Alt requires depends entirely upon your plan for Infiltration (Phase Two.) One of the easiest and most popular methods of infiltration is to pose as a new player. Feigning ignorance of the game's systems will cover for the fact that you have no trained skills, as will be elaborated upon later. But if you're looking to infiltrate a very exclusive PvP corp, you will need to train your alt to a level of competence before you proceed.
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Establishing a Network:
Scams and Corporate Subterfuge are not the game for a lone wolf. EVE Online is all about teamwork, this is no exception. However, your team will have a much different structure than that of a corporation. You will need to make friends, turn contacts and find people that you can trust, all while maintaining no connected between them and your Alt. If you befriend a fellow con man and introduce him to The Target, you have effectively ruined all chance of success. The Target may be gullible, but you do not want to take that chance. Always assume your quarry is as ruthless and intelligent as you are.
As ironic as it is, a con man gets nowhere if he has no one he can trust. You will need to bring trustworthy allies along for the ride. Finding them can be difficult. If you are a member of a corporation that endorses this sort of activity, you could let them in on your plans with your Alt, but take great care not to tell them too much. Keep your Alias' name confidential until otherwise needed. Alternatively, you could rely on an outside community of friends and acquaintances. You never know where allies might turn up. Perhaps there is a discontent within The Target who would like to see them destroyed as much as you. Maybe a competing corporation would be interested to know you can help them deal a blow to their enemy's wallets. Keep your eyes open, and always remember Rule 3.
There is no guide to making friends, that you will need to learn on your own. But turning them into a network is simple. First, evaluate their interest on an individual basis. Second, if they are interested, tell them a very VAGUE outline of your plans, leaving names and details out of it so they have no chance of warning The Target. Third, evaluate their capabilities. Finally, months after establishing your network, call in your favors and build The Crew.
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Think:
It always helps to create lists. List alibis for your activities. Formulate basic cons and strategies before you jump in. Odds are you won't use most of them, but you never know when you'll need them.
There is one tip I can offer that is extremely useful to any con man. Remember: You are NOT the only con man in New Eden. I cannot tell you how many times someone has tried to scam ME whilst I was scamming THEM. An example:
I was posing as a miner in a dummy corporation filled with alts and demo account characters, advertising my whereabouts and attempting to get someone to allow me access to their own 0.0 space sector. The scam was simple, I would target small Low and Null Sec PvP corps with minimal industrial capacity. I would tell them that I could help them I could help them exploit all of their sector's resources for a very small cut of the profits, demanding a small deposit up front to deter piracy. Now, you may be thinking: "Lankist, this is stupid! Nobody does that!" That is the entire point, my friend. This scam attracts other scammers.
I got in touch with a PvP corp that was extremely interested in how many ships my (fake) mining corp had. I told them we had several Hulks and other various mining platforms. They offered to escort my (fictional) corp mates into 0.0 space to mine. I am not stupid, and neither are you. Their clear intention was to draw some stupid new players out into 0.0 with Hulks and the like and either blow us to hell or ransom us for our ships. This can work to your advantage as a con man. The Target believes they have an upper hand, and therefore they will overlook a great deal of deception on your part. If you offer them the promise of a billion credit ransom or an assload of Hulk kills, they will gladly pay that little 50,000,000 collateral up front. All without ever having to leave your little shuttle aboard your little station.
Create your Alias:
The most useful tool for an EVE Online con man is the Alternate Character. Alts cannot be traced to an account by anyone but CCP. This does not mean The Target will not be able to deduce your true identity. You need to keep your forum interactions to a minimum, censor yourself at every opportunity and always obey Rule 1 if you want your alias to be believed. NEVER scam people on a character that is not expendable. If you find yourself hesitating to push that "delete" button next to your character's portrait, you need to keep it clean and make a new one.
Start by creating your Alt. You will need to fund him with ISK and supplies from your main character. You will invest a great deal of ISK in this alt, and this means you need ISK to begin with. It takes money to make money, and you can't jump into scams without an established source of revenue. Have a legitimate Main trained and fitted to support your Alias.
The level of training your Alt requires depends entirely upon your plan for Infiltration (Phase Two.) One of the easiest and most popular methods of infiltration is to pose as a new player. Feigning ignorance of the game's systems will cover for the fact that you have no trained skills, as will be elaborated upon later. But if you're looking to infiltrate a very exclusive PvP corp, you will need to train your alt to a level of competence before you proceed.
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Establishing a Network:
Scams and Corporate Subterfuge are not the game for a lone wolf. EVE Online is all about teamwork, this is no exception. However, your team will have a much different structure than that of a corporation. You will need to make friends, turn contacts and find people that you can trust, all while maintaining no connected between them and your Alt. If you befriend a fellow con man and introduce him to The Target, you have effectively ruined all chance of success. The Target may be gullible, but you do not want to take that chance. Always assume your quarry is as ruthless and intelligent as you are.
As ironic as it is, a con man gets nowhere if he has no one he can trust. You will need to bring trustworthy allies along for the ride. Finding them can be difficult. If you are a member of a corporation that endorses this sort of activity, you could let them in on your plans with your Alt, but take great care not to tell them too much. Keep your Alias' name confidential until otherwise needed. Alternatively, you could rely on an outside community of friends and acquaintances. You never know where allies might turn up. Perhaps there is a discontent within The Target who would like to see them destroyed as much as you. Maybe a competing corporation would be interested to know you can help them deal a blow to their enemy's wallets. Keep your eyes open, and always remember Rule 3.
There is no guide to making friends, that you will need to learn on your own. But turning them into a network is simple. First, evaluate their interest on an individual basis. Second, if they are interested, tell them a very VAGUE outline of your plans, leaving names and details out of it so they have no chance of warning The Target. Third, evaluate their capabilities. Finally, months after establishing your network, call in your favors and build The Crew.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Think:
It always helps to create lists. List alibis for your activities. Formulate basic cons and strategies before you jump in. Odds are you won't use most of them, but you never know when you'll need them.
There is one tip I can offer that is extremely useful to any con man. Remember: You are NOT the only con man in New Eden. I cannot tell you how many times someone has tried to scam ME whilst I was scamming THEM. An example:
I was posing as a miner in a dummy corporation filled with alts and demo account characters, advertising my whereabouts and attempting to get someone to allow me access to their own 0.0 space sector. The scam was simple, I would target small Low and Null Sec PvP corps with minimal industrial capacity. I would tell them that I could help them I could help them exploit all of their sector's resources for a very small cut of the profits, demanding a small deposit up front to deter piracy. Now, you may be thinking: "Lankist, this is stupid! Nobody does that!" That is the entire point, my friend. This scam attracts other scammers.
I got in touch with a PvP corp that was extremely interested in how many ships my (fake) mining corp had. I told them we had several Hulks and other various mining platforms. They offered to escort my (fictional) corp mates into 0.0 space to mine. I am not stupid, and neither are you. Their clear intention was to draw some stupid new players out into 0.0 with Hulks and the like and either blow us to hell or ransom us for our ships. This can work to your advantage as a con man. The Target believes they have an upper hand, and therefore they will overlook a great deal of deception on your part. If you offer them the promise of a billion credit ransom or an assload of Hulk kills, they will gladly pay that little 50,000,000 collateral up front. All without ever having to leave your little shuttle aboard your little station.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Confidence Man 101
An introduction:
Being a con artist is no easy task. Being a successful one is nigh impossible. You need to be able to think on your feet, answer every suspicion with an alibi and lie to others without shame. But lying isn't enough, your lies must be indistinguishable from your truths, even if it means you come to believe a few of them yourself. When giving information about yourself, give a mixture of real facts and fabrications. Replace or omit anything that might blow your cover. Start with yourself and proceed to craft a character, charismatic and charming, and most of all: trustworthy.
Be forewarned: This character is not you. You are a thief, a bastard, a douchebag. Your ultimate goal is to exploit the people that will come to call you friend. That being said, pretending to be their friend is often not enough. Trust is a two-way street. At very least you need to feign an equal level of trust for The Target. That means taking risks for their benefit, that means helping the people you will soon call enemies. They need to know you, and you need to know them.
Do not be tempted to abort The Plan in favor of friendship. This is not a romantic comedy. The Target will learn of your deception. The lie will not sustain itself indefinitely, and believe me when I tell you that when you are discovered for what you are The Target will act swiftly and mercilessly. Do not hesitate, do not reconsider.
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The Rules:
There are three simple rules that you should always refer to during any stage of The Plan. You may choose to ignore them if you feel it benefits, but be aware of the consequences.
Rule 1: Be Anonymous.
You will not be able to make use of The Goods if everyone in New Eden knows your name. Do not underestimate the wrath that the masses can inflict upon you. Do not advertise yourself, do not make calls for glory or infamy and for the love of Space Jesus do not shout into the heavens of your victories. This means don't post about successful cons on the EVE forums and don't go telling all of your contacts how your con is going so far. Fame and glory are for soldiers, cash and success are for thieves.
Anonymity is your greatest weapon. If you remain humble and smart The Target can check your background all they want, they won't find anything on you. If you go posting on the forums about how you just scammed Corp A, and then The Target looks in your Alt's employment history and sees that you just left Corp A, you're in for a world of hurt. If they don't shut you down right there they are going to turn the tables and con YOU. I personally have made this mistake, and be sure: You will only make it once.
Rule 2: Be Fickle.
Have standards. Do not choose a Target that consists of 10 members and describes itself as "an up-and-coming corp that will soon have access to 0.0 space." There is no money in stealing from nobodies. That being said, you should always take caution in stealing from those with powerful friends and deep pockets.
Analyze your target, take your time and don't rush into any commitments. Scams are not quick and they are not easy. After spending a month scouting ten different potential Target's, what's it going to hurt to cross a few off the list?
Rule 3: Be Smart.
Always be aware. Always over-analyze. Never be comfortable, never be relaxed. Paranoia in fighters and miners is something those people often strive to rid themselves of, requiring a calm to operate efficiently. Paranoia in thieves, on the other hand, will keep you safe and successful. Consider all possibilities, plan for every situation, always have an exit strategy. Most importantly, learn to keep this paranoia to yourself. On the inside you can be a nervous wreck, but on the outside you NEED to be calm and collected.
Never be afraid to settle for less. If you think The Target is on to you, take what you can and cut your losses. By the time The Goods are in sight you'll have spent months, or years, constructing a character and reputation. If those fail you had better make sure it wasn't for nothing.
Being a con artist is no easy task. Being a successful one is nigh impossible. You need to be able to think on your feet, answer every suspicion with an alibi and lie to others without shame. But lying isn't enough, your lies must be indistinguishable from your truths, even if it means you come to believe a few of them yourself. When giving information about yourself, give a mixture of real facts and fabrications. Replace or omit anything that might blow your cover. Start with yourself and proceed to craft a character, charismatic and charming, and most of all: trustworthy.
Be forewarned: This character is not you. You are a thief, a bastard, a douchebag. Your ultimate goal is to exploit the people that will come to call you friend. That being said, pretending to be their friend is often not enough. Trust is a two-way street. At very least you need to feign an equal level of trust for The Target. That means taking risks for their benefit, that means helping the people you will soon call enemies. They need to know you, and you need to know them.
Do not be tempted to abort The Plan in favor of friendship. This is not a romantic comedy. The Target will learn of your deception. The lie will not sustain itself indefinitely, and believe me when I tell you that when you are discovered for what you are The Target will act swiftly and mercilessly. Do not hesitate, do not reconsider.
--------------------------------------------------
The Rules:
There are three simple rules that you should always refer to during any stage of The Plan. You may choose to ignore them if you feel it benefits, but be aware of the consequences.
Rule 1: Be Anonymous.
You will not be able to make use of The Goods if everyone in New Eden knows your name. Do not underestimate the wrath that the masses can inflict upon you. Do not advertise yourself, do not make calls for glory or infamy and for the love of Space Jesus do not shout into the heavens of your victories. This means don't post about successful cons on the EVE forums and don't go telling all of your contacts how your con is going so far. Fame and glory are for soldiers, cash and success are for thieves.
Anonymity is your greatest weapon. If you remain humble and smart The Target can check your background all they want, they won't find anything on you. If you go posting on the forums about how you just scammed Corp A, and then The Target looks in your Alt's employment history and sees that you just left Corp A, you're in for a world of hurt. If they don't shut you down right there they are going to turn the tables and con YOU. I personally have made this mistake, and be sure: You will only make it once.
Rule 2: Be Fickle.
Have standards. Do not choose a Target that consists of 10 members and describes itself as "an up-and-coming corp that will soon have access to 0.0 space." There is no money in stealing from nobodies. That being said, you should always take caution in stealing from those with powerful friends and deep pockets.
Analyze your target, take your time and don't rush into any commitments. Scams are not quick and they are not easy. After spending a month scouting ten different potential Target's, what's it going to hurt to cross a few off the list?
Rule 3: Be Smart.
Always be aware. Always over-analyze. Never be comfortable, never be relaxed. Paranoia in fighters and miners is something those people often strive to rid themselves of, requiring a calm to operate efficiently. Paranoia in thieves, on the other hand, will keep you safe and successful. Consider all possibilities, plan for every situation, always have an exit strategy. Most importantly, learn to keep this paranoia to yourself. On the inside you can be a nervous wreck, but on the outside you NEED to be calm and collected.
Never be afraid to settle for less. If you think The Target is on to you, take what you can and cut your losses. By the time The Goods are in sight you'll have spent months, or years, constructing a character and reputation. If those fail you had better make sure it wasn't for nothing.
Definition of Terms
For the purposes of this guide I am going to use a number of terms for specific stages of theft, and different tools to use. These terms are as follows:
The Plan:
This systematic, formulaic, step-by-step guide to Corporate Subterfuge in EVE Online. The Plan is this entire document, this method of profit and victory, including all of its following components.
The Target:
The in-game corporation, alliance or group whom you seek to steal from, sabotage or destroy. Defining The Target is among the most arduous steps within The Plan, requiring a great deal of patience and research. The Target is the group of people you will befriend, and it is the group of people that you will betray.
The Product:
The service, item, or otherwise valuable offering that you will use to gain trust within The Target. The Product is not necessarily something you will literally sell. The Product is your value to the leaders of The Target, it will define who you are within the organization and it will ultimately decide whether or not you leave with a ship full of loot or a pod full of insurance costs. You must find The Product early on, The Plan hinges entirely on your worth to The Target.
The Heist:
The act of looting, sabotaging or destroying The Target. The Heist can only happen once you have sold The Product and earned your place within the organization. You will need to earn a great deal of trust before you can trigger this action. More importantly, you will need to be able to stomach the aftermath of your actions.
The Storm:
The ensuing persecution, scrutiny and general manhunt that immediately follows The Heist, regardless of its level of success. The Storm WILL come, despite however much damage you dealt to The Target. They will call in allies, they will place bounties, they will declare wars and they will make it very difficult for you to operate safely for quite some time. Unless you are willing to discard months of investment in the alternate character that you groomed during your stay within The Target, you will need to wait out The Storm.
The Clear:
The time at which the storm passes, all wars and vendettas forgotten or abandoned, and the time at which you can again use the character in question to stage another Heist.
The Goods:
The loot, ISK, or otherwise success that you garner after The Heist.
The Rules:
A simple series of safety precautions designed to ensure not your character's safety during the infiltration, but to ensure the success of your labors and the protection of The Goods.
The Crew:
Your logistics team. Comprised either of contacts, friends, or simple mercenaries. The Crew plays a short but vital role in The Heist. Any Heist consisting more of emptying the corporate wallet requires transport, logistics and support. The Crew can transport the physical goods from one hanger to another, either keeping a cut or all of them as their pay or splitting profits with you. Typically The Crew will not expect a cut from the Corporate Wallets. The Crew can also provide assistance in maintaining your cover and solidifying your position within The Target, as will be elaborated upon later. BE WARNED: You are a con artist out for profit, they are con artists out for profit. Act accordingly.
The Plan:
This systematic, formulaic, step-by-step guide to Corporate Subterfuge in EVE Online. The Plan is this entire document, this method of profit and victory, including all of its following components.
The Target:
The in-game corporation, alliance or group whom you seek to steal from, sabotage or destroy. Defining The Target is among the most arduous steps within The Plan, requiring a great deal of patience and research. The Target is the group of people you will befriend, and it is the group of people that you will betray.
The Product:
The service, item, or otherwise valuable offering that you will use to gain trust within The Target. The Product is not necessarily something you will literally sell. The Product is your value to the leaders of The Target, it will define who you are within the organization and it will ultimately decide whether or not you leave with a ship full of loot or a pod full of insurance costs. You must find The Product early on, The Plan hinges entirely on your worth to The Target.
The Heist:
The act of looting, sabotaging or destroying The Target. The Heist can only happen once you have sold The Product and earned your place within the organization. You will need to earn a great deal of trust before you can trigger this action. More importantly, you will need to be able to stomach the aftermath of your actions.
The Storm:
The ensuing persecution, scrutiny and general manhunt that immediately follows The Heist, regardless of its level of success. The Storm WILL come, despite however much damage you dealt to The Target. They will call in allies, they will place bounties, they will declare wars and they will make it very difficult for you to operate safely for quite some time. Unless you are willing to discard months of investment in the alternate character that you groomed during your stay within The Target, you will need to wait out The Storm.
The Clear:
The time at which the storm passes, all wars and vendettas forgotten or abandoned, and the time at which you can again use the character in question to stage another Heist.
The Goods:
The loot, ISK, or otherwise success that you garner after The Heist.
The Rules:
A simple series of safety precautions designed to ensure not your character's safety during the infiltration, but to ensure the success of your labors and the protection of The Goods.
The Crew:
Your logistics team. Comprised either of contacts, friends, or simple mercenaries. The Crew plays a short but vital role in The Heist. Any Heist consisting more of emptying the corporate wallet requires transport, logistics and support. The Crew can transport the physical goods from one hanger to another, either keeping a cut or all of them as their pay or splitting profits with you. Typically The Crew will not expect a cut from the Corporate Wallets. The Crew can also provide assistance in maintaining your cover and solidifying your position within The Target, as will be elaborated upon later. BE WARNED: You are a con artist out for profit, they are con artists out for profit. Act accordingly.
A Guide to being a Complete Bastard in EVE Online
Over the course of several posts on this piece of shit blog I am going to explain to you, the gentle reader, my own systematic method of Scamming and Corporate Subterfuge in EVE Online. More posts to follow.
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