I am a scambaiter too, although not associated with 419eaters. Using a dedicated email address, created exclusively for this purpose, I regularly answer to scam emails (when I have time, of course) and I try to catch their attention as long as I can.

The purpose is simple: if they are busy writing to me, they are not writing to someone else who could fall in their trap, and maybe I am saving someone. Of course, the first scam emails are sent automatically, but if you answer them, then the scammer must actually sit in front of a keyboard and waste his time trying to lure you with more details, hoping to get your money. 

Of course SCAMBAITING CAN BE A DANGEROUS PASTIME, SO I DO NOT RECOMMEND TRYING IT. Scammers are dangerous people, and they COULD backtrack you. I take a lot of precautions and NEVER disclose the tiniest bit of real personal information. So please, I repeat, do not try it at home....

(BTW, I have collected a lot of pictures from scammers, but no money yet....  :laugh:)

Giorgio

giorgio_2004 here, ksabers on XBox Live, PSN  and everywhere else.