I've been in this market/messageboard stuff since Windows95 came out. Can you imagine what the pennystock/OTCB market must've been like before the internet and Google ? The scammers and promoters must have been in heaven like shooting fish in a barrel.
I don't remember seeing evidence of cybersleuthing till about 2002-3 Scamming isn't as easy as in the old days I'd imagine.
Occam's razor:"the simplest explanation or strategy tends to be the best one" Hanlon's Razor:"Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity"