If I was going to run a scam, I'd start with the idea of selling something for far more than it is worth. So I'd need to inspire confidence in my marks, make them feel like the goods were worth the money. You'd want to pump up their ego, make them feel like they were really great people, and that the product would help them feel even more like that - for totally rational reasons of course. So with an IQ test, you'd want them to score real high, tell them about the whole range of scores, let them know how really exceptional their high score was, and promise more of the same ego stroking if only they invest a bit of cash. You'd need to make sure they didn't compare notes of course, so that the anomalies didn't become apparent. Probably the internet would be a good place to set up such a scheme.
Now on the other hand, iqtest.com must be totally legit, because I normally score way over 167. It's a sad fact that existence of illegitimate and unethical tests must throw doubt on such a reputable organisation. Iqtest.com, I feel your pain!
(I think I'll tattoo that score on my forehead, and legally change my name to "I.Q. 167")
I.Q. 167
(formerly known as Emlyn)
> ----------
> From: Lee Daniel Crocker[SMTP:lcrocker@mercury.colossus.net]
> Reply To: extropians@extropy.com
> Sent: Tuesday, 8 June 1999 9:02
> To: extropians@extropy.com
> Subject: Re: iqtest.com
>
>
> [In reference to iqtest.com]
>
> > Is this site for real? The test was way shorter than the IQ
> > test I took as a kid. And I scored way higher :-)
> > (on second thought, why complain? :-)
>
> Didn't seem realistic to me, and the text on the site does not
> inspire confidence to say the least--looks like a scam to sell
> the $9.95 reports. I have a pretty good idea of what my IQ
> should be from other tests (SAT, etc.), and it ain't no 162,
> which is what I scored here.
>
> --
> Lee Daniel Crocker <lee@piclab.com> <http://www.piclab.com/lcrocker.html>
> "All inventions or works of authorship original to me, herein and past,
> are placed irrevocably in the public domain, and may be used or modified
> for any purpose, without permission, attribution, or notification."--LDC
>