By the time you see it, it's too late

Usually by the time you see it, it's too late to take advantage of most p&d scams. You can try writing put options, but the market is often illiquid. You also run the risk of finding yourself investigated. While it's true that most likely nothing will come of it, you'll have legal expenses to cover. And, "most likely". Many, many people have gone to jail on the backs of circumstantial evidence.