job market is insane today. its hard to find a job in retail in some places, software is way more competitive. retraining to some in demand trade takes money you might not have and its still not guaranteed success. and even if you get hired for a stable job theres no guarantee your company will let you work your way up to 200k when they know you cant afford to quit.

the uncertainty of crime is better than endless waiting for an offer that might never come. if you take 10 scammers or drug dealers one of them will get rich, 3 will go to prison and the rest have a relatively normal life. that might be genuinely better odds than a mainstream career for some.

crime has short term certainty with long term uncertainty. a legitimate job has short term uncertainty with long term certainty. its stupid silly and dangerous way to view it as an escape from your current job situation.

I don't know why people keep whining about job markets. I'm currently working 3 different remote jobs each past 200k/yr point

my total salary is close to 800k. if one of them fires me i can easily hop to another job. I've been doing this for well over a year now and everybody is happy.

there's really no need to justify criminal behavior when legitimate options are in front of you and you are too lazy, weak willed to see the upside.