Sunday, July 17, 2011

2013 1stHELP: Caution. Beware of objects bearing gifts.

Stolen Money!  Lindens gone!  
I see this every once in a while.
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And it makes me sad. The amounts are not trivial.  The person wants help,  But there is not likely to be any help. This is a con game.   And  con artists are hard to catch.  Here is how the trick works.
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You get a box that says something like:
Free gift for you!! 

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You click on the box and get a popup message
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" Do you allow this object to take money from your account?"
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That's a red flag.
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" Do you allow this object to take money from your account?"
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If it is really free, of course, it won't need to take money.  But even when you expect to pay something, that is still a red flag.  You have not control over how much it will take.  You don't ever want to approve this request unless the object is owned but someone you trust:  A respected business person in Second Life, or a personal friend.
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Before you ever approve this kind of request, check the profile of the object's owner.  A typical scam artist will come into Second Life with a new avatar, carry out the scam over a few days, and then leave.  Special warning signs:
  • Recent  arrival
  • No payment information on file
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