Scamming Methods Exposed

Pepper · 08-08-2007, 09:28

This is a thread about scammers and how they operate.

Since there is money involved in this game, and even more so the possibility to withdraw money from this game, scammers is an issue we have to deal with. But we certainly don't don't have to accept them.
My idea is that this thread should be a forum to expose the old and new scamming attempts, and the strategies and MO's of the scammers.

Naming of scammers is not allowed in this forum, and consequently not in this thread either.

I hope this thread can grow in a serious and constructive way, and be the weapon against the scammers for all of us, and a heads-up and tutorial for new players of EU and participants in this Forum.

Feel free to add, but please read the previous posts to avoid confrontation with our less understanding and patience members of this community

I also, if possible, like to keep this thread free of a philosophical masturbation of the question what is a scam?. Please start a new thread if you find this subject necessary to scrutinize.
It would be great if you think twice before posting off-topic posts, does it really belong in this thread?
I will make it really simple and once and for all exclude this:
Resellers are NOT scammers, no matter what our feelings are for the phenomena. Reselling is a legit product and consequence of the free market.

Expose the scammers!

Scams can be categorized as:

ESI/Skill Chip Scam
Event Scam
Item Theft
Lending Scam
Pilot/Hangar Scam
Trust Scam
Trade Scam
Upgrade/Coloring/Repair Scam
Mentor/Disciple Scam
Team hunt scam

[/list](in progress)

Scams exposed so far:

1. Armor upgrade/armor painting [by:Pepper]
2. Sweating skill upgrade [by:GeorgeUso]
3. Trade "dysfunction" - drop items on the ground [by:LeeLoo Faith]
4. Weapons upgrade [by: jw350]
5. Trade scam -cleared window ( also see minsten p.3, Selena p.4 ) [by:Starrabbit]
6. False pilots [by:Midori Fairlona]
7. Lotteries, Lotto [by:Superhal]
8. Black market items/Escort fee [by:Rowdoc]
9. TP runs for fee [by:Rowdoc]
10. Disciple Scam (free gifts) [by:Yquem]
11. "Borrow until I deposit" [by:minsten]
12. Free coloring of clothes [by:Milesio]
13. Broken (L) items in auction [by:SpikE Odets]
14. Pecs not Peds in trade [by:Selena]

External recommended links:
EU-Forces Scam page
Original Scammers List

All my best to all of you!

Pepper · 08-08-2007, 09:30

The two by far most common, as well as oldest, scams in the game are The Armor Upgrade and Armor Coloring scams.

To cut straight to the point: Armors can not be upgraded, nor can they be colored - by anyone.

The most important thing in any trade is to use your common sense. If a deal sounds to good to be true - it probably is. Mind Ark sees every trade as final, and they will not help you just because you didn't think before handing over your gear in the hands of an anonymous avatar.
Many scammers are simply using your own greed as the tool of their operations. If someone tells you that they can upgrade your 15 PED pixie armor to a 20.000 PED Shadow for a fee of 50 PED, there is something very strange about it , don't you agree? But unfortunately, all scams are far from that obvious (and still, I assure you that countless people have fallen for these old Armor Scams - and more will in the future).

A really good and simple rule to cling on to in trading is this:
Never trade anything without security (collateral) that you can't afford to loose.

GeorgeUsu · 08-08-2007, 09:45

New Scam Found:
This was a while ago, a noob at the swamp camp was talkin' to me and she asked me if I was interested in getting my sweat gathering skill points up to 1k..all she was asking in return was 1k of sweat

, I played around with her asking how she would do it and she said that she would plant a sweat gathering skill chip inside of me using mind essance.

Please do not fall for this scam people.

711 · 08-08-2007, 09:47

I have moved this thread to the Technical/Security subforum, however perhaps it is better placed in the n00bs Corner or Sticky Threads section.

I am open to suggestions.

+Rep, nice thread Pepper!

Vedder · 08-08-2007, 11:05

Hmm.. Hope this is not going to be the handbook for all new scammers.

...But generally I believe that information is better than no-information, so let's ignore that possibility

However... The worst scams there is, and the most painful ones are the trust-scams.

In the past some scumbags have pretended to be someones friend and gained their trust over a very long period of time... Maybe even 1 year or more... Before they finally run off with everything they can get their hands on.

So... Even though 99% of the players in EU are decent and trustable people, watch out for the last 1%... They pretend to be nice and trustable too.

LeeLoo Faith · 08-08-2007, 12:52

the "trade is not working" scam.

Some people try to scam you with this trick, they want to trade with you but then they say it doesn't work and move to a quieter place and let you drop your stuff on the ground first. They pick it up and run ..
Never drop anything on the ground!

another trade scam is not putting everything in the trade window or removing their item at the right time, you click agree and their item is not in.
check all traded items carefully before you click Accept!

Superhal · 08-08-2007, 23:56

The Psychology of Scamming

First of all, most scammers are not bad people. They are stupid people. They fell for a scam, and thus refuse to believe they are that stupid. Therefore, they try to catch somebody else with the same scam to make themselves feel less stupid.

If you have ever been the target of a scam attempt, often the scammer will screw up the trick and try for a do over. ("Oh wait wait wait!" or "Ha ha, you're too smart for that one eh?" being most common.)

There are actually very few true scammers. In reality, there are thousands of stupid people catching each other with the same tired tricks over and over again, thus, like a virus, expanding the number of scams being perpetuated. Imho, they are so stupid they can't even see the criminality of the act. There is only a little bit of vocabulary protecting them from being arrested for theft, which is the difference between an item and a virtual item. A virtual item can have value, and thus if it is stolen, you should be persecuted under the same laws that rule shoplifting or fraud. That the law only covers physical items is temporary and is bound to change, especially as virtual items start costing thousands of dollars.

So, the next time somebody tries to scam you, don't get mad. Feel sorry for the little bugger who wasn't sharp enough to figure out what happened to them first. I'm usually polite and say "Sorry you fell for that, but it won't work on me. Try somebody else." In general, this makes them feel 100X worse.

LarsMac · 08-09-2007, 00:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeeLoo Faith

the "trade is not working" scam.

Some people try to scam you with this trick, they want to trade with you but then they say it doesn't work and move to a quieter place and let you drop your stuff on the ground first. They pick it up and run ..
Never drop anything on the ground!

another trade scam is not putting everything in the trade window or removing their item at the right time, you click agree and their item is not in.
check all traded items carefully before you click Accept!

Good points.

The key to avoiding "trade scams" is to never be in a hurry to conduct a trade.
Carefully review the items being offered, and make sure all that is expected is there, before clicking confirm.
Then, carefully review the summary of the trade, before clicking accept.

If you fail to do this, you made the scam possible, and are as much to blame as the scammer. You MUST approach the trade from this perspective.

boborod · 08-09-2007, 00:39

post removed

Pepper · 08-09-2007, 01:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by Superhal

The Psychology of Scamming

First of all, most scammers are not bad people. They are stupid people. They fell for a scam, and thus refuse to believe they are that stupid. Therefore, they try to catch somebody else with the same scam to make themselves feel less stupid.

If you have ever been the target of a scam attempt, often the scammer will screw up the trick and try for a do over. ("Oh wait wait wait!" or "Ha ha, you're too smart for that one eh?" being most common.)

There are actually very few true scammers. In reality, there are thousands of stupid people catching each other with the same tired tricks over and over again, thus, like a virus, expanding the number of scams being perpetuated. Imho, they are so stupid they can't even see the criminality of the act. There is only a little bit of vocabulary protecting them from being arrested for theft, which is the difference between an item and a virtual item. A virtual item can have value, and thus if it is stolen, you should be persecuted under the same laws that rule shoplifting or fraud. That the law only covers physical items is temporary and is bound to change, especially as virtual items start costing thousands of dollars.

So, the next time somebody tries to scam you, don't get mad. Feel sorry for the little bugger who wasn't sharp enough to figure out what happened to them first. I'm usually polite and say "Sorry you fell for that, but it won't work on me. Try somebody else." In general, this makes them feel 100X worse.

"The greatest achievement the devil ever did, was to convince people that he doesn't excist..."

I have to comment this Superhal.
What you're talking about are small time hustlers, and they are out there too - true. But there are undeniably very well organized scammers out there, and they are anything but stupid. The good scammer gains your trust, he plays on your own greed and vanity, he knows when to quit, and that a pawn sacrifice in fact leads to a bigger loot in the end. He makes you think you came up with the idea - he may even seem reluctant to the deal. The skilled scammer is very hard to spot at first glance - numerous people trough out history have found them self standing in total surprise with all their things gone, asking themselves: How did this happen? How could I be so stupid..?! The truth is that they weren't, it was just the scammer who was smarter.
A good scammer is like a fisherman - he throws out some bread to attract the fish, then he trows out the lure to see if any one nibbles the hook. Then he waits, because like any good fisherman he knows; it takes time to swallow the bait... And he never loose a fish because of impatience.

Please, don't kid yourself in thinking you will out smart any scammer you meet, because you won't.
And they are not worth pity. They will without hesitation rob you of everything you own. These guys are common thieves - nothing else.

If your not sure - don't make the deal.
If you suspect a scam, take screen shots and preferably one with the avatar scanned.
Always note avatar name, time and place if a scam occur. Press C and P on the keyboard and you get time and position visible in the chat.

Do what you can, and use your common sense - but don't let the devil convince you that he doesn't exist.