The Guide to Screwing Scammers

[themischief]

The Guide to Screwing Scammers
Turning the tables on Gaia's most despised.

Table of Contents.

Post 1. Table of contents
Post 2. Scamming and hacking ... what you should know
Post 3. Types of scams
Post 4. Prevention
Post 5. Messing with scammers
Post 6. What to do if you have been scammed
Post 7. Known hackers and scammers
Post 8. Suggestions
Post 9. Reserved

Thank you to maniac0611 for the idea for this guide!

 

[themischief]

Scamming and Hacking
What you should know.


First, scammings and hackings happen every day, to Gaians old and new. No one is immune. All it takes is a few seconds of failing to pay attention and BAM! everything is gone.

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Scammers get smarter every day. Their PMs are looking more official, their links are better hidden, and they have come up with plausible answers to all the common questions. Try to keep up on the latest information so you don't become the next victim of scammers who are always a step ahead of the majority of the Gaian populace.

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All scams are preventable with education and some intuition. TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS. I can't stress this enough. If you are wondering whether or not something is a scam, it probably is. There will be absolutely no question if it is the Gaian administration contacting you.

 

[themischief]

Types of Scams

There are three primary ways to be scammed: by PM, by trade, or by hyperlink. Here are examples of ways these scams work:

PMs. In this case, you receive a PM from someone with a name like I_am_a_mod or GaiaSecurity. The username is in black. This person tells you that:

• You are suspected of botting, scamming, or violation of ToS. You must respond and send your name, password, or other identifying information so they can clear your name.
  
  
• Gaia is upgrading to a faster server. You must click the link below and log back into Gaia. When you do this, your password is collected and able to be used by the scammer.
  
  
• Gaia is testing a new feature. You must click the link below and log back into Gaia. Again, your password is collected.
  

Trades. You are happily engaged in a trade with someone when one of the following occurs:

• The other user sends his or her trade in a gift box. (This is particularly likely to happen if the item they are offering to trade is worth far more than your item.) You PM to find out why it is in a gift box and receive a song and dance routine about being unable to open it. The other user promises that the item is as promised. When you open it, it is a starter shirt.
  
  
• The items on the other person's end disappear. You PM them to find out what happened and they claim they can see the items and it must be a glitch on your end. They may even send you screen shots to show that the items are no longer in their inventory. When you complete the trade, the items do not appear, but the other user has received your items.
  

Hyperlinks. The hacker hides a link to a phishing site or keylogger site in a hyperlink.

• You see a link on a profile, in a PM, or in a signature asking for your vote in the avatar arena. When you click on it, you are logged out of Gaia and asked to log back in. The website at the top of the screen is not www.gaiaonline.com. Instead, it is a site like ripway, which is a password phishing site.
  
  
• You download a program to which someone has sent you a link. You never sent your password to anyone, but now someone is logging into your account.
  

Other kinds of scams.

• Quiz questions. Many people like to do quizzes for fun or gold. Beware of any quiz asking for information like your mother's maiden name or other standard security questions. With enough of this information, hackers can pose as you and retrieve your password to your email and other websites using the security questions.
  
  
• Aquaintance hackings. Any friend who has your password may access your account and use it in an way not authorized by you. It is better not to let anyone else use your account to prevent this from happening.
  

Please note >>> It is not possible to be infected with a virus simply by adding a user to your friendslist. If you receive a PM or comment warning you about such a user and asking you to pass on the information to all your friends, be aware that it is a chain letter, which is a violation of the ToS. Please delete it, do not pass it on, and warn the other user that passing the information on could lead to a warning or ban by a moderator.  

[themischief]

Prevention

1. Make sure you have a strong password. Include capital and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols for the most secure password. Make sure the words are not easily guessed, like the name of your pet.

2. DO NOT give that password to anyone! No Gaia administrator or moderator will ever need your password for any reason. If the person is asking for your password, report it.

3. Familiarize yourself with the new staff coloring. For an example, please check out this picture:

4. Keep yourself educated about the newest scams. Stay one step ahead of the scammers.  

[themischief]

Messing with Scammers
The fun part.
twisted

- Give the scammer your information. No, not your real information. (Didn't you read the other posts? rolleyes ) Make up the answers. It's particularly fun to make up usernames and passwords that tell the scammer just what you think of him or her. Be creative! (And post your response here in this thread so we can all have a big laugh with you at the scammer's expense.) blaugh -

 

[themischief]

What To Do If You Have Been Scammed

Report, report, report!
Don't assume the next person will do it ... you could help keep that person from becoming a victim as well by reporting the scammer.

Here are the steps:

1. Create a mule account. No one else is going to be able to report the scammer; the report will not be accepted if a friend tries to do it for you.

2. Use one of the links below to report the scamming:

Report a hacking.
Report a scamming.

Submit only one report. Please do not PM moderators and ask them to check on the status of your report. Reports are dealt with in the order in which they are received. There is no preferential treatment, no matter how long you have been with Gaia, how much stuff was lost, or how angry you are.

3. Be patient. There are so many reports generated every day that the research and restoral process can take 6-18 months to complete. Even then, there is no guarantee anything can be done.

**Please note: If you suspect you are in the middle of being hacked, DO NOT log out of your account. If the hacker changes your email address you will likely never get your account back. PM an online moderator and ask the moderator to freeze your trade and gift-giving ability. Run a virus scan to make sure there is not a keylogger on your computer, then change your password immediately. **

 

[themischief]

Known Hackers and Scammers

If you have the name of a known hacker or scammer, please add it to the thread below and we will include that person on this list. If you know what kind of scam it was, please list that information as well.

** Please note: If you knowingly list a false name, you will be banned from the guild. Doing so will be considered harassment. **

- mod 12qw: PM posing as Gaia administration investigating a hacking  

[themischief]

Suggestions

Please post your suggestions for information that needs to be added in this thread. We will place it in the appropriate posting.

We particularly look forward to reading your ideas for messing with scammers. twisted

 

[themischief]

- Reserved -