Scamming and Prevention.

[Dark_Angel]

Hello, I would like to start off saying this is for learning purposes so our fellow members don't fall for certain scams, etc.

I do know that this has been somewhat posted before, but mine will be more up-to-date and is more for learning purposes and for our members to not be scammed.

Categories:

- In-Game Scamming
1. Turtle Mount Code Scam : Someone sends a Mail through WoW saying they will give you a Turtle Mount code if you pay the gold to open it, When its really not.
2. Backspace Scam : Think someone is trading you a lot of money for a certain Item/Mat, when they keep the money and steal your item.
3. Sympathy Scam : Someone tells you they got scammed and a huge long story, and you feel sorry for them and supply them money.

- Website Scamming
1. Wrath of the Lich King Beta Phisher : If you think you got into the Wotlk Beta since you got an email,Think again.
2. Login Screen Phisher : Get a email by Blizzard telling you to verify your account? Not exactly...

- Email Scamming
1. Selling account verification : You get a email by 'Blizzard' telling you to verify that you own the account by sending your info to that email.

- Instant Message and Trading Scams
1. Private server/Model Editing Selling Scam : If your Planning selling a account, I advise you read. People can use Private servers and Model Editing to their advantage along with the WoW armory.
2. Posing as a Gold Company : Trying to rent your account, and you received a Instant Message by a Gold Seller and Not sure if you should trust them? Read here..

- Youtube Scams
1. GM Hack : A Video with a Link in the Info to a program saying the hack will give you GM powers.
2. Gamecard Generator : A Video with a link in the info to a program saying it will generate multiple Gamecards for you if you enter a valid one.





-In-Game Scamming

__1. Turtle Mount Code Scam

Description:
The Turtle Mount Code scam is a very well known scam that people use in-game to get your gold. It might start off with a scammer telling people in trade chat to mail the scammer gold or just a plain if they want a turtle mount code. Well, then the Scammer sends back a mail, making it so it has a cost to open the letter, People get curious and wonder if there really is a code in there, they pay for it, and then get scammed. A scammer can also just do it by picking random people in a server and sending them mail saying they were chosen to get the mount, etc. The main point is getting a person to pay for a fake mail that has a 'turtle mount code' that doesn't exist to get their money.

How to prevent being Scammed:
Do not trust ANYONE you do not know. When you get mail that requires you to open with money, I advise you to not open it unless its from a fellow friend or a guild master or member. DO NOT EVER send someone money without getting anything first, and make sure when you get it that it is valid, because it could be some random code.

Example for more Information:
This scam has be posted many times before on MMowned, but the most recent one I have seen on MMowned is right here:
http://www.mmowned.com/forums/wow-sc...-improved.html

__2. Backspace Scam

Description:
Has someone approached you and said they would trade you a certain item for a large amount of gold? Well, There is a program, made by a fellow member here under the username Flying Piggy, that recalls your gold from the trade window right when you trade so it steals a persons item. I am not sure if this program has been out-of-date and doesn't work anymore, but if it is, someone could always fix it up and use it again.

How to prevent being Scammed:
Always be aware when trading that people can do this, and be cautious. Not much else to say since this scam was very well thought out because people trade all the time.

Example for more Information:
This scam has been around for a long while, and was made by a fellow member here that is legendary in my eyes. You can find his link here:
http://www.mmowned.com/forums/wow-sc...ing-piggy.html

__3. Sympathy Scam

Description:
Someone approaches you saying they have been hacked and lost their account or something along the lines of that, and you feel sorry for them and supply them a decent amount of money. There are varies ways of people doing this and making you feel sorry.

How to prevent being Scammed:
Do not EVER feel sorry for someone you don't know. Like I said for the turtle mount code, Don't EVER give money to someone you do not know.

Example for more Information:
This has been posted many times, but the one I find most helpful is Phase228s post on Sympathy and combining it with the backspace scam.
http://www.mmowned.com/forums/wow-sc...-sympathy.html
(Please Note that is an old thread, and bumping it would get you in trouble)

-Website Scamming

__1. Wrath of the Lich King Beta Phisher

Description:
A website that is either a replica or made by a scammer of a Wrath of the Lich King Beta Signup. Normally Scammers send out mass emails to lots of people who play WoW hoping to get someone to fall for it. Scammers normally hide their Link of their website with HTML to look like a Blizzard site in the email. These Site are called phishers, and they require you to login, enter your account information, then says that it was a success, etc. Scammers also use fake emailers to make it look like you are getting an email from the REAL blizzard.

How to prevent being Scammed:
If you recieve a email by 'Blizzard' about Wrath of the Lich King, Click the link and look up at the URL. If the URL has Nothing with worldofwacraft.com, wow-europe.com or with beta. in front of it, then it is NOT real. DO NOT enter your information to a website you do not know.

Example for more Information:
There is a TON of Phishers with wotlk, and I will link one that I have used:
http://www.mmowned.com/forums/wow-sc...t-phisher.html

__ 2. Login Screen Phisher

Description:
This is almost the same as the other phisher, but a little different. You might be selling your account or something and receive a email by 'Blizzard' saying that they want you to verify your account by going to a certian website. The website will look like the World of Warcraft login screen and you being dumb will login and the person will steal your info.

How to prevent being Scammed:
Same as the other Phisher, Just pay Attention to the URL of the website.

Example for more Information:
There are many of these, but the most recent one is here:
http://www.mmowned.com/forums/wow-sc...w-phisher.html

- Email Scamming

__1. Selling account verification

Description:
You email a person who is selling a account (Normally a Selling website) saying that their account needs to be verified, and in order to verify it you must send a email back with all your information. This in my opinion is the worst scam ever to fall for, it is completely stupid and anyone with half a brain can do it.

How to prevent being Scammed:
Don't respond to the email? Blizzard will NEVER ask you to send your information to them Vai email. If you ever get a email like this just ignore it!

Example for more Information:
This scam is so not work finding a link for, I am sure there is one, but I advise you NEVER to do this if you are a scammer.

- Instant Message and Trading Scams

__1. Private server/Model Editing Selling Scam

Description:
Scammers target people who are trying to trade their account on varies websites, and they contact the person by Instant Messanger (Most likely MSN). The scammer then finds what the trader is looking for by going into wow armory, then goes to work by making a Private server and a character that looks exactly like the one in the armory, or does model editing. Then the scammer makes a video and take pictures of the toon in game and sends it to the trader saying they can't show ingame since your way to far out in outlands, etc. The Trader then thinks that the toon is real and they trade accounts when the scammer is really just giving fake information.

How to prevent being Scammed:
If the person cannot show you the toon in-game, then do NOT trade with them. Even if the toon is way far out in the outlands, doesn't mean they couldn't talk via whisper in the game.

Example for more Information:
Krazzee had made a perfect guide on doing this:
http://www.mmowned.com/forums/wow-sc...m-dummies.html
(Note: Its an old thread so don't bump unless you want to get in trouble.)

__2. Posing as a Gold Company

Description:
Some people decide that they want to buy gold or rent their accounts to gold sellers. Scammers target these people and act like they are staff of these gold selling teams and try to scam gold/accounts out of people through Instant Messanger.

How to prevent being Scammed:
Always look at the email of the person and make sure its @*gold selling website*. Make it so the person can prove that they are part of the Gold selling team.

Example for more Information:
I am in a rush for this last bit, but I am sure you can look it up for one, their are LOTS of guides for this.

- Youtube Scams

__1. GM Hack
Description:
Some people use a program that sends your information to their email while you think that it is going to grant you GM powers, in order for them to get people to do that, they make a youtube video of their program and put the link to the download in the Info. A Member here on MMowned made the very first one and people have been making lots of them ever since.

How to prevent being Scammed:
Do Not ever put your information into a program that was not made by Blizzard. There is NO such thing as a GM power hack, Stat changer, etc.

Example for more Information:
I can not give you a link because this program is somewhat secret and only a very few can have it. In order to see a GM hack Video just go to youtube and type in "Gm power hack" and search.

__2. Gamecard Generator

Description:
Same thing as the GM power hack, except its with a gamecard. The Program says it turns a valid gamecard into 3, but what it really does is send it to someones email.

How to prevent being Scammed:
Do not give anyone your Gamecard, because there is no such think as a Gamecard Generator, at least one that is released to the public.

Example for more Information:
I can not give you a link because this program is somewhat secret and only a very few can have it. In order to see a GC generator Video just go to youtube and type in "Gamecard Generator" and search.



_________________
Thats all for now. I will keep this updated as much as possible, I know there is a lot more, but the list would go on and on if I added more. If there is one that is REALLY big, then please post a link and summary of the scam.

I do know that this has been somewhat posted before, but mine will be more up-to-date and is more for learning purposes and for our members to not be scammed.

I really hope this helps people out to know what scams are out there and what not to believe. I am a scammer myself, but I do NOT like seeing my own members getting scammed by other members.

Thank you, If there is anything wrong with my Thread, Please post and I will look into it.

~Dark_Angel

[Keo is Back]

I can tell you put a lot of time into this. It could really help some people, +rep

[CrimsonXander]

Nice! +rep when i can

[ubrpwnt]

He's been working on this all day... + rep D_A.

[Xronis]

this should be stickied

[theawpspy]

You forgot the C.O.D Scam,
i have gotten a huge succes and if you read all the post in my thread about this, you will see people scammed huge amount of gold, one dude even scammed 20k gold with this all to all,

[hootiepoonie]

great post man +rep if i could

[Dark_Angel]

He's been working on this all day... + rep D_A.

I know....tell me about it...And thanks.

You forgot the C.O.D Scam,
i have gotten a huge succes and if you read all the post in my thread about this, you will see people scammed huge amount of gold, one dude even scammed 20k gold with this all to all,

Ok, I will look into it and plan on adding this.

this should be stickied

Err, I was planning on doing that, but I want to see how much this actually helps people before I sticky it because I can't always base off my opinions.