25 Mar 2011 @ 9:25 AM 

Nobody really wants to think that they could be scammed when they’re spending their free time playing 3D games, however that is turning out to be the truth in an increasingly huge number of games. A lot of games today support micro transactions, that are small purchases that are produced in game to be able to give you some sort of virtual item in the game. In a few games, these stores tend to be run by players, as well as not all of these players are trustworthy. Just as in real life nonetheless, you will find those folks who are simply trying to create a quick buck, and therefore are willing to scam innocent players to make it happen.

Virtual Arranged Crime
Not every one of these crooks that work in game are working entirely independently. Misha Glenny, one of many principal experts about scams relating to computer games, finds out that we now have many different organized groups whose complete purpose is always to scam avid gamers out of their cash. Although the game developers been employed by with law enforcement officials to make their games safer and less susceptible to these scams, there is just so much they could do.

Many of the problems that bring about these scams achieving success are not the result of exploits in the programming of the game. One of the most that can usually be performed is to come together along with law enforcement to attempt to find the scammers and employ the law as a possible aid in assisting to encourage the scammers of the things they did was wrong.

Challenging to Catch
The problem with most of these scams is that is tough for the developers of the game to avoid these from taking place by helping the technology of the game. The majority of the scams rely mainly on social engineering. That is actually, they depend on the scammer using a chat with their intended victim as well as prodding them to spend cash at their own virtual store.

Because it is often a willing purchase on the part of the victim, it really is extremely difficult for game developers to avoid it from happening. After all, you are not able to cease the gamers who play the game from doing what they desire to making use of their money. Even law enforcement cannot always track them down, since the internet permits these scammers to attack from around the globe.

Tags Tags: , , ,
Categories: News
Posted By: TheBrain
Last Edit: 25 Mar 2011 @ 09 25 AM

EmailPermalinkComments (0)
 29 Apr 2010 @ 10:04 PM 

From the 1500’s on there has been a scam that has proven very lucrative for thieves and has left thousand of victims destitute. It is labeled the Spanish Prisoner because it originated in Spain. Apparently, the powerful nature of Spain left it with a lot of enemies, leaving suspicions high. A “mark” (the prey) is told that an aristocrat has been imprisoned in Spain and is relying on the con artist to raise bribes needed to secure his release. If the mark would supply some of the money, he was promised that he would be rewarded generously upon the release of the prisoner, and furthermore could wed the prisoner’s beautiful daughter.

As with any con it required some research in order to only contact “soft” yet financially solid targets, as well as a demeanor that’s hard to duplicate. This type of conman can sell anything to anyone and get away with not only the money, but with the mark not initially realizing they’ve been duped.

Similar swindles exist in assorted varieties in modern times. The con man preys on the secrecy and urgency of the matter to speed things along before the mark can consider their actions. They rely on the tendency of people to want to come of the aid of their fellowmen, especially if they can profit monetarily while doing so. Additional amounts of money are taken from these marks. Eventually the mark has invested so much they can’t pull out without risking losing it all, which they do in the end anyway.

The 419 fraud, or the advance fee fraud, is but one form of this extremely popular scam. The rise of the Internet has made this a very popular and easy scam. You can get access to people’s email addresses easily enough, and even find their last name with the right sources. The result is a conman often claims they are a relative and has the name to prove it.

When you contact them over the Internet, you tend to follow up with a call that explains the detailed situation. Since you’ll be using the phone, consult a telephone look-up service like cell-registry.com/802/858/ which can help you to figure out whether or not their claims are legitimate. The Spanish Prisoner con is the basis for the majority of today’s scams, with plenty of alterations.

The advance free fraud is another variation with a lot of offshoots, where the basis is that the mark has to pay the scammer money to theoretically get money. The romance, overpayment, employment, and reshipping scams and, in today’s Internet world, lottery email scams and work from home scams also have come on the scene to cause much difficulty for those who are too trusting.

There are many other ways to protect one self from scammers besides using telephone look-up services like the one previously mentioned. One is to delete any emails which come from unknown parties. Once you open the email, you give the scammer access to all the addresses in your directory, which can be hazardous. All they have to do is keep sending out emails until they find the right person who will open it up.

If such an e-mail is accidentally opened, poor spelling and grammar, or an offer of free gifts or exorbitant sums of cash that can be obtained by sending a small sum of money, or opening an empty checking account, are clues that it is a scam attempt. However, despite the fact that no policing really exists for the Internet, there are government agencies who are attempting to find scam groups like this and put a halt to their operations. If we all work in concert, this plague can be wiped out.

Tags Tags: , , , ,
Categories: News
Posted By: TheBrain
Last Edit: 29 Apr 2010 @ 10 04 PM

EmailPermalinkComments (0)
 18 Apr 2010 @ 8:47 AM 

In everyone’s heart there is a desire to help their fellow man. Many do this through donations to various non-profit organizations. Sadly, scammers have begun to take advantage of people’s goodwill and generosity, creating schemes to deceive.

Popular deceptions in recent years are charities supposedly set up to help needy children and families in foreign countries. Pictures and videos of malnourished, emaciated children and impoverished needy families are portrayed in pamphlets and television spots. The viewer’s feelings of sympathy are appealed to and an address or envelope is provided for easy giving.

Of course, no one wishes to see children or families suffer starvation or disease, but donating any money to an organization without complete knowledge of how it will be distributed is never a smart idea. Scams revealed in the past few years have shown that the money collected in many supposed charity events actually went for the personal pleasure of the scammers rather than for the supposed recipients. This gives all charities a bad name and, actually, many work hard to ensure that donated dollars go exactly where they should.

Often charities advertise through various media channels, such as television, magazines, and the Internet. Typically, donations of at least ten dollars are requested. However, thinking critically for a moment, one would realize that the vast majority of the money is actually going to pay for these advertisements in the first place.

In one instance, the organization was properly registered and did send money overseas. Unfortunately, federal investigate showed that almost ninety percent of all donations were used to pay the large salaries of the directors for the charity. As such, this organization was not considered a true charity and was considered a scam.

Charity scams are often very difficult to spot. It can be a plea for the homeless, the destitute, animals, and just about anything else. Although there are hundreds of charities that are authentic and do help, there are always those who are looking for an opportunity to profit from people’s generosity and use it to their own means.

In order to avoid this from happening, it is vital that you take the time to research the organization completely. An investigation can be conducted through sources such as the Internet, consumer complaint divisions, government agencies, the Better Business Bureau, and other such methods. In the event that a name and telephone information is given, it is essential to use telephone services such as phonelookupagent.com/218/981/ to validate the identity of the person.

One should be especially suspect of people coming to the door with cans supposedly collecting for a well-known charity. One has no way of knowing if this is where the money is going or if it is going into the collector’s pocket. In the end, direct donations through the organization’s channel is your best solution.

Tags Tags: , , ,
Categories: News
Posted By: TheBrain
Last Edit: 18 Apr 2010 @ 08 47 AM

EmailPermalinkComments (0)
 09 Oct 2009 @ 9:54 AM 

The internet is a tough world and you always have to have your eyes open to spot scams. Heres a prompt primer on some common scams that turn up all over the net and woefully:

 

1. Bait and switch
This can happen face to face when you have met someone to purchase something they have advertised, for example a laptop. While youre counting out your money for this incredible deal youve just found, an attractive girl materialises at your side asking if you have change for a fiver. Meanwhile, the primary scammer replaces the laptop you bought with a worthless old laptop, hands it over to you, and leaves. You dont realise until later youve been had.

 

2. Amazingly low rent
People who do this may not have anything to do with the property they are advertising. They accumulate security deposits and commencement months rent from maybe a dozen people, and when its time for the renters to view the flat, the swindler has disappeared with all that rent and security deposit money.

 

3. Pay delivery charge, or the cute puppy goes to the pound
Theyve moved, cant keep the adorable Chow/Westie/Yorkie and will have to send him to the pound if they dont find a new owner. If youll pony up a delivery or escrow payment up front, they wont send him to the bad place. So you do it because youre humane and have gotten rather attached to the little guys picture from the ad. Funny then that two or three weeks later, still puppy-less, you see the same ad with the same story and picture.

 

4. Surprising number of beautiful single women in the Personals section
They may exchange messages, and maybe even pictures with you. If you want to see her full profile however, you have to pay to do so at a website that preys on lonely souls willing to part with some money for the profile of a person theyll never hear from again.

 

5. You knew it was a buyers market for automobiles, but wow!
Someone is advertising a used car for a ridiculously low price, and will lower it further if you pay cash. No problem. Until you meet up with this seller in a dodgy part of town, and follow him to look at the car, only instead of a car, you find a gang of street thugs who rob you at knifepoint or worse.

 

The best rules of thumb we can give you are:
If a deal seems unusually generous and your gut tells you somethings up, just walk away.
If youre meeting up face-to-face to complete your deal, bring a friend and meet in a public place, preferably one with plenty of CCTV coverage.

Use Gumtree to avoid agency costs when finding tenants

Tags Tags: , ,
Categories: News
Posted By: TheBrain
Last Edit: 09 Oct 2009 @ 09 54 AM

EmailPermalinkComments (0)
\/ More Options ...
Change Theme...
  • Users » 1
  • Posts/Pages » 4,815
  • Comments » 0
Change Theme...
  • VoidVoid « Default
  • LifeLife
  • EarthEarth
  • WindWind
  • WaterWater
  • FireFire
  • LightLight

About



    No Child Pages.