Theresa Tennyson Posted June 22, 2018 Share Posted June 22, 2018 6 hours ago, ColeB126 said: My former Business Partner, and former friend (who's still buying and selling a large part of SL) are both from the same country(im in US, they arent). I am not sure where the builder is from except that its not from the US. I got the impression it was europe or asia. Its way more than just the 300k i gave the builder. All in all I was misled to spend close to 1 million LL. With the numbers you're talking about you're getting into the area of real-life major fraud. The FBI has an Internet crimes division - you can try filing a complaint with them. They at least would have the power to compel Linden Lab to come up with information about the account holders involved and to track the Lindens. https://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamyourneighbour Posted June 22, 2018 Share Posted June 22, 2018 (edited) 1 hour ago, Theresa Tennyson said: With the numbers you're talking about you're getting into the area of real-life major fraud. The FBI has an Internet crimes division - you can try filing a complaint with them. They at least would have the power to compel Linden Lab to come up with information about the account holders involved and to track the Lindens. https://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx If people are naive enough to get scammed usually they won't report it due to some unfounded paranoia about contacting the FBI. But I think our poster has been very heavily misguided in the spending and I think the 'friends' are in on it. I don't understand why people would trust someone else on SL by paying six figure lindens. With that amount of money, you are better off drafting an invoice on paypal as I do to my customers, that way they don't simply back out of it if they change their mind since you got their info and PayPal covers you for non delivery/payment. Edited June 22, 2018 by iamyourneighbour 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamyourneighbour Posted June 22, 2018 Share Posted June 22, 2018 On 5/30/2018 at 5:38 AM, ColeB126 said: I am not sure if this is the right place and if it isn't please feel free to move it or delete. So I hired a prominent builder, or at least someone who I thought was. Two people who have been in SL longer than me told me this builder was well known. Anyways I hired her to build two full perm homes for me. I paid her in full. Our agreement was she was going to deliver prim homes and my business partner was going to retexture them. Anyways she kinds ghosts me for over a week. I IMed her when she was offline and just left a couple messages asking her if I could get an update, maybe even see it while she was building. I figured that was a normal thing to do. When a friend of mine Imed her on her alt she got on her other alt (the one i know of) and she seemed annoyed that I was asking about her. Anyways a few days later, while i was out of town and not on in a few days she leaves a message for me saying shes done and she delivered the homes to my partner. My partner has had some RL issues and hasnt and wont be able to get on for a while. I messaged her that I want them delivered to me so i can get someone to texture them and I don't know when my partner is getting back on etc. I have messaged her like 10 times since, and my friend who knows her alt has left messages too asking her to im me and shes been ignoring them all (she told me that she gets emails for away messages so i know shes getting them all). I feel like I have totally been ripped off. Its for a large sum , multiple 100s of ks. I have contacted LL and they said they don't get involved. Should I just move on? Yeah you got done gud, I think there's more than one person in on this. Why would you pay in linden? Just ask them to invoice you with real cash, invoice entails what they have to complete, sending lindens doesn't. Anything above $40 USD eq range I usually just invoice, no invoice no work. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rya Nitely Posted June 22, 2018 Share Posted June 22, 2018 On 5/30/2018 at 5:38 AM, ColeB126 said: I have contacted LL and they said they don't get involved. Should I just move on? In major fraud cases, like yours, I believe LL should get involved. There should be some protection when it comes to this type of money. As the owners of the platform I think they should investigate and take some responsibility for major inworld fraud. Otherwise, it makes cybercrime way too easy in SL, as they know their victims will have no support. Something rings wrong to me there. The whole world takes cybercrime very very seriously, so why not SL? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirhc DeSantis Posted June 22, 2018 Share Posted June 22, 2018 8 hours ago, ColeB126 said: Its way more than just the 300k i gave the builder. All in all I was misled to spend close to 1 million LL. With the usual 'not seeing all sides' that's roughly 4k US - that's a chunk that hurts. You may not be looking for sympathy but oww 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColeB126 Posted June 23, 2018 Author Share Posted June 23, 2018 2 hours ago, Rya Nitely said: In major fraud cases, like yours, I believe LL should get involved. There should be some protection when it comes to this type of money. As the owners of the platform I think they should investigate and take some responsibility for major inworld fraud. Otherwise, it makes cybercrime way too easy in SL, as they know their victims will have no support. Something rings wrong to me there. The whole world takes cybercrime very very seriously, so why not SL? This is the thing that gets me. Their policies actually protect the ones committing the crimes. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamyourneighbour Posted June 23, 2018 Share Posted June 23, 2018 3 hours ago, ColeB126 said: This is the thing that gets me. Their policies actually protect the ones committing the crimes. Why would you pay in linden instead of cash invoice? That way you can actually sue the guy if the work's not done. At least you know to stay noided now! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theresa Tennyson Posted June 23, 2018 Share Posted June 23, 2018 6 hours ago, ColeB126 said: This is the thing that gets me. Their policies actually protect the ones committing the crimes. So does the Constitution of the United States, and for the same reason - there's a difference between someone thinking somebody has committed a crime and somebody actually committing a crime. Now every second you spend here instead of talking to the FBI is wasted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chic Aeon Posted June 23, 2018 Share Posted June 23, 2018 On 5/29/2018 at 12:38 PM, ColeB126 said: Our agreement was she was going to deliver prim homes and my business partner was going to retexture them. Found this oldish thread return again in the middle of my night. I can't see why anyone didn't note that the OP paid $1,200 US or so for a PRIM BUILD with "throw away" textures. Even in the height of SL's boom days this is a head shaking scenario. Obviously I am in the wrong business plan in SL if this a NORM. Something seems off here to me as I read through the thread's sequential posts. To me, assuming this really happened, there was a product ordered and delivered; delivered to the person who was going to retexture the product -- which seems logical. Even if the OP wanted to take this to RL court, how will they find out WHO to charge? No one will release that RL name unless perhaps to a government agency where they are required to buy law. If someone is paying $1,200 US for a virtual product, there needs to be a real life contract. I ran a real life web business for many years with prices like this daily. I never had any issues. I had contracts. I cannot think of any Second Life scenario where I would pay someone I didn't know $1,200 US. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamyourneighbour Posted June 23, 2018 Share Posted June 23, 2018 1 hour ago, Chic Aeon said: Found this oldish thread return again in the middle of my night. I can't see why anyone didn't note that the OP paid $1,200 US or so for a PRIM BUILD with "throw away" textures. Even in the height of SL's boom days this is a head shaking scenario. Obviously I am in the wrong business plan in SL if this a NORM. Something seems off here to me as I read through the thread's sequential posts. To me, assuming this really happened, there was a product ordered and delivered; delivered to the person who was going to retexture the product -- which seems logical. Even if the OP wanted to take this to RL court, how will they find out WHO to charge? No one will release that RL name unless perhaps to a government agency where they are required to buy law. If someone is paying $1,200 US for a virtual product, there needs to be a real life contract. I ran a real life web business for many years with prices like this daily. I never had any issues. I had contracts. I cannot think of any Second Life scenario where I would pay someone I didn't know $1,200 US. Only if they PayPal'd then there would be real name. From what I read that wasn't the case. Wish I had the Nigerian prince power to find loaded and trusting customers like OP lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axel Naxos Posted June 23, 2018 Share Posted June 23, 2018 24 minutes ago, iamyourneighbour said: Only if they PayPal'd then there would be real name. From what I read that wasn't the case. Wish I had the Nigerian prince power to find loaded and trusting customers like OP lol Good advice already been given to ColeB126 here in the forum, but his criticisms after each advice ... unnecessary ... Now ... would you like to be a scammer too ??? Joke with the pain of others ... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColeB126 Posted June 23, 2018 Author Share Posted June 23, 2018 Just so we are clear I didn't hand over money the first day I met him. He cultivated a relationship with me. I thought we became friends so I listened to his advice. I have only been on SL for two months I didn't know the norms in terms of paying for things. Going back to SL policies.....I have proof that either my "friend" is the builder or they know each other and SL still isn't doing anything. I know I'll never get my money back but how about banning him so he doesn't continue doing this. But because he pays 20k a month in tier they aren't going to do a thing to him. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theresa Tennyson Posted June 23, 2018 Share Posted June 23, 2018 6 minutes ago, ColeB126 said: Just so we are clear I didn't hand over money the first day I met him. He cultivated a relationship with me. I thought we became friends so I listened to his advice. I have only been on SL for two months I didn't know the norms in terms of paying for things. Going back to SL policies.....I have proof that either my "friend" is the builder or they know each other and SL still isn't doing anything. I know I'll never get my money back but how about banning him so he doesn't continue doing this. But because he pays 20k a month in tier they aren't going to do a thing to him. If you have proof that a crime has been committed take it to a law enforcement agency. They have the power to get the necessary information. (Annndddd, they also have the power to prosecute someone for making a false claim.) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColeB126 Posted June 23, 2018 Author Share Posted June 23, 2018 I have filled out the FBIs form. I am definitely not making a false claims. I was simply pointing out LLs horrible policy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axel Naxos Posted June 23, 2018 Share Posted June 23, 2018 ColeB126, I saw in the world that you have a friend or partner with more than 10 years of SL (and that seems to have some business similar to yours O.o) ... soon, if that's the case, you took a hit. You two months ago set up your rental business? Did you get the idea so fast, or did you get the idea of "friend"? Still uses a BOT ... I could not stay in a place that I did not receive an invasion warning ... Curious... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColeB126 Posted June 23, 2018 Author Share Posted June 23, 2018 15 minutes ago, Axel Naxos said: ColeB126, I saw in the world that you have a friend or partner with more than 10 years of SL (and that seems to have some business similar to yours O.o) ... soon, if that's the case, you took a hit. You two months ago set up your rental business? Did you get the idea so fast, or did you get the idea of "friend"? Still uses a BOT ... I could not stay in a place that I did not receive an invasion warning ... Curious... I'm not sure what your asking or insinuating... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColeB126 Posted June 23, 2018 Author Share Posted June 23, 2018 20 minutes ago, Axel Naxos said: ColeB126, I saw in the world that you have a friend or partner with more than 10 years of SL (and that seems to have some business similar to yours O.o) ... soon, if that's the case, you took a hit. You two months ago set up your rental business? Did you get the idea so fast, or did you get the idea of "friend"? Still uses a BOT ... I could not stay in a place that I did not receive an invasion warning ... Curious... My "friend" who I believe scammed me, did in fact give me the idea for having a land business and encouraged it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luna Bliss Posted June 23, 2018 Share Posted June 23, 2018 1 hour ago, ColeB126 said: My "friend" who I believe scammed me, did in fact give me the idea for having a land business and encouraged it. That must be doubly hard to deal with since the betrayal was by a friend, and triple the pain because they were also a mentor...much more difficult to deal with than an incident with an unscrupulous business person. And now a fourth level of pain because you believe those in authority should fix the matter and so feel betrayed by them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axel Naxos Posted June 23, 2018 Share Posted June 23, 2018 Friend ... (ironic an hour how to treat as friend, but let me follow ...) ... It makes me curious how you invested so much money being a novice in SL, but okay, it already happened, and they took advantage of you, which unfortunately is common in SL, so all care in relationships is always little. This "partner" with 14 years of SL, is in the same branch of activity that offered him ... yet he stands in time with his own lands ... are ugly and remind me 10 years ago. He seems to me to conform to his profile, to be from Canada, and already has a certain age ... to believe, or not? Continuing ... You have partners, officers in excess! Block ALL of them urgently, before your damage is greater! You do not dominate SL, so you are at constant risk, do not accept officers or members in your groups other than your ALTS! If I were you, I would suspend all business! It would place your land for sale in sizes of 1024m² to try to get some money, before LL invents another promotion and lower the value, or the advantages for the Premiuns! Take a deep breath ... learn more about SL ... to only go into business ... that is ... if you have not already lost all your desire to log in ... This is my quick opinion after having gone searching the world for what I got. I apologize for any mistake in writing because I do not speak English. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColeB126 Posted June 23, 2018 Author Share Posted June 23, 2018 25 minutes ago, Axel Naxos said: Friend ... (ironic an hour how to treat as friend, but let me follow ...) ... It makes me curious how you invested so much money being a novice in SL, but okay, it already happened, and they took advantage of you, which unfortunately is common in SL, so all care in relationships is always little. This "partner" with 14 years of SL, is in the same branch of activity that offered him ... yet he stands in time with his own lands ... are ugly and remind me 10 years ago. He seems to me to conform to his profile, to be from Canada, and already has a certain age ... to believe, or not? Continuing ... You have partners, officers in excess! Block ALL of them urgently, before your damage is greater! You do not dominate SL, so you are at constant risk, do not accept officers or members in your groups other than your ALTS! If I were you, I would suspend all business! It would place your land for sale in sizes of 1024m² to try to get some money, before LL invents another promotion and lower the value, or the advantages for the Premiuns! Take a deep breath ... learn more about SL ... to only go into business ... that is ... if you have not already lost all your desire to log in ... This is my quick opinion after having gone searching the world for what I got. I apologize for any mistake in writing because I do not speak English. Ok I need to make sure we are clear. The person you are describing is not the person who scammed me. The person who scammed me was ejected from my groups. I appreciate your advice on what to do with the land. I tried selling it. It doesn't sell. The only offers I have gotten are from other land barons for .4 a sqm. I would rather abandon it then give them the satisfaction of buying it at that low of a price. The rentals I have up have been filling slowly but surely so I'll continue that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axel Naxos Posted June 23, 2018 Share Posted June 23, 2018 On 29/05/2018 at 5:08 PM, ColeB126 said: Your right. But i just cant believe a builder would do that. Take 300k from some one and then not double and triple check that 1. i was happy with the product. I never saw the final build or anything for that matter and 2. to confirm that its being delivered to the right place. I mean even if what you say is true, builders can just build their homes and the people buying them don't get to approve it or anything? I can't imagine that other customers of hers is ok with this. That's all right! I already hired professional scripter (duly researched in the market), payment was 50% in advance and 50% when the script finished and properly tested and approved by me! Every step he did in the script, he sent me a script object inside, NO COPY, NO MODY, NO TRANS ... so I could always do the script evaluation! In the same way this builder should have done, sending you DEMOS, during the process and before the finalization. This is honesty and respect with the client. And why not cite that this procedure values the builder's own work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axel Naxos Posted June 23, 2018 Share Posted June 23, 2018 1 minute ago, ColeB126 said: Ok I need to make sure we are clear. The person you are describing is not the person who scammed me. The person who scammed me was ejected from my groups. I appreciate your advice on what to do with the land. I tried selling it. It doesn't sell. The only offers I have gotten are from other land barons for .4 a sqm. I would rather abandon it then give them the satisfaction of buying it at that low of a price. The rentals I have up have been filling slowly but surely so I'll continue that. You can give me the names in SL, I will receive in my email. Do this if you wish. I also see some things wrong in their lands, I could advise you in the world. I'll be busy in RL in a day or two, but I'll do what I can. Make yourself comfortable, but do not put names here in public. On your land, you could lower the price gradually to try the sales ... if you reach the limit of 1L to 1m², then you choose, abandon or continue to lower the price, but do not give to landlords ... your loss will change little... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alyona Su Posted June 23, 2018 Share Posted June 23, 2018 Hey, Linden Lab: Feature Request - some kind of ESCROW METHOD in the L$ Exchange. That would put a huge curb on this kind of scam/fraud/cheat/unscrupulous behavior. 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luna Bliss Posted June 23, 2018 Share Posted June 23, 2018 Cole, do you feel like he befriended you in order to scam you? What was the additional money related to that he stole (you mentioned a million $L)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColeB126 Posted June 23, 2018 Author Share Posted June 23, 2018 5 hours ago, Luna Bliss said: Cole, do you feel like he befriended you in order to scam you? What was the additional money related to that he stole (you mentioned a million $L)? To answer your first question, I am not sure. I met my "business partner" first (on my first day in SL) and she immediately introduced me to him. I'd rather not list all the ways I was dumb enough to fall for his ***** and give him Linden's. It's actually pretty embarrassing. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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