People Begging For lindens

[EmelieWyked]

Has anyone noticed an increase in people asking for lindens? When I am out on my main, if I go to an event of any size or popular store almost always I get chat which then leads to asking for linden. 
 I talked to a couple people, one said my profile was too friendly and made me look like a sap, \o/, and someone else said it’s because I have a premium acct.
 I just now took this alt to a large event, which is also a premium account for playing game of homes.  I didn’t get the usual immediate linden beg but that may be because it’s not meshed out? I hate to put my av on busy because I’m afraid I’ll forget to turn it off. 

 

[Chaser Zaks]

I don't think it has anything to do with your profile, avatar age, what you are wearing, or even being premium(because people can't see premium). People just ask indiscriminately because it works eventually, which is why people should not pay these people, it just makes them continue. People have been doing this since the beginning of SL.

My recommendation, either ignore them, or if ignoring them isn't possible, block them. Paying them just fuels them to continue doing so. You can also report them to the event/region moderators or group moderators

[Rowan Amore]

7 minutes ago, Chaser Zaks said:

I don't think it has anything to do with your profile, avatar age, what you are wearing, or even being premium(because people can't see premium). People just ask indiscriminately because it works eventually, which is why people should not pay these people, it just makes them continue. People have been doing this since the beginning of SL.

My recommendation, either ignore them, or if ignoring them isn't possible, block them. Paying them just fuels them to continue doing so. You can also report them to the event/region moderators or group moderators

Agree.  Ignore and block and go about what you're doing.  

[PermaRuthed]

I used to get excited when I get a random IM thinking, "oh cool! contact with another human being!" only to be disappointed when they turn out to be begging bots and con artists.

It's depressing.

[TT120]

I had a rando ask me for $1L the other day.  Seems like a scam to me.  I don't know if they can do anything to me if I give them money or not but why take the chance.

Edited October 2, 2020 by TT120
Typo

[Odaks]

It is possible to deduce that someone is a premium member if there is a large enough number of groups showing in profile.

That can be easily defeated though; just hide all of the groups that don't need to be shown.

I tend to agree with @Chaser Zaks though - these are purely random hits in the hope of success. Its simple - ask enough people and eventually someone will give some.

[EmelieWyked]

Thanks for all the info, I will take your advice. I feel SO stupid, lolol.

[Lindal Kidd]

3 hours ago, TT120 said:

I had a rando ask me for $1L the other day.  Seems like a scam to me.  I don't know if they can do anything to me if I give them money or not but why take the chance.

They cannot do anything to you if you give them money.  If someone asked me for only one linden, and were not offensive, I'd probably send them considerably more.  If they WERE offensive, I'd send them the $L 1 and tell 'em "don't spend it all in one place".

[SpiritSparrow Skydancer]

4 hours ago, EmelieWyked said:

Has anyone noticed an increase in people asking for lindens? When I am out on my main, if I go to an event of any size or popular store almost always I get chat which then leads to asking for linden. 
 I talked to a couple people, one said my profile was too friendly and made me look like a sap, \o/, and someone else said it’s because I have a premium acct.
 I just now took this alt to a large event, which is also a premium account for playing game of homes.  I didn’t get the usual immediate linden beg but that may be because it’s not meshed out? I hate to put my av on busy because I’m afraid I’ll forget to turn it off. 

 

no

 Also, what is the difference in this and people asking for lindens at an event ?

Edited October 2, 2020 by Tarina Sewell

[Kimmi Zehetbauer]

A few years ago some newb asked me for Lindens.  I was talking to one in world (The same person who told me about SL) and told him the PM I just got.  He warped to me and said to the person "Are you looking for a Linden?"  The person left really fast and we got a good laugh.

[Lewis Luminos]

If anyone asks me for money inworld, I usually just give them a landmark to Linden Realms.  I haven't noticed an increase in begging though, except during that phase earlier this year when there was an invasion of "Kevins". I think they have just about given up now though.

On 10/2/2020 at 7:57 PM, EmelieWyked said:

 I hate to put my av on busy because I’m afraid I’ll forget to turn it off. 

If you use Firestorm, you can "fake" the Busy status by setting up an Auto-response to non-friends. You can configure it to say what you want, so you could just paste the "busy" text in there and it will auto-reply to anyone who IMs you, without you risking loss of inventory offers when you're trying to purchase something.

[Prokofy Neva]

On 10/2/2020 at 2:57 PM, EmelieWyked said:

Has anyone noticed an increase in people asking for lindens? When I am out on my main, if I go to an event of any size or popular store almost always I get chat which then leads to asking for linden. 
 I talked to a couple people, one said my profile was too friendly and made me look like a sap, \o/, and someone else said it’s because I have a premium acct.
 I just now took this alt to a large event, which is also a premium account for playing game of homes.  I didn’t get the usual immediate linden beg but that may be because it’s not meshed out? I hate to put my av on busy because I’m afraid I’ll forget to turn it off. 

 

Often these people begging for money claim they need to pay rent. To this, I ask them for the name of their landlord so I can speak to them. That usually shuts them up. Or I offer to help them with a dirt-cheap rental of my own. They disappear. It's not for any actual need or any actual poverty, it's just a method of extracting money from gullible people.

[Milo Darkheart]

People will always beg and expect a handout, be it real life, secondlife or any other game thats multiplayer, just how it is

[Eggy UwU]

9 hours ago, CopenhagenBlack said:

People will always beg and expect a handout, be it real life, secondlife or any other game thats multiplayer, just how it is

Very true, I have noticed sometimes people will ask me randomly and "slide in the IMs" randomly if I have not spoken to them for a bit, asking for X-amount of L. Which I get it, I have done it before for 10L if I am trying to upload a texture or help a friend out, etc. - But if it happens regularly and if I get asked for large amounts of L...not cool.

[Resi Pfeffer]

On 10/3/2020 at 12:54 AM, Lindal Kidd said:

If someone asked me for only one linden, and were not offensive

Yes, its all about the vibe.
Once one of my friends suddenly went totally nuts and agressively offered me to buy his account for 2500 LD. I was really surprised and told him, i have no intention at all to get a male alt and even tried to educate him about the fact its against the TOS to sell/share an account. But he kept pushing and ranting, telling me, i would be rich and i could afford it easily because i own this and that already...
The story ended with him being removed from my friend list. If he would have told me "Damn, i want to get this item, but now i have to wait for a while, as i lost my RL job", things would have been way different and i would have supported him very likely (but still not buying his account).

[Odaks]

3 hours ago, Resi Pfeffer said:

If [only] he would have told me.....

How much easier things are if people would only be straight with you in the first place!

Maybe there was an embarrassment factor here, or perhaps the (not uncommon) need to keep RL and SL completely separate. Either way, this wasn't quite in the same category as begging though - he was offering to sell something to get Lindens, but quite improperly, as you noted!

[Resi Pfeffer]

1 minute ago, Odaks said:

How much easier things are if people would only be straight with you in the first place!

Maybe there was an embarrassment factor here, or perhaps the (not uncommon) need to keep RL and SL completely separate. Either way, this wasn't quite in the same category as begging though - he was offering to sell something to get Lindens, but quite improperly, as you noted!

It wasnt only improperly, its simply not allowed. After ive told him the 5th time, its against the TOS, he still insisted and got the boot finally.
Thanks for the correction, btw.

[Jackson Redstar]

In RL we'd say the only 2 things are for sure - death and taxes. SL I suppose we can say 3 things are fore sure - sex, hookers, and Linden beggars!

[Ceka Cianci]

I just send them a prim samich and then point them to the nearest shelter..  Now you go on and git over there and just say no to drugs..

 

hehehehe

[Milo Darkheart]

Quote

8 hours ago, Ignis Dismantled said:

Very true, I have noticed sometimes people will ask me randomly and "slide in the IMs" randomly if I have not spoken to them for a bit, asking for X-amount of L. Which I get it, I have done it before for 10L if I am trying to upload a texture or help a friend out, etc. - But if it happens regularly and if I get asked for large amounts of L...not cool.

 

I agree with that, i dont mind helping a friend out, as long as its not multiple times for more and more.

[Dafadilia Wayfarer]

I haven't really noticed an increase in people asking for lindens. I've always directed them to informational blogs and landmarks where they can learn how to put together a low cost avatar, find nice free or low cost clothing or even housing that is affordable. I even helped a few get jobs where I worked as a hostess for five years until I went completely deaf.

I'm on a tight budget and I've always had to find ways to stick to that budget so I don't mind helping others help themselves. Sometimes there are instances where of course my help wasn't the help they wanted or appreciated, but there have been those who did.

[Bree Giffen]

I don't usually have money on the avatar I use regularly. So, it's truthful and easy to tell them I have no lindens to give them. Sometimes I see a request for money on general chat but I don't have avatar names turned on so I have no idea where the person is at. 

[AdminGirl]

If people are asking for lindens, at least offer something in return. Expecting a one way transaction just seems so entitled.

[MirandaBowers]

Like many others have said, I tend to just ignore them. Or I direct them to the job offerings page on the forums so they can find simple SL employment.

[Stephanie Misfit]

11 hours ago, AdminGirl said:

If people are asking for lindens, at least offer something in return. Expecting a one way transaction just seems so entitled.

I usually ask them what they can give me in return for the lindens. I'm yet to receive a response, they just move onto the next potential victim.