Aarla

Oh and I haven't but as you seem to feel a bit left out, do you want me to send you the link I got from her? Lemme know. And yea - I am defensive over her, cos she's an amazing girl and she would do anything for anyone if she thought it would help someone, and always puts others before herself, and has a real rubbish time rl the last few months and yet still finds time to be there for everyone who needs a shoulder . Shame aint more like her really.

Actually, I happen to know that as it all kicked off, she messaged a staff member via text, to send out a Group Notice about link, because when she found out that it had happened to others in other groups and in her friends list, she was worried about the club members getting the link too - your Alt should have got that message - if not - please contact any of the staff for a copy. Actually - I just logged in and checked - and yep - I got a group note sent by a staff member tonight: "WARNING HACKING! - Some may already be aware, but the last couple of days some accounts have been hacked. Do not click on any links that have been posted by staff unless they are to the club. Thank you BBW Team" Why don't you try contact Jinny yourself - or Inbox me your Alt's name so she can contact you when she get's back. I'm sure she's happy to go through it with you. I think we all can see by the pic I posted of that link, that she made a mistake. People do that ya know.... she is human! Jeeez! Send me a message here or inworld (I've IM-ed you for your ease) with your alt's name. I think she might appreciate someone to talk to when she gets online again....just try and be a bit nice, ya know.

Agreed - I think she just missed it after a really rough rl day. Poor girl. Lesson learned, I'd say.

And the debate on the actual scam that happened, that Jinny was actually hit by this evening - goes on here for all those who sit in judgement. Just whatever you lot do - DON'T CLICK ON ANY LINKS!....errrr.... hmmm.... *sniggers and looks down at the link* ...... http://community.secondlife.com/t5/General-Discussion-Forum/SCAM-WARNING-Posted-On-Behalf-Of-A-Distressed-Long-Term-Resident/td-p/2138739/highlight/false

Ok - so while I was trying to calm Jinny - I've been logged out of SL - but look what I just found in my Inbox! - an IM from SL.... From Jinny - timestamped - I have screen captured it and I post it here - the warning band is from the Email - and obviously that wouldn't have been there in SL.. but if you don't believe what happened - try the link maybe? To be fair - it's obvious a scam link when you look at it..... but she said her link was a bit different, but who knows - she IS having a mega rubbish day, and was very down before this even happened, and she did say was talking to the person who sent it to her a few minutes beforehand, and that she wasn't paying attention in general...sooooo....I'm just guessing she thought she read marketplace and secondlife and didn't read any further than that before clicking.... just a hunch. Either way - message is still the same - DON'T CLICK ON LINKS, even if it's from people you know! :

Not a continutation - I just posted her emailed message to me, on that thread too, so others can see it, if they didn't see it here. But yea - she posted that earlier...... and then just got scammed herself.... and that part is just a coincidence. She's generally unlucky in life anyway. She said she actually posted it cos the sim owner sent her that other message, and as she was having a really bad day rl (she suffers from depression, and has other issues), she just wanted to make sure, before telling the rest of her group. No harm in that, regardless of how long you're on the grid IMO.

Can't remember, but didn't we have to put that stuff in, and our passport number in when we all had to age verify, and all that nonsense when the teen grid and adult grid merged? Just a thought. As for the phone - the landline is her parents - the internet is her brothers - and the cell is hers. So she would have put in her cell.

Her phone is set 20mins fast cos she just uses it that way - she sent me these pictures of screen shots of her phone, when I questioned her - and I censored the amount it said, for own benefit: She does bank with Barclays, and uses a debit card, LL would have known that as they had her details on file.

Her text message never came from the bank - as confirmed by the bank. Her cell wasn't registered there. Her bank details and cell phone were in her LL account details.

No idea - maybe it was just co-incidence about the RL bank fraud - but if it was - it's kinda funny how it happened at the same time. She forwarded me the emails to me, (edited to remove amounts and her email address , for obvious reasons - although she has said that I could post the full email it had been changed to if anyone wanted it - but it would be against T&Cs) - cos I quizzed it too: +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ no-reply@secondlife.com 22:34 (3 hours ago)to me Dear Jinnywitha, Thank you for using the LindeX Exchange to buy Linden Dollars. Your account has been charged US$XXXXXXXX You purchased L$XXXXXXXX Thanks again - we look forward to seeing you in Second Life! Linden Lab and the Second Life Team ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ no-reply@secondlife.com 22:34 (3 hours ago) to me Dear Jinnywitha, Thank you for using the LindeX Exchange to buy Linden Dollars. Your account has been charged US$XXXXXXXX You purchased L$XXXXXXXX Thanks again - we look forward to seeing you in Second Life! Linden Lab and the Second Life Team ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ no-reply@secondlife.com 22:34 (3 hours ago) to me Jinnywitha, An attempt to purchase Linden Dollars for your account via the LindeX page on secondlife.com has failed. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ no-reply@secondlife.com 22:34 (3 hours ago) to me Jinnywitha, An attempt to purchase Linden Dollars for your account via the LindeX page on secondlife.com has failed. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ no-reply@secondlife.com 22:34 (3 hours ago) to me Jinnywitha, An attempt to purchase Linden Dollars for your account via the LindeX page on secondlife.com has failed. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Second Life no-reply@secondlife.com via lindenlab.com 22:36 (3 hours ago) to me Jinnywitha Cleanslate, This email acknowledges that your email address XXXXX @googlemail.com has been changed to XXXX@hotmail.it . If you did not authorize this change, please contact support at https://support.secondlife.com ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ And there were quite a few failed attempt at transaction emails she forwarded to me.

Ironically - Jinny has just been scammed! and shes devastated as they got her RL cash too. She's actually super smart, and heaped up with common sense.... but in RL was having a really bad day, and I guess she didn't focus like she usually does. She emailed me this earlier... I have been on the phone to her, and she is understandably really upset. She told me about posting this message too, so I thought I would chuck this here for her as well. It goes to show how easily done it is. She's been in SL years, and this is the first time she said this has happened to her. Jinny babe - you are NOT Dumb!!!! Just sayin buddy! =============================================== My friend wanted me to post this for her: __________________________________________________________ "PLEASE DON'T CLICK ON LINKS IN SL - even if you know the person - and they are online and such... just don't do it!!!! I just did a very dumb thing, Aarla - and I need your help to spread the word, if you can. Can you post this in the forums plllleeaseee? Thanks!!! I've been in 7yrs and never done this before. Wasn't paying attention, and just didn't think anything of it! Can you let EVERYONE know please! I'm usually more savvy than this! Grrrr! I was in the club, [she's been Manager there for 6 years] when I receive a IM from a friend who was in the club with me, who I was actually in conversation with, that had stopped like 2 minutes before while we dealt with other IM's - or so I thought . She sent me a link to Marketplace. She has a store there, and often sends me one line links and no words - only the link said Marketplace, but had a letter or 2 swapped about - and I just read it as normal, and superfast, as I wasn't paying attention - and as it's normal to be sent links from her, and I know her very well in both lives, I clicked it. It's her afterall. Took me to a page that looked like marketplace, but it said there was an error. So I closed it and clicked again - nothing. Still didn't register that the link had a couple letters different. I IM-ed back - but got no response as she'd gone offline - again - not unusual. ... but it turned out - she'd been hacked. I then instantly get a text message on my RL cell phone from my bank - asking if I'd made a transaction. Weird! So I rang the RL bank. Indian out of hours man, didn't know what I was saying, but eventually told me my bank account wasn't cell phone registered, but yes he could do it if I wanted. Siiiigghhsss - I refused - Siigghss again! Turn back to see my SL was logged out - I have bad connection so no biggie - I log in - nope... I log in again..... nope again.... 3rd time lucky - still nope!...said my password was wrong, or maybe Caps Lock was on.... but as I have bad connection and this is a common message for me, I check connection through my standard Email Inbox like I always do, as its the first to show when its offline. And that's when I see that there are several SL emails. "Your account details have been changed" - "Your email has been changed" - etc, - and there were several separate emails saying about Linden Dollar exchange transactions of HUGE RL value amounts. *REMEMBER - I DID NOT ENTER MY PASSWORD INTO THE LINK I CLICKED, AT ANY TIME!!!!* I immediately try and find a phone number for LL for the UK Second Life Customer Service - 08000 48 4646 - it took several anxious attempts of being disconnected from the call to finally get through. They said they will look into it, and as they were super busy, it can take up to 4 days, but yes several transactions have gone through, and they will stop those and investigate, and "see if they can re-activate my account, which will take a few days" - ARGH!!!!! However, they recommend I also call my bank to sort out the other stuff. My payment details were on their file, so the scammers have obviously lifted those! GREAT! THANKS FOR THE SO-CALLED SECURITY LL!!!!!! *shakes fist* I call my bank again, and in that time, my RL bank account has been drained of a lot of cash, taking over my entire overdraft limit, my overdraft bonus, and my overdraft insurance! I am not happy! I tell them it's fraud, that I'm at home in my Pjs, and they say it will take 4-5 WEEKS to investigate and refund. If I need cash now, I am going to have to go to my bank in person with 3 forms of ID! THANKS AGAIN LL!!!!! HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE FROM 'SECURE SERVERS'!!!!!! :smileysad: While I was offline - making all these calls - ALL groups I was a member of, and ALL my friends on my list, have also been sent the same IM I was - but from me! All with a slight variation of the link - but all to a Marketplace URL.. with a random letter or 2 changed. ALL people who have clicked it - have had money taken, etc - but Paypal registered accounts, were very super quickly picked up and stopped. Grrrr! I feel so dumb!!!!!....but the several of my friends - all long term residents - who are also offline friends via RL, or my FB, and email have said, because I sent it - they didn't think twice and just clicked.....purely because, all have said - it came from me. So PLEASE - DO NOT CLICK ON ANY LINKS, WHATSOEVER, EVEN FROM THOSE YOU KNOW!!!! " ________________________________________ Thankfully I found out about this from her, before clicking the link she/the scammer had sent me, or I have to admit - I would have clicked to!

My friend who's been in SL for 7yrs and is a manager of a club which has been running for 9years, and I think is pretty loaded when it comes to common sense....has asked me to post this for her about a scam trawling the grid she's been hit by. Why this one hasn't been shouted out about - we don't know - but its not good and she's really stressed right now. My friend wanted me to post this for her: __________________________________________________________ "PLEASE DON'T CLICK ON LINKS IN SL - even if you know the person - and they are online and such... just don't do it!!!! I just did a very dumb thing, Aarla - and I need your help to spread the word, if you can. Can you post this in the forums plllleeaseee? Thanks!!! I've been in 7yrs and never done this before. Wasn't paying attention, and just didn't think anything of it! Can you let EVERYONE know please! I'm usually more savvy than this! Grrrr! I was in the club, [she's been Manager there for 6 years] when I receive a IM from a friend who was in the club with me, who I was actually in conversation with, that had stopped like 2 minutes before while we dealt with other IM's - or so I thought . She sent me a link to Marketplace. She has a store there, and often sends me one line links and no words - only the link said Marketplace, but had a letter or 2 swapped about - and I just read it as normal, and superfast, as I wasn't paying attention - and as it's normal to be sent links from her, and I know her very well in both lives, I clicked it. It's her afterall. Took me to a page that looked like marketplace, but it said there was an error. So I closed it and clicked again - nothing. Still didn't register that the link had a couple letters different. I IM-ed back - but got no response as she'd gone offline - again - not unusual. I then instantly get a text message on my RL cell phone from my bank - asking if I'd made a transaction. Weird! So I rang the RL bank. Indian out of hours man, didn't know what I was saying, but eventually told me my bank account wasn't cell phone registered, but yes he could do it if I wanted. Siiiigghhsss - I refused - Siigghss again! Turn back to see my SL was logged out - I have bad connection so no biggie - I log in - nope... I log in again..... nope again.... 3rd time lucky - still nope!...said my password was wrong, or maybe Caps Lock was on.... but as I have bad connection and this is a common message for me, I check connection through my standard Email Inbox like I always do, as its the first to show when its offline. And that's when I see that there are several SL emails. "Your account details have been changed" - "Your email has been changed" - "Your password has been changed" - and there were several separate emails saying about Linden Dollar exchange transactions of HUGE RL value amounts. *REMEMBER - I DID NOT ENTER MY PASSWORD INTO THE LINK I CLICKED AT ANY TIME!!!!* I immediately try and find a phone number for LL for the UK Second Life Customer Service - 08000 48 4646 - it took several anxious attempts of being disconnected from the call to finally get through. They said they will look into it, and as they were super busy, it can take up to 4 days, but yes several transactions have gone through, and they will stop those and investigate, and "see if they can re-activate my account, which will take a few days" - ARGH!!!!! However, they recommend I also call my bank to sort out the other stuff. My payment details were on their file, so the scammers have obviously lifted those! GREAT! THANKS FOR THE SO-CALLED SECURITY LL!!!!!! *shakes fist* I call my bank again, and in that time, my RL bank account has been drained of a lot of cash, taking over my entire overdraft limit, my overdraft bonus, and my overdraft insurance! I am not happy! I tell them it's fraud, that I'm at home in my Pjs, and they say it will take 4-5 WEEKS to investigate and refund. If I need cash now, I am going to have to go to my bank in person with 3 forms of ID! THANKS AGAIN LL!!!!! HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE FROM 'SECURE SERVERS'!!!!!! :( While I was offline - making all these calls - ALL groups I was a member of, and ALL my friends on my list, have also been sent the same IM I was - but from me! All with a slight variation of the link - but all to a Marketplace URL.. with a random letter or 2 changed. ALL people who have clicked it - have had money taken, etc - but Paypal registered accounts, were very super quickly picked up and stopped. Grrrr! I feel so dumb!!!!!....but the several of my friends - all long term residents - who are also offline friends via RL, or my FB, and email have said, because I sent it - they didn't think twice and just clicked.....purely because, all have said - it came from me. So PLEASE - DO NOT CLICK ON ANY LINKS, WHATSOEVER, EVEN FROM THOSE YOU KNOW!!!! " ________________________________________ Thankfully I found out about this from her, before clicking the link she/the scammer had sent me, or I have to admit - I would have clicked to!

Just read their website -they don't have shops anymore - lol. But still -I will contact Morgans - thanks.

Cheers for that! Im in London - I might go and see them as Im about 40 mins away on the train. I didn't even know they existed! and they might let me have a play on them too! Awesome!!! Thank you!

Freya - your input has been, and is, invaluable here. I did say in the OP that if anyone had desktop advice then to share that too. It's just for me, I found the information a little too advanced to understand when I don't understand the basics and have about 2 weeks to get this sorted, so indepth research is a little hard to do atm.... but that don't mean someone else won't read it and go "thank F. I read that!" and stop them buying something ultimately more expensive that won't last as long or do what they want. In another time and circumstance, yea - Id rather have a gaming Desktop, but when you're on the road, and often in B&Bs that are more like run down youth hostels, you lose that option. However, I accept what you are saying and its all here on my list on what to look out for. If I caused you offence in any way - sorry. That's not my deal. And once again - cheers for your input.