Scam or Not

[Jinnywitha Cleanslate]

I logged in to see many of my group members had sent me the same message and urged me to spread it through my group - ...  Im usually quite skeptical, but thought I'd check here as I've not seen this one before, so everyone - scam or not???:  "Warning ! !  There is a "new" script out that when you TP to a sim it says there's something wrong wrong with your viewer and tells you to click on a link otherwise you'll be damaging the sims server..  It is a scam to get your computers ID, your RL name and address, along with your IP address. Just tp out, DO NOT CLICK the link....."

What are your thoughts?

Thanks.

[Tari Landar]

The message your friends are telling you(watch out for this message), isn't a scam. But the message they're referring to that you should be cautious of, is. If that makes any sense at all It's never wise to click links you don't recognize, or weren't expecting. By reading the links, you can almost always tell they're fake though. These people don't hide it well at all.

This isn't a new scam though, justa  recycled one. The warning message about this "new scam" is getting a bit tiresome though. That's what happens when people freak out, they shout it from the rooftops. I tend to appreciate warnings, but sometimes, the message is overly dramatic, lol. That's one bad thing about being in groups that like to share messages though, you'll often get them numerous times. Usually a mod, or group owner will eventually stifle it, because it gets annoying after the first 5-20 warnings, lol. The warnings would be better if they actually pointed out WHY something is a fake, and how to keep an eye out for such things. They never do though, easier to run around like a chicken with your head cut off.

[Alicia Sautereau]

Haven`t seen a new scam in a long while either

For the op: commen sense would tell you not to click it
For the rest: don`t click random links or you wish you had commen sense :matte-motes-evil-invert:

[Dillon Levenque]

Yes to what's already been said, but "...when you TP to a sim it says there's something wrong with your viewer.."? Really? I don't think too many people who've used the internet for more than a couple of months would need to be told that's probably not for real.

As for what can happen when you click a link: yes, they will learn the public IP address your computer's been assigned by your internet provider. They can also get hardware information about your computer that will allow them to identify it. Other than that they can't learn anything about you unless:

A: You tell them. For example—"We have determined that your Second Life account is possibly compromised. Please enter your Second Life account name and password to continue."

B: They have legal powers to require your internet provider give them personal information about you (the police have such powers, that's the way most child pornographers are caught).

C: They are willing to spend a lot of time and/or money finding that information illegally. That can certainly happen, but no spammer is ever going to do that. They just pray for the ones that buy into 'A'.

[Aarla]

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!

[Theresa Tennyson]

---

Aarla wrote:

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.

 

---

Gee, my alt's a member of the group for the club Jinny runs and she hasn't heard boo about this, nor recieved any IM's from Jinny.

[Aarla]

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

[Aarla]

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.

[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.

[A3123]

Scam

[bb166]

This sounds like a very poorly rephrased version of the Firestom compulsory update a month or so back, when one of their versions had some debug code left in it.  Sounds like someone is exploiting the idea to spread panic. It reminds me of those scammers who phone you up pretending to be from Microsoft, telling you that they've detected that your computer is transmitting viruses over the internet.

One simple rule:  Don't log in except on SL's own website - check the address bar at the top of the browser. Only secondlife.com is valid.

Oh and keep your anti-virus and anti-malware software up to date.