****EDITED****
Yay! Anet has taken steps to discipline the the scammer, so it is against the rules of EULA. And the best thing to do is to avoid trade in GToB and do them in your guild hall.
****EDITED****
Well this has now happened to me twice. I traded with a friend in game to loan some stuff. Then a third party will make a character with a very similar name pretend its me and ask them to return the item or ask for a loan of some other ingame stuff.
"Can i get back the stuff I just gave you for a sec?" "I need a loan of 100ectos, pay you back later today" "you know im good for it"
My friend thinking it is me will give the stuff and give them other stuff thinking it is me giving it to me on a loan.
Both me and my friend are defrauded by this. I lose my stuff which i gave as a loan, my friend loses the stuff he thinks he gave me on loan. I have confirmed that someone did indeed make a character with a similar name.
I am really pissed as someone is impersonating me to defraud my friends. This kind of behavior and other scams need to be punished, and not allowed by EULA. My friend and I have both sent a seperate report via email to guild wars support and waiting for a response.
At first I thought "How the Heck he know i was trading a friend?" Well, I think it may be A random guess and/or these transactions happen more often than you think. BTW the trade happened in the GToB int. dist. so its a PvP only char used by the scammer.
Please look closely at the names before you trade with a friend!!
I have a "um" in my IGN and the impostor used "urn" in their name!
Scams and EULA
esthetic
??Evan??
Its probably someone you're friends with tbh.
MagmaRed
And how did this said person know you were trading stuff to your friend and would get it back, and even where to meet you? Posting the IGN of someone else is not allowed, so I'd remove it, no matter what your reason. You could simply state that they used 'rn' to imitate an 'm'.
Sounds like someone in your guild/alliance, or your friend is in on the 'scam' of you.
Sounds like someone in your guild/alliance, or your friend is in on the 'scam' of you.
Rocky Raccoon
How would this person know that you made the transactions?
EDIT: Damn you beat me to it.
EDIT: Damn you beat me to it.
Shadowhaze
I would have to agree with what the others have said...it's someone you know otherwise how would they know you guys traded and how would they get such similar names to the originals?
blood4blood
Do you/your friend announce in open chat what you're trading with each other, how much you're loaning, etc. (full details of the transaction)?
Yes? Well...not to be rude, but that's just a silly thing to do.
No? Then one of you is the scammer, or working with the scammer.
Whether or not GW does anything, you should be more careful who you trust.
Yes? Well...not to be rude, but that's just a silly thing to do.
No? Then one of you is the scammer, or working with the scammer.
Whether or not GW does anything, you should be more careful who you trust.
MagmaRed
If this is a regular thing you do, and someone else knows about it, it won't stop.... ever. Unless that person is perma banned, they will continue to do it. Even with a similar name, do they use the correct class, armor, hair, etc. or are you and your friends blind to the obvious? Least you could do, as it seems this is a regular problem for you, is to create a password. Something only you and your friend know, and you have to use it to get the stuff back. Still think you have a different problem though, and need to investigate anyone in your guild/alliance/friends list.
JASON626
make sure its same name on your friends list. This just sounds weird someone knowing both peoples names and inside information such as you are friends and trade often.
Zodiac Meteor
Happened to me before, similar I thought I traded with wrong person. But, a week later I was at my friends house. He logged in to show me his new 3rd year mini pet.
"Oh, it's in storage." Low and behold, there was sitting in his first slot my Froggy offhand.
He actually created a name, for example to not give out names:
Ill Person Il and on his Xunlai account, Il Person Il
I doubt a scammer could have known you were trading 100 ecto's in ID1, on that minute, had nearly the same name. The odds of that is like 1 out of 10,000. Unless it's like this, Scammer: Iegolas, Your friend: Legolas. Then tell your friend your giving rangers a bad name... literally.
"Oh, it's in storage." Low and behold, there was sitting in his first slot my Froggy offhand.
He actually created a name, for example to not give out names:
Ill Person Il and on his Xunlai account, Il Person Il
I doubt a scammer could have known you were trading 100 ecto's in ID1, on that minute, had nearly the same name. The odds of that is like 1 out of 10,000. Unless it's like this, Scammer: Iegolas, Your friend: Legolas. Then tell your friend your giving rangers a bad name... literally.
BenjZee
Completly misread post oops...
I would say file for support but i douby this would help. Sounds like an inside scam job ...dont trust your fellow guildies lol (im gunna get killed)
I would say file for support but i douby this would help. Sounds like an inside scam job ...dont trust your fellow guildies lol (im gunna get killed)
turbo234
How would the person who "scammed" you guys know what you traded, and why you were trading. How did he know it was a loan. If you were talking in the alliance chat/guild chat it was probably someone else who scammed you guys. If you didn't it was probably your friend who just said that happened so he could keep the stuff or he traded to a different friend or account. I don't believe any random person scammed you tbh.
esthetic
I am telling you this is happening with random people not guild or alliance mates w/ info from guild or alliance chat.
If you sit at storage in GToB and you trade, someone can try to open trade w. you and see your already trading. Its not hard to see who your trading with cause, you physically move to the person you are trading.
Then have you ever traded friends in game loaning stuff? I do all the time. And just after a trade someone who you think is that person says, "hey i need the stuff i traded you back for a sec" or "hey I need to borrow 10k ill pay you back, you know im good for it" you will give them what they ask for thinking it was your friend.
Not as unlikely or improbable as you may think.
If you sit at storage in GToB and you trade, someone can try to open trade w. you and see your already trading. Its not hard to see who your trading with cause, you physically move to the person you are trading.
Then have you ever traded friends in game loaning stuff? I do all the time. And just after a trade someone who you think is that person says, "hey i need the stuff i traded you back for a sec" or "hey I need to borrow 10k ill pay you back, you know im good for it" you will give them what they ask for thinking it was your friend.
Not as unlikely or improbable as you may think.
Inde
esthetic,
While what you are saying is "probable", what the others are trying to communicate with you is much more likely. You need to look at your circle of friends. Sorry.
While what you are saying is "probable", what the others are trying to communicate with you is much more likely. You need to look at your circle of friends. Sorry.
crazybanshee
Someone knew you and this other person traded, and what level you're trading at. Think maybe it's this other person scamming you? "That wasn't me that took those 100 ectos from you? You must have been scammed!"
Ghost Omel
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by esthetic
I am telling you this is happening with random people not guild or alliance mates w/ info from guild or alliance chat.
If you sit at storage in GToB and you trade, someone can try to open trade w. you and see your already trading. Its not hard to see who your trading with cause, you physically move to the person you are trading. Then have you ever traded friends in game loaning stuff? I do all the time. And just after a trade someone who you think is that person says, "hey i need the stuff i traded you back for a sec" or "hey I need to borrow 10k ill pay you back, you know im good for it" you will give them what they ask for thinking it was your friend. Not as unlikely or improbable as you may think. |
How would they know that the person you tradet with is your "Friend"
How would they know what items you have tradet with your "Friend"
It seems highly highly probabloe that your "Friend" is the scammer as Inde said check your circle of friends.
And i usualy go by saying "If you got scammed.....YOU deserve it"
Maybe you can tell us what is your meaning of a friend couse when i think of a friend it is usauly a IRL friend or a guildmate that ive known for more then 4 month and even then i am catious.
+ i have a really hard time puting myself into a scammers head like that..
"Hmm let me go through an entire trouble to copy a name of a person with a risk of not getting that useless green daggers that he have might traded to that other guy and get a chance of being reported....yeah this is much better alternative then selling quest rewards as real rare materials..yes much muhc better .. "
Sorry not trying to be mean it just bseems either your friend is the scammer or you just want..might i say..attention.
Gift3d
Assume the typical whiny carebear role and you'll get anything you want. Bans included. Take hundreds of screenshots and excessively bitch at support in the most overly-polite way possible and you can get anyone you want banned as long as there's the slightest evidence of them doing anything to your dismay. That's how GW works.
Kashrlyyk
Identity theft in GW????? WTF???
Tullzinski
Were they able to recreate a character that resembles your buddy that much? Same Face/Armor/Sex/Size/Colors/Guild Tag/Cape.
In future go to the guild hall to make the transaction......If the person is not legit then they should not be able to go to the guild hall. Not that big of a inconvenience when you are dealing with 100 ectos or some high end item. If your buddy is not in your guild then come up with a code word or ask a question on he/she would know to ensure it is really your friend/s.
Really do not see ANET changing the EULA for this issue it seems pretty isolated.
In future go to the guild hall to make the transaction......If the person is not legit then they should not be able to go to the guild hall. Not that big of a inconvenience when you are dealing with 100 ectos or some high end item. If your buddy is not in your guild then come up with a code word or ask a question on he/she would know to ensure it is really your friend/s.
Really do not see ANET changing the EULA for this issue it seems pretty isolated.
Enon
Quote:
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Originally Posted by esthetic
This kind of behavior and other scams need to be punished, and not allowed by EULA.
|
Quote:
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Originally Posted by http://www.guildwars.com/support/legal/rulesofconduct.php
To this end, you may not defraud, harass, threaten, or cause distress and/or unwanted attention to other players. You will not report players maliciously, or cause them to be investigated without reason.
|
Quote:
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Originally Posted by esthetic
BTW the trade happened in the GToB int. dist. so its a PvP only char used by the scammer.
|
On a side note: I find it pretty unbelievable that this person just randomly asked the items back. It's either someone you know or someone that overheard you talk in Area Chat during the transition. And last but not least: Please use some common sense when trading. Always double check what you are trading and who you are trading with. I don't know about you, but my friends are in my Friend List
(And it's not that hard to distinguish a m and rn)
esthetic
Ok i see the ppl say, you probably got scammed by your friend, well i know its not my friend as we indeed are friends and my friend knows I wont demand the items back anyway and he would have not gone through this to not return the items.
And, I want you guys to consider this, lets just say this happened to you. You loan your friend somthing, someone sees the transaction and someone impersonates you and scams your friend and you. Would this not piss you off totally? Is this scam acceptable behavior?
If someone makes a character with a name similar to someone else for the sole purpose of scamming is this acceptable? There is proof here, we have the exact name of the character that was made to impersonate me. I have given the name to support they will have to see that the name is indeed similar and if they track the transactions find out it was used to defraud people.
I understand you need to exercise caution and be carefull in your transactions, but what if someone goes around impersonating you and ripping your friends off? Its not like I can do anything or be carefull to prevent this.
And, I want you guys to consider this, lets just say this happened to you. You loan your friend somthing, someone sees the transaction and someone impersonates you and scams your friend and you. Would this not piss you off totally? Is this scam acceptable behavior?
If someone makes a character with a name similar to someone else for the sole purpose of scamming is this acceptable? There is proof here, we have the exact name of the character that was made to impersonate me. I have given the name to support they will have to see that the name is indeed similar and if they track the transactions find out it was used to defraud people.
I understand you need to exercise caution and be carefull in your transactions, but what if someone goes around impersonating you and ripping your friends off? Its not like I can do anything or be carefull to prevent this.
wire dawg
wow i am shocked no one has said this...this is your own friends fault for not making sure it is you which he can do real easy by either checking friends list or guild roster...so only person to blame is your friend
Chicken Ftw
Call me paranoid, but I only make trades in my guild hall. Pretty hard to impersonate someone and hijack a trade when you don't have a guest invite.
Enon
Quote:
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Originally Posted by esthetic
Is this scam acceptable behavior?
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by esthetic
I understand you need to exercise caution and be carefull in your transactions, but what if someone goes around impersonating you and ripping your friends off? Its not like I can do anything or be carefull to prevent this.
|
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Tullzinski
In future go to the guild hall to make the transaction......If the person is not legit then they should not be able to go to the guild hall.
|
Chaos Theory Pvp
Was it the same friend twice?
esthetic
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Chicken Ftw
Call me paranoid, but I only make trades in my guild hall. Pretty hard to impersonate someone and hijack a trade when you don't have a guest invite.
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Konker2020
And considering you are 100% stubborn about believing it may have been a guild member, (which, btw, how exactly were you announcing to one-another for as to what to trade?) I have only 1 word for you...
Keylogger
Keylogger
Haxor
Easy scam prevention: Always do trades (alliance, guild and friends) in your own guildhall. As was previously pointed out, without a guest, this gets a lot harder.
twpool62
best way to beat it is to dont loan or trade at all
esthetic
Anet's Prompt Response ^^
Hello (Blanked),
That player was reported earlier, investigated, and suspended for defrauding other players. Please let us know if you have any further questions.
Regards,
GM ApplePython
The Guild Wars Support Team
Well this actually has made me feel a lot better.
Hello (Blanked),
That player was reported earlier, investigated, and suspended for defrauding other players. Please let us know if you have any further questions.
Regards,
GM ApplePython
The Guild Wars Support Team
Well this actually has made me feel a lot better.
bna6789
Yeah this is just a game and everything, but if you go around with the mindset that "I was taken advantage of... someone else protect me!" you won't get very far. You have to be able to watch out for yourself, even in a online video games.
Oh and don't go get mad at everybody else for essentially laughing at you (and your friend's) failure to recognize a scam, if it was indeed a scam from someone else. Rather take a look at the suggestions that people have posted here and put them to use.
-see if your friends that you trade with will agree to only trade stuff after use of a code word or some definite signal that you both are who you say you are
-watch your guildmate's names to see if you ever see a character with an extremely similar name to either yours or your friends characters in order to do a basic check on your guildmates
-do see if anything does come about from contacting support, but don't be surprised if you never get your stuff back or if it was deleted
-make sure to check visually who you are trading with instead of only watching the chat/trade windows (since when trading w/people they run up to you, take a look at their armor to see if it matches with what you think it was)
-I would assume that if you are high-end trading that you have multiple high-end items that you aren't currently using; use something as collateral so that the trade doesn't just go one way. Doing this would serve many functions: if it is your friend scamming you, it will discourage them from trying to scam you later on since they are also losing something important, the scammer (assuming not your friend) won't be willing or know that you use items as collateral and so when your friends go to "return the loan for a little bit" they will be able to realize easier that they aren't returning the item to you but instead are getting scammed
There are definitely many other ways to help stop it happening, but the fact is that in some way shape or form something like this is going to be attempted; so be proactive to prevent it, not retroactive.
Oh and don't go get mad at everybody else for essentially laughing at you (and your friend's) failure to recognize a scam, if it was indeed a scam from someone else. Rather take a look at the suggestions that people have posted here and put them to use.
-see if your friends that you trade with will agree to only trade stuff after use of a code word or some definite signal that you both are who you say you are
-watch your guildmate's names to see if you ever see a character with an extremely similar name to either yours or your friends characters in order to do a basic check on your guildmates
-do see if anything does come about from contacting support, but don't be surprised if you never get your stuff back or if it was deleted
-make sure to check visually who you are trading with instead of only watching the chat/trade windows (since when trading w/people they run up to you, take a look at their armor to see if it matches with what you think it was)
-I would assume that if you are high-end trading that you have multiple high-end items that you aren't currently using; use something as collateral so that the trade doesn't just go one way. Doing this would serve many functions: if it is your friend scamming you, it will discourage them from trying to scam you later on since they are also losing something important, the scammer (assuming not your friend) won't be willing or know that you use items as collateral and so when your friends go to "return the loan for a little bit" they will be able to realize easier that they aren't returning the item to you but instead are getting scammed
There are definitely many other ways to help stop it happening, but the fact is that in some way shape or form something like this is going to be attempted; so be proactive to prevent it, not retroactive.
Dre
Always watch the guild tag if you're trading with alliance members (or at least people who you think to be alliance members)
They might be able to duplicate the name (in some way) and the tag, but it'll have a different color
They might be able to duplicate the name (in some way) and the tag, but it'll have a different color
Tramp
Do not flame the O.P. This scam has happened to me so many times I can not even begin to tell you. There is a big group of scammers in GTOB international that do this all the time. I have sent in so many screenshots to support to catch them it makes me sick. I can not tell you how many times I have been moving junk around on my storage accounts and all of a sudden the almost identical name opens trade with me. An "n" will be changed to an "m" or an "i" becomes and "l". With support's help we have caught a few of these guys but this scam is old. The thing to do is screen shot IMMEDIATELY and send to support IMMEDIATELY. Because they delete that character and change their names fast to hit up the next pair they see trading, support needs to catch them while they are on and havent logged off. They will usually ask for their stuff back, or a loan, or... and this cracks me up... they take a chance you are a gold seller transferring gold to a buyer and they will say they did not get all the gold they pay for, you own them another 100k. So trying to scam gold sellers! LOL! I finally got so sick of this scam I started to make all the variations of my name just so they could not bother me anymore. Tramp, Tranp, Tremp, Ollin, Oliin, Ollln. What a hassle...
If you want to see this scam in action just open 2 accounts. Park one at storage in GTOB international off to the side a bit so they can see exactly which two characters are trading. Then run up and trade with your other account for a minute or two then leave. Come right back on another one and trade some more. 50% of the time you will get a scammer figuring he has a gold seller making deliveries and try to cut in on the action with an almost identical name. (Early a.m., 6-7am west coast USA time is apparently a great time for scammer to be awake.) Seen this scam far too many times now, but it is kind of hard to scam me when I am just moving mods or unid golds around to storage accounts and have both accounts open on the same computer. LoL.
If you want to see this scam in action just open 2 accounts. Park one at storage in GTOB international off to the side a bit so they can see exactly which two characters are trading. Then run up and trade with your other account for a minute or two then leave. Come right back on another one and trade some more. 50% of the time you will get a scammer figuring he has a gold seller making deliveries and try to cut in on the action with an almost identical name. (Early a.m., 6-7am west coast USA time is apparently a great time for scammer to be awake.) Seen this scam far too many times now, but it is kind of hard to scam me when I am just moving mods or unid golds around to storage accounts and have both accounts open on the same computer. LoL.
alluring athena
i wouldn't "loan" my best friend, girlfriend, or even my mom 100 ecto without seeing at least a couple pieces of photo ID first
Tenebrae
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Konker2020
And considering you are 100% stubborn about believing it may have been a guild member, (which, btw, how exactly were you announcing to one-another for as to what to trade?) I have only 1 word for you...
Keylogger |
majikmajikmajik
wooow, so asumuption is that you 2 were gloating in all chat with all this loan bizz and sumone jumped on a come up. it doesnt make it right, but yall really should of been doign this in a more dicret location eg guildhall, empty district, and WHISPER!!
i farm baddies
laugh out loud
esthetic
Well at least two others on this thread have confirmed that this is happening to people so i think it is a problem.
And I guess the two things I wanted to do with this thread has been accomplished 1)to alert people of this scam and 2)affirm that this kind of scam is against EULA and thus a bannable offense.
SO.. I think we can put this topic to rest and "Close".
BTW for those people who need to flame me for this thread. This post was not for you, those who don't have friends or don't have items to loan out it does not affect you ^^
And I guess the two things I wanted to do with this thread has been accomplished 1)to alert people of this scam and 2)affirm that this kind of scam is against EULA and thus a bannable offense.
SO.. I think we can put this topic to rest and "Close".
BTW for those people who need to flame me for this thread. This post was not for you, those who don't have friends or don't have items to loan out it does not affect you ^^
AKB48
Keep your enemies close, but keep your friends closer.
Your greatest enemy are these closest to you, since they know you front and back. So I'd advise watch out who you make friends, be virtual or real, as they are the ones who can hurt you the most.
Also, trade in Kama, since the chance of you getting the item you wanted at a preferable price is much greater than in GtoB, since there are alot more people.(But also more scams......but at least you're safe from this ^ scam)
Your greatest enemy are these closest to you, since they know you front and back. So I'd advise watch out who you make friends, be virtual or real, as they are the ones who can hurt you the most.
Also, trade in Kama, since the chance of you getting the item you wanted at a preferable price is much greater than in GtoB, since there are alot more people.(But also more scams......but at least you're safe from this ^ scam
)
pumpkin pie
esthetic, it is against the EULA to impersonate another person.
Xunlai Guru Agent
This happened to me once before. I had 2 accounts at GTOB transferring my XTH earnings. The minute I logged out the mule account (Xunlai Ninja) I get a PM from the scammer using the name (Xunlai Nlnja) asking me return the gold they gave me or they're going to - and I quote - "sue" me. What surprised me the most that he kept on demanding the return even though I told him that he was impersonating MY ACCOUNT!
Still waiting for that subpoena.
Still waiting for that subpoena.