Selling/Trading Avs

Anyone done it? Legal pitfalls to consider?

I have some alts I don't use and they never got around much, but have reasonable wardrobes and inventories. Taking into account deletion of payment info, friends and groups, and change of email address what else should I be thinking about?

Violation of Terms of Service. Don't do it.

"...what else should I be thinking about?"

Angry buyers after alts and your main account are banned for a ToS violation.

People sell accounts.

They just don't inform LL about about it.

O.k. let me qualify this some.

There are people who sell accounts and have zero drama about it, and have no problems from LL since LL never has to be informed and no one is trying to reclaim the account for scam purposes.

There ARE reasonable people out here. But i would not trust most to buy an account from - if that is your thing.

Virtual white slavery!

I know that there is a avatar with tarina as first name and my partners last name.... I have tried contacting this person endlessley and it seem this person is not even online anylonger... I would LOVE to snap that up....... and since it is not available to even use that last name anymore.... It seems to me exceptions should be made..

I would never buy it... but it would be nice to take it over..

You had to give LL an email address to establish an account. You may have given them credit card information as well.

If you transfer or sell this account, the buyer will have this personal information of yours. Do you want that?

Not to mention that it's against the Terms of Service.

here's the scenario:

You buy an avatar off person A.
Person A then submits AR to Linden Lab saying that their account was hacked and stolen.
Linden Lab restore avatar to original owner and you get IP-banned.
Person A has your money, the avatar back again, and you have lost everything.

Not a good idea.

Does anyone actually read the Terms of Service before citing violation of said Terms?

2.4 Account registrations are limited per unique person. Transfers of accounts are generally not permitted.

Linden Lab may require you to submit an indication of unique identity in the account registration process; e.g. credit card or other payment information, or SMS message code or other information requested by Linden Lab. When an account is created, the information given for the account must match the address, phone number, and/or other unique identifier information associated with the identification method. You may register multiple accounts per identification method only at Linden Lab's sole discretion. A single account may be used by a single legal entity at Linden Lab's sole discretion and subject to Linden Lab's requirements. Additional accounts beyond the first account per unique user may be subject to fees upon account creation. You may not transfer your Account to any third party without the prior written consent of Linden Lab; notwithstanding the foregoing, Linden Lab will not unreasonably withhold consent to the transfer of an Account in good standing by operation of valid written will to a single natural person, provided that proper notice and documentation are delivered as requested by Linden Lab.


So it can be done legally and with LL's help, going by the above.

It seems according to the ToS that LL will only "consider" an account transfer if you die and bequeth your account in a proper Will, if your account is "of good standing". Generally speaking LL will refuse if you approach them to request it.

Of course you "could" do it yourself and it is of course insanely easy. Apart from the ToS violation however, the others who've posted the pitfalls above make a lot of sense.

Best avoid IMO.

See my post immediately above. It can be done officially with LL involvement.

Yes I did read that. Let me quote the part that's important though and highlight the most important part:

"You may not transfer your Account to any third party without the prior written consent of Linden Lab; notwithstanding the foregoing, Linden Lab will not unreasonably withhold consent to the transfer of an Account in good standing ****** by operation of valid written will ***** to a single natural person, provided that proper notice and documentation are delivered as requested by Linden Lab."

It kind of implies you need a Will ie need to die. It ties in with the Knowledgebase article on the subject: https://support.secondlife.com/ics/support/default.asp?deptID=4417




Even better, let me quote from another knowledgebase page: https://support.secondlife.com/ics/support/default.asp?deptID=4417

"Can I transfer my account to another person?



In accordance with Paragraph 2.4 of our Terms of Service, specifically:

You may not transfer your Account to any third party without the prior written consent of Linden Lab; notwithstanding the foregoing, Linden Lab will not unreasonably withhold consent to the transfer of an Account in good standing by operation of valid written will to a single natural person, provided that proper notice and documentation are delivered as requested by Linden Lab.

You may not transfer your account to another person while you are still alive. If you wish, you may bequeath your account to someone else in your will."



It's pretty clear. That being said, I'm sure sending a support ticket to LL would not be a problem to ask them about it.