Money tree scam

If you are an owner of a money tree, be certain to check for an item near your tree that looks like this (the $ object on the right):



I found them by all three of my money trees - a user was kind enough to send an offline IM and notecard alerting me. The item tries to appear like it is part of the money tree, and encourages users to pay $100 to get back "passive income". It is just an attempt to get new users to give money in hopes of making money, and not getting anything back. I deleted the items and switched my land to autoreturn.

Oh but that's just capitalism and the free market, Cristiano. If the newbies are stupid enough to pay it, then that's their problem.


(sorry. I don't agree with the above statement, I just felt I'd say it before someone else who really meant it comes in and did, which is inevitable. I've had enough problems with people putting take-only slot machines on our land; generally the reaction to telling them to cut it the hell out was rather unpleasant.)

I'd be interested in knowing who the owner of this thing is, but I know you can 't name names in the forums.


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Oy. Thanks for the heads up, Cris. I think I'll make a sign at the Shelter so folks are aware of this scam.

We have returned 2 now, from different owners.

Fascinating scam strategy.

Rip off people who need to bother with money trees.

That's kinda like stealing food from the homeless, no?



Can anyone think of a better way to gain the rep of "small time crook" in Second Life?

I hope this is some kind of character satire on the part of the instigators. Because as a scam, it's incredibly pathetic...

Well, if they were from different owners, Desmond, it may very well be someone selling the things to random folks who end up with $ in their eyes. I'd honestly take a look at the creator of the object, but even that's a tough trace...

Pretty scummy, but not against TOS. That's one thing about a'holes, they keep on producing more crap.

Interesting point. While I agree it is Capitalism, it is dirty capitalism. As I would say, "Bad Capitalist".

That is pretty low. Anyone putting one of these up won't be welcome on any land I own (for what that's worth, which isn't a lot).

This reminds me of the TV infomercials where this guy on crack was telling people how much they can make if they bothered to send him 700 dollars up front.

They send you questionable marketing info, some things you can buy and sell and such. Overall it's a scam although on the surface it looks legit. The only way it would not be a scam is if you joined in on the scam and helped spread it.

This is where the similarity is intriguing. what if the multiple owners is a sign that newbies are coming into SL paying 100 lindens to these things, and in turn getting their own dollar signs to scam more people.

This could be the next form of griefing. In fact, if the camping chair and the bush signs were to get together, have a love affair, and then mate incessantly until they conceived, I project that this Dollar Sign Scam would be their love child.

It is interesting how creativity can both create incredible tree houses, wonderful cliffs with birds flying and also a new scam or form of griefing every month.

Troy

Jamie? Are you okay? Did the surgery hurt? Did anything else about your personality change? Do you like puppies now?

Mmm. Pyramid scheme. "Buy me, earn money!". You buy it, it gives you a copyable version of the same thing to place elsewhere

Yes, it did occur that it might be selling copies of itself. Only, who's going to buy it to find out?

We are just getting to the point where we can't allow others to place objects on our lots. I'm sure it's within the tos to do so. Which is a shame. When the entire world is based on us$ this should be expected to happen. Doesn't make it right but I expect as money gets tighter in world ppl will be more and more desperate to make a buck.

Cat

Not I

????

There's always been good capitalism and bad capitalism. I'm not a bad capitalist. Bad capitalism sucks.

Yeah, when I got on a guy's case for putting slot machines all over the Luskwood platform, I was rebutted with, "You're such a crybaby" and "How you gonna stop me?" and "lol, I pwn you."

I suppose setting the entire damn sim no-build is a 'solution' but its absolutely a case of "one bad apple" ... things end up being brought down to the lowest common moron denominator.

Pot, kettle?

I also found a clear box placed over the donation box on one of my trees, with a pay script in it that was obviously there to trip people into paying into it instead of the actual tree. I finally just put everything on 1 minute autoreturn. Definitely something to consider on any land with a money tree. Thankfully there doesn't seem to be any other way to spoof them - after a year with three active trees, I've not had any problems.

heh. That's so pathetically sad. Intercepting 30 cent donations that are supposed to go to newbies...

"I got this Starbucks with the BLOOD AND TEARS of newbies! I'm such a force to be reckoned with."

To some folks, money really is everything, no matter how little.

Starbucks is good. But please, dont use blood money.

Wow Michi your kidding me. Sadly I know your not. Really makes me wonder about ppl For that 10 cents the person earns off this scam they probably spent 4 hours putting it together. lol now that's karma

Cat

Count your blessings, when I found someone building on top of my store in Inari, and using up over 500 prims, it went like this (this is paraphrased, not a chat log overactive Resmods):

Cristiano: "Hi there, may I help you with something?"
Freak: "No I'm good"
Cristiano: "May I ask why you are building on top of my store?"
Freak: "Fuck off, asshole"

At this point I eject him and return all his crap. He comes back due to the wonderful land tools we have and immediately starts shooting me. The conversation proceeds in IM:

Freak: "What's wrong with you asshole? Your attitude sucks"
Cristiano: "Oh yeah, clearly, it is my attitude. I ask why you are building on my land and you start swearing at me?"
Freak: "Fuck you n*****"
Cristiano: "Thanks for the slur, but try sp** it will work better. There are some others, take your pick, just pick the right one and also spell it correctly you loser"
Freak: "It's all the same, your all monkeys and your ruining this country for white people"
Freak: "Your profile says you live in Florida. Me too. Where you at in Miami Beach I want to come settle this in person"
Cristiano: "Your probation officer probably won't let you leave the county"
Freak: "Suck my dick"
Cristiano: "I am sure you can find plenty of other people to do that in Miami Beach, but you're not my type. Adios cabron * puts on mute *

I'm not sure, was I pwned?

Oh, crap.

This is like one of the oldest scams in the book. It was one of the first big email spam scams. The creator is the person to hit, and the Lindens need to slap this down hard, now.

Holy hell.

That makes regular griefers look like friendly bunnies.

Hell no. You pwned him.