hidden items that steal?

I just had confusing conversation with my friend that I put in my AOL accounts blog.
Can someone with some knowledge read the article and tell me what they think?
http://journals.aol.com/seattleoutsider/seattle-outsiders-thoughts/
She was saying there is way that people hidden items over machines and actually showed me how its done but I didn't get screen shots or really understand how it works.
She said Ctrl ALT T helps you see the hidden thing.
I had issue using this other place similar to this and it was really confusing how one transaction can show up in one spot but not another too.
It hasn't been resolved yet I am going to have to look for the person there.
I think we need more SL Journalist...even if I am not getting paid thats what I want to do.
For those who don't want to see a ugly aol journal grr... here's what I wrote below.

RL and Virtual life needs, glitches, friendly warnings

This last few days week or so or more seems to be full of glitches, needs and moods, few friendly warnings to remind me of what is valuable about life, regardless of one's place in it.

It easy to get caught up with the worries and the glitches of have vs have not world.

The world you love and want to live in, the world that reality says is real and often feels like "Pilgrim's Progress" merged into

"Hell Raiser" but life is sometimes like that.

Or is it? Is it this way because our thoughts tell us it is so.

I have been wanting to play Second Life so I became member in spite of the official warnings my computer wasn't compatible yes its full of lags due to this but you know I also took some risk and found new friend to aid me in the upgrading of my machine.

I haven't been blogging because the fonts here sometimes don't do what I want.

So if you're new to my blog please excuse the fonts, sizes,

Too small I can't see and assume some of you other's can't see either....

I am have been having issues with settings and I just not interested in searching and putting out more effort right now to find another blog site.

I finally have made few more virtual real life friends too this week in Second Life.

I am still suffering horribly from Noobitist but it work out.

I did have issue with this one place I went to and mention that I thought I lost Two thousand Linden dollars which is almost Ten US dollars.

I had interesting lessen that I like to share perhaps it will get out there to protect others too who are new.

Names except my virtal one are

removed to protect their virtual

lifes and they asked me to not include their names.

I am trying to figure out the shopping, content, the way the whole virtual economic thing is set up amongst walking, shopping and how not to fly and get my body stuck in someone's floor.

My new friend sent me teleport to met her.

We met at one of the local virtual bank machines.

21:21] Your new friend: Okay do me a favour
[21:21] Yournew friend: check your balance
[21:21] Ginko Financial ATM: Requesting notecard...
[21:21] Ginko Financial gave you Ginko Financial Information.
[21:22] Your new friend: /balance
[21:22] Ginko Financial ATM Retrieving Balance...
[21:22] Ginko Financial ATM: Your balance is L$0.00.
[21:22] Ginko Financial ATM: You're not gaining interest because your
balance is too low.
[21:22] Ginko Financial ATM: You have no lottery tickets, this week's
jackpot is L$3,970.00.
[21:22] FD Spark: i got new face
[21:23] FD Spark: lol
[21:23] FD Spark: brb
[21:23] FD Spark: oh i wanted to open account but didnt know how
[21:24] your new friend: right
[21:24] FD Spark: do u know much about certain items?
[21:24] your new friend : I'm just curious if you HAVE an account

[21:24] FD Spark: /balance
[21:24] FD Spark: error
[21:24] FD Spark: no account
[21:24] You: okay good
[21:25] FD Spark: do u know about Multi Gadget by Timeless Prototype?
[21:25] You: yes
[21:25] FD Spark: is it worth getting?
[21:25] You: I think they're free
[21:25] FD Spark: its 400L
[21:26] You: sorry my error
[21:26] FD Spark: i am looking at it at
http://www.slexchange.com/modules.php?name=Marketplace&file=item&ItemID=117277
[21:26] You: "multi tool" is free
[21:26] FD Spark: trying to figure out what items i absolutely need
to make my sl life easier,etc
[21:26] FD Spark: within my budget
[21:27] your new friend: you absolutely need nothing
[21:27] your new friend: you can have a great time for months without spending a dime
[21:27] FD Spark: yeah well i want to learn content creation,etc
[21:27] your new friend: you don't learn content creation by BUYING
[21:27] your new friend: you leanr by making
[21:27] FD Spark: i liked the googles not sure i should just save it for upload
[21:28] your new friend: I'm gonna give you a url
[21:28] FD Spark: was thinking it would be nice to have some
decorative items but i wouldnt mine few tools
[21:28] You: https://secondlife.com/account/transactions.php
[21:28] FD Spark: ok
[21:28] FD Spark: yeah got that when i go to site
[21:29] You: what does the page say for you?
[21:29] FD Spark: what do u want me to do with it
[21:29] FD Spark: just sec
[21:30] FD Spark: you mean transactions history?
[21:30] You: where did your 2000L go?
[21:30] You: yes
[21:31] FD Spark: let me look
[21:31] FD Spark: SLboutique.com ATM machine: Alderia
[21:32] FD Spark: but its not in shop on website
[21:32] FD Spark: or not since i checked i can't buy anything there
[21:32] your new friend : whom did you pay?
does it say "Commerce Leader?"
[21:33] FD Spark: their atm just sec
[21:33] FD Spark: yeah it does
[21:33] your new friend : Okay! then your money was indeed paid to them
so you are not the victim of a theif
[21:34] FD Spark: yeah thats good just not sure why i can't buy from shop
[21:34] FD Spark: is their atm theifs?
[21:34] You: now it's just a matter of getting them to recognize that
they were paid
[21:34] You: yes, it's fairly easy to defraud people at atm's
[21:34] You: that's why I always just "pay" commerce leader or Exchange street"
[21:35] FD Spark: SLb has some one of kind stuff and great
looking site but its not really user friendly
[21:35] your new friend: all you have to do is wear a sheild, and you can
interceopt their payment
[21:35] FD Spark: what do u mean?
[21:35] your new friend: really.. I always thought SLB was more user friendly than SLX
[21:36] FD Spark: there is no forum certain things seem bit unclear
maybe its just me
[21:36] your new friend: hit CTRL-ALT- T
[21:37] FD Spark: just sec try to find t
[21:37] FD Spark: what that its red
[21:37] your new friend: a sheild
[21:38] FD Spark: what does it do?
[21:38] your new friend: if you tried to pay the atm's, I'd get the money
[21:38] FD Spark: thats a creepy thing
[21:38] You: HIt it again and the invisibles will go away
[21:39] You: ANyways here's the thing.. let me get the person's email for you
[21:39] FD Spark: k
[21:39] your new friend: email censored
SL name "censored"
[21:39] FD Spark: what that who is that for?
[21:40] your new friend: name censored is this person at shop who has really helped
me out with some peoblems lately.. helping me get set up with a vendor
account
[21:40] Your new friendhe can probably help you iron out this issue in a
matter of minutes
[21:41] FD Spark: k is there away to save this info
[21:41] FD Spark: can u email me at aol?
[21:41] Your new friend: make sure to copy the transaction info from your
history, into the email
[21:41] FD Spark: SeattleOutsider
[21:41] Your new friend: Sure what's your address?
[21:41] FD Spark: my brain hurts lol
[21:41] FD Spark: SeattleOutsider at AOL
[21:42] FD Spark: i am disabled artist and writer in rl btw
[21:42] FD Spark: i spent last 10 years when i am not sick learning
about vr worlds and content
[21:42] You: cool
[21:43] FD Spark: but i have cognitive problems sometimes get in the
way of doing complex stuff
[21:43] You: I wouldn't waste my money on gadgets or weapons
[21:43] FD Spark: yeah not into weapons
[21:43] You: 90% of the gadgets out there are almost as hard to use
as doing things "manually"
[21:43] You: and weapons will get you banned
[21:43] FD Spark: truthfully more into creativeful peaceful stuff
[21:43] FD Spark: though the fog look cool
[21:44] FD Spark: i sort like maybe small foggy marsh with cottage
[21:44] Your new friend: did you turn off the red transparencies?
[21:44] FD Spark: yeah
[21:44] Your new friend: okie
[21:44] FD Spark: been wishing i was smarter
[21:44] You: just making sure
[21:44] FD Spark: about scripts
[21:44] FD Spark: what is that script for?
[21:44] Your new friend: eh, it'll come which script?
[21:45] FD Spark: why would they allow it to be in the one with ctrl alt t
[21:45] FD Spark: if it steals from people

[21:45] Your new friend: Oh
the sheild isn't DESIGNED for stealing
[21:45] FD Spark: its not like the are loosing fake money
[21:45] FD Spark: is it designed to protect or?
[21:45] Your new friend: it's designed for bullets but doesn't work
[21:46] FD Spark: oh so its antigrieving
[21:46] You: but any invisible object can steal money by being
someplace you can't see it
[21:46] FD Spark: bug went exploit that takes stuff
[21:46] Your new friend: and if you pay the object, the owner gets the money
[21:46] FD Spark: ?
[21:46] FD Spark: oh
[21:46] Your new friend:watch
come over here
[21:47] FD Spark: just sec
[21:47] Jetpack Vendor - Clubside: Starting up...
[21:47] Jetpack Vendor - Clubside: Reading item data...
[21:47] Jetpack Vendor - Clubside: G.I. JOE Jet Pack (J.U.M.P.)
[21:47] Jetpack Vendor - Clubside: All systems go!
[21:47] FD Spark: grrr moving problems
[21:47] Jetpack Vendor - Clubside: COBRA Jet Pack (J.U.M.P.)
[21:47] FD Spark: vender or u crafting?
[21:48] Your friend is making a block over vender sign says: Now if you paid this vendor
you'd never get the jetpack
[21:49] FD Spark: hmm k
[21:49] Your friend: and the person owning the "invisible" prim would get your money
[21:49] FD Spark: i amazed there aren't thugs use it i see the red thing (thoughts: not sure what I see bad case of noobitist)
21:49] FD Spark: is it cuz its not invisble
[21:49] Your friend ask: how about now?
[21:50] FD Spark: its gone except the red arrows below item
[21:50] You: yet the invisible prim is still there
[21:50] Jetpack Vendor - Clubside: V.I.N.CENT MKII AVATAR
[21:50] Jetpack Vendor - Clubside: Auto-Die Tip Jar
[21:50] You: You can use the vendor
[21:50] Your friend says; It looks normal but there is a invisible prism theif there.
use this and others dont know they get the 50L
[21:51] FD Spark: let me try just sec

[21:52] FD Spark: er auto die tip jar
[21:52] FD Spark: 2 items were on buy one is pack?
[21:53] FD Spark: didnt buy just kept clicking more
[21:53] FD Spark: well its good i am honest person lol
[21:53] FD Spark: i usually only buy from slexchange
[21:53] FD Spark: via the website
[21:54] Your friend says:

likeI say, there's a lot of ways to teal" money.. and
a lot of money moves through atms these days
Okay let me make sure.
you gave your money to SLBoutique Atm though, right>?
<me thinking about my last shopping romp thinking of something else now paranoid of losing money>
[21:55] FD Spark: but i did get few textures and there was one that
it set for 2000 in weird place
[21:55] FD Spark: yeah i did that the atm got the L but the money
didnt show up in account
[21:55] FD Spark: yet the transaction is there
[21:55] Your new friend: yeah, definitely email someone
you can prove you gave them the money, this should be a no brainer
[21:55] FD Spark: yeah i email them
[21:56] FD Spark: people should really know about this
[21:56] Your new friend: it happens from time to time
[21:56] FD Spark: that are new if its used as exploit to steal from
someone u don't plan on giving it too
[21:56] Your new friend: not just SLB, but to everyone
oh yeah that's not really an exploit, it's deception.
[21:57] FD Spark: hmm what protections do we have if that happens?
[21:57] Your new friend: always make sure that the contents of the item you're
clicking.. looks right.. or that the owner of the vendor you're
clicking is the right person

[21:57] Your new friend: nothing
[21:57] FD Spark: well technically in my mind any deception that is
used in way to maniplate some aspect of game player person is exploit
in game it takes unfair advange
[21:57] Your new friend: there are no warrantees
Lindens aren't real money
yes you can buy lindens
but that doesn't make them WORTH anything a fine point of legal technicality, but an impportant one
you don't BUY or SELL lindens to SL.. you buy and sell
them to other users
[21:59] FD Spark: yea i guess i won't buy any more lindens lol
[21:59] Your new friend: You can buy them.. I certainly did
but you gotta keep it in perspective
[22:00] FD Spark: yeah true
[22:00] Your new friend: if someone gets you.. it can happen
so use CTRL-ALT-T, and check if you're worried
[22:00] FD Spark: yeah i ran already into vr panhandling
[22:00] FD Spark: what does it usually do if it doesnt look right?

[22:01] Your new friend: if the owner isn't correct, contact the shop owner

[22:01] FD Spark: i am amazed they allow object on other peoples items anyway
[22:01] Your new friend: if you see invisibles in the way, contact the shop owner
most shops have pretty fast autoreturns
[[22:02] FD Spark: used ctrl alt t u r red

[22:02] FD Spark: oops
[22:02] FD Spark: i am experimenting

[22:02] FD Spark: hey why is your hair red when i ctl alt T
[22:03] Your new friend: because it contains semi transparent textures to make it look soft
[22:03] FD Spark: hmm
[22:04] FD Spark: i am amazed there isn't underground thug group
using the thing u showed me lol making as much as land barrons

[22:04] Your new friend: there probably are
[22:04] FD Spark: do u mine if i blog our conversation?
[22:05] Your new friend: You can.. I'd appreciate it if my name wasn't used
[22:05] FD Spark: k i remove the names
[22:06] FD Spark: i got blog at the AOL account

Personal at this point I get really confused the whole conversation I have been choking due to respitory infection I am fighting but there something important here that why I want to blog it. Yet my brain has done a hiccup is ctrl alt T protection or way to exploit? Took me a bit to figure it out. That its not the command that does the exploit its the hidden object someone has built.

What my "new friend" was trying to telling me that if in doubt use ctrl alt T to see if their is something hidden.

But then maybe I am missing something too.

There is dangers every where even in virtual world.

Half of time were talking some very youngish acting people came up playing with the new guns,etc. I thought to myself how come they are somewhere else.

I guess I could see how people lose perspective and the potential down falls of virtual life sometimes are the same in real life too.

Be sure to check the name of the owner and of the item in the Pay dialog.

What happens if its not the name of commerence leader or person we intended?

I didn't read all of it (that font really is too big ) but I did read up to the part that made your question make sense.

It's nothing much that makes sense but picture a RL collection plate and you want to put money on it. If I put a sheet of glass (which is transparent and with some luck you'd never notice it's there) over the collection plate what would happen when you put your money down is that it doesn't end up on the plate where it should be, but instead of my sheet of glass.

What happens in SL is that some scammer will cover up the ATM (or sploder, or anything that people will pay money into) with another object that's completely see-through. When you right-click what you think is the ATM you actually select the surrounding object instead. So when you make your deposit the money ends up going to the scammer, and not into the ATM like you think it did.

What your friend suggested was to turn on the "show transparent" feature which will show everything that's transparent in a reddish haze. If you notice there's something transparent placed around the ATM you know to be suspicious of it.

Even just when you right-click it to pay you can see something's up because the yellow lines of the selection won't be at all tight around the ATM but instead at a distance from it.

The only way to be absolutely sure is to learn the name of the account you're supposed to be paying and then check before you even put in an amount that it does actually list that name, and not someone else's.

I hope that cleared it up a little bit .

[Edited to add that the last method (checking the name) is the only real way to prevent it because they could simply put up a fake ATM up instead and even if you do remember to check for invisible objects around it, you'd still be fooled because the ATM you're using is a fraud]

Yeah sorry about fonts that why I posted it here.
I am having major font issues.
If the font is too small my disabled online friends can't see my blog. There isn't whole lot of good controls with there site. Not interested in subscribing yet to another one but I may go to type pad or somewhere else.
Thanks Kitty for explaining what she was saying.
How come this allowed in the game?

Basically, it's hard to predict the ingenuity of people motivated by depravity.

I really encourage checking the pay account. Using the transparent view method can lead you to false belief, because I can at least come up with one very simple method to circumvent a transparent fraud vendor from being displayed in transparent view mode.

The lesson here is to always hit ctrl + alt + t to view transparent prims before doing anything that involves handing over money. It's no great hardship to do that really, I mean, you always look over your shoulder to check who's behind you when you got to an RL atm, right?

But basically, it's probably not allowed in game. Linden could, in theory, monitor what every person is doing every second of the day if they wanted to. However, the expense of employing RL people and systems to do this would be prohibitive.

The fact is, scripting (which is basically a simpler form of Java) allows more or less anything to be possible. Imagine a world where, simply by reading up on a bit of programing (almost the equivalent of reading ancient tomes of hidden lore) gives you near god-like powers - that's SL. Now tell me, in RL, if people could have near omnipotence just by learning and acquiring knowledge, are you really naive enough to believe that there aren't people who would use this for criminal enterprises?

Knowledge regardless of virtual or real I guess can go "south" and be used in destructive ways.
I know personally it takes lot more struggle for me to acquire the knowledge or little I have I personally couldn't imagine using it to cause harm.
At this point I just want to figure out how to create small virtual garden in crowded virtual neighborhood, and other creative pursuits, personally.

Ah well that's the easy part FD. Building is a piece of cake. If you want to learn more though, I reccomend searching for a group called the "Academy of Second Learning". they're basically a free college in SL that teaches seminars on building, texturing and scripting.

Happy building