In the Blizzard Terms of Service, buried somewhere deep in the many clauses, is a series of statements that inform you it is against the rules to let anyone else play your account or to play anyone else’s account. It might seem like an odd rule, but it makes sense as these kinds of transactions are the source of a good percentage of the scamming found in World of Warcraft. Scammers are all too happy to make you think they want to buy your account or trade with you, only to take your account and leave you wondering where your compensation is.
The scams themselves are the most important things to keep track of as they are varied in size and length and generally target people who are not too weak or too strong. Scammers are very careful about how they approach their victims and you should be aware of what they’re thinking in the process and what to avoid.
For most bait and switch scams, the process starts with finding the right victim. If you’ve ever posted interest in selling or trading an account, you might get contacted at some point by a scammer who is scouring the net for likely targets. Generally, they target midrange accounts because they can offer an account with better features and cause the victim to salivate and eventually give in. Moreover, those midlevel accounts are often people who are not quite as versed in the ways of the game and the ways of a scammer.
Ultimately, the scammers’ main protection lies in that you have no one to report to. It’s against Blizzard’s rules to trade accounts, so if you report the scam, you will still be out of an account. Of course, Blizzard is much happier to track down and close off accounts of scammers than simple ToS violators. If you do get scammed, it’s important to report it regardless or that person will continue to scam. Your account is gone either way.
The key to not getting enticed into these scams though is to never post anything on a trading site that would lead a scammer to you. If you do, never talk with someone who you do not know and cannot find a reference for. They’re likely using an alias and you’re wasting your time.
The scammer will never offer up their information first and will never offer to pay you or trade you first. They will likely cite a strange problem that keeps them from doing what they need to be legitimate and in the end will likely try to play the sympathy card – ‘my mom took my computer away’ – or the like. Never believe these claims and remain resolute. A real person would understand your caution.
In the end, the safest way to avoid this kind of scam is to not do anything sketchy to start with. Don’t look at these kinds of sites and don’t try to trade your account. Stay safe by staying straight and just enjoying the game.
World of Warcraft is rampant with sly little thieves and tricksters who craft scams designed to take the poor unsuspecting few for fools. Learn more about World of Warcraft Scams and what you can do to avoid it at http://www.wowscams.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sean_McFall
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