Counter-Scamming

Setting up sting operations to scam back gold is in no way right. Someone steals $100 from you real world you can't go rob them back. It doesn't work that way. You're stealing the money back is just as illegal as them stealing the money from you. That is where the authorities come in. I just don't agree with having our members setting up covert ops to steal back someones gold because you're going to start getting into situations like Punker where someone hacks someone else and goes through numerous illegal means to get it. I mean Punker broke numerous real world laws to counter scam. Extortion, data tampering, and a couple more that I can't remember off the top of my head. I'd rather not see Sythe dive into those types of legal wranglings and the only way I would ever support scamming someone to get your money back is through something like a chargeback, legal means.

If someone is stupid enough to come back and try to sell you gold after scamming you and will go first to you, go ahead and take your gold back - but hacking and delving into seedy things isn't and should never be welcomed here on Sythe.

 

ITS SCAMMING. I mean OP couldnt even come up with a euphemism to downplay the complete lack of ethics with this crap.

I like how people are talking about this like its a good idea when its what punkerpunk did and he got banned (RIGHTFULLY). Scamming is scamming, thats all there is to it. This site would go downhill (quicker) if it started allowing vigilante bullshit like this, whats the point in having staff intervene in any situation if you are just going to take it into your own hands and break a ton of rules while you are at it.

 

This isn't the "real world". If someone takes your money, and you have the chance to get it back, do it. You're taking back what is yours not taking some that is theirs. People's internet moral codes of justice are sooo annoying sometimes. Like yes scamming people is wrong, but things like this are just plain stupid. If you can get it back, do it, because if you don't the other person is just going to laugh as they spend your money.

 

You make no sense sometimes. Morals are morals if you are on the internet or not, and even though this isn't the real world there are real world implications. People think the 'anonymity' of the internet allows them to get away with a lot of things and that just isn't true. Anyone with enough time on their hands can easily trace from your sythe account back to a facebook or a myspace or other social network site and then from there gather personal information about you. It isn't hard to do. Like I said, if someone is stupid enough to trade you after scamming you take your money back but don't go about hacking them and doing a lot of illegal things. Sythe is in the grey area and it needs to stay that way to avoid undue scrutiny from outside sources.

 

To poeple saying this isnt the real world--just the interweb:

Uhh how isnt this the real world exactly?

1) There are a set of rules people must abide by
2) If you break these rules you can be punished
3) If you are punished you must seek a pardon or dispute it, just like in court

tl;dr-->Even though this is a forum, it still is the "real world" lol...

 

I have a feeling this is going to bite you and the rest of the staff in the ass. Scamming is scamming, how are they to prove that what they took is theirs ? I mean i see this making new scams occur with the new excuse of "they scammed me first". Eye for an eye is great in theory but not when everyone is running around blind. Scamming shouldnt be justified by any means, this is just going to give the staff more and more work having to look into the validity of off site vigilante scamming.

 

@Sythe

Counter scamming should only be allowed, and in any case done by Staff. Said individual should present the evidence and case to a staff member. That staff member can post it within the Staff Lounge, if staff agree that the evidence is enough; then only should the counter scam take place.

Normal users should never be allowed to do it.

 

I agree with nodnarbusn. You're you making a HUGE mistake, but hey what can I do?

 

How is he making a mistake?

It's your own fucking property.

This isn't like the real world where the police can track you down and force you to pay or go to jail. Let people get their fucking stuff back.

 

And its you own fucking fault you got scammed in the first place. I've been scammed twice since I joined here. Yeah it annoyed the shit outta me at the time, but I learned from my mistakes and moved on. I didn't try to go all vigilante mode and scam back what was stolen from me.

And also this is the internet. Authorities CAN track you down rofl. Dont be so naive.

 

Punker got banned for much more than that. Also, what do you expect would happen if we allowed it? The opportunities people have to counter-scam are very few, it's not like every single sythe user who was ever scammed would suddenly be able to counter-scam. It's really only in a few select cases that people would be able to do something to get their money back that we currently disallow.

I do not condone sting operations, hacking, or delving into seedy things. But in no way should you be forced to pay your scammer for the gold they stole from you

 

So staff will get to decide who is eligible to counter-scam and who's not? Makes no sense IMO...

 

Glad to see the rule has been ammended, sadly too late for chance at my 450M back. Thanks to all supporters and Sythe.

 

That's not what I meant. I meant that most people will never find themselves able to get their gold back, but if they are, they should (legally, without underhanded methods, etc.). The rules have been amended so that staff do not choose who is able to do this, but be warned that if you do try to counter-scam, you need a lot of proof to justify your actions

 

I don't understand the debate here. If you know for a fact, etc have evidence, that a person who scammed you is trading you currently, you should by any means take back your property. It's that simple.

 

Yeah, good idea bro! If someone steals MY stuff, I should have a staff member steal it back for me! Lol this is such a joke. No wonder why this community is going downhill.
Thanks for the laugh though.

Btw thanks Sythe for finally changing this stupid rule back to how it should be.

Edit:

LOL its scamming? It's scamming if someone steals YOUR stuff and you take it back? Ok, in this case, if someone recovers your account, you should not be allowed to take back your money because it is "SCAMMING". LOL. You guys are hilarious.

I didn't know the people on here had the IQ of a potato.

 

Apart from arcus how many people have ever actually managed to find their scammer in the past and would have successfully been able to have them give you the scammed items. I know plznate only managed to get the cracker back because he built up a reputation with the scammer that he hated viou which is still social engineering.

If A scams B and A returns to sythe as C why would C have the intention of selling the items back to B and how would B know that A is actually C now?