Ratchman
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Posted - 2010.09.07 15:38:00 -
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I can't believe people are still falling for these scams all the time. No matter how official and cosher-looking it is, your investment is instantly at risk. You should assume that your money is gone as soon as you have handed it over to someone else.
Remember Brenie Madeoff? Someone with a sterling reputation and a legitimate looking scheme? Real-life business couldn't throw money at him fast enough. And what happens? They lose the lot. Companies are no more wise than in-game investors. Time and again they fall for the same tricks, and make the same mistakes.
Bad Bobby didn't even make that much effort to hide his intentions.
Still, one thing occurred to me while reading this column, and that is the idea that you can be petitioned for offending someone in local. This can end up in a ban from the game, because the victim has been left in a state of distress (or so it goes). How then, do we justify scamming as a legitimate activity, when it can cause distress as well? Is this a double-standard?
I'm kind of curious how things like this are going to play out, as it is only a matter of time before someone tries taking this down a legal route (should they lose a sufficient amount in-game). Would they hold CCP responsible? Or the individual who did the scam? I believe similar things have happened in other games, so it is something to bear in mind. In-game items have been ruled as 'real' property in some cases, so there is a legal precedent.
There's also an interesting economic question. If this happens enough times, is it likely to topple the in-game economy, as relatively few people would end up with the large majority of cash. Or would this just end up with those who can manufacture bleeding those with bags of ISK dry simply because they can? Would the value of ISK be so devalued that it becomes worthless? Not like this is going to happen, because there's plenty of cyncial bastards like me in this game that wouldn't touch those things with a ten-foot barge pole, but it is theoretically possible, and with people seeing this as a highscore to beat, there will be intent.
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