This scam is probably the oldest one in the book and it happens almost every day. With 11,5 million monthly subscribers, the economy related to buying, selling and trading World of Warcraft accounts is huge. I am very pleased to see the authorities dealing with the losses inflicted by these scammers in such a serious manner.

Power leveling is a service like so many others in the same category, such as arena boosting, raid boosting and plain, simple gold and/or item grinding. It’s a service that requires you to invest a lot of confidence in your counterpart, as the service can’t be performed without handing over your account information.
So-called anti-scam experts claim the easiest way is to simply avoid buying boosting services in the first place. This is sound advice because it is logically correct. Crossing a red light is generally a bad idea too, but let’s stick to reality. People do buy boosting services and people do cross red lights even though they know it may prove unwise.

I recommend you always stick to professional boosting service suppliers. The reason for this is simple. You’ll have the entire process on record: Your order, your agreement with the supplier and your payment. At the same time, paying by credit card ensures you the rights and amenities associated with online purchases of this nature. Another plus of using a professional supplier is that the agreement is clear-cut.’
When browsing the market for a power leveling service, or any other boosting service, my post on using Google in your research is relevant. Chances are other people have had experiences with the company you’re considering, so why not use the information?

Scamming people online is easier than scamming people in real life, because the scammer typically never comes face-to-face with the victim. While online, the scammer is also able to distance himself from his wrongdoings. By adopting various aliases, as in the case of kwaidan, the scammer is able to unlink his real self from his criminal alter ego.

If you are interested in learning more about social engineering , I suggest buying my book.

According to the Wikipedia definition, social engineering is broken loosely into the following categories:

1. Pretexting
2. Phishing
3. Baiting
4. Quid pro quo

I will try to explain how the different categories are related to the way most scammers go about conning people into giving out sensitive account information. I will mostly concentrate on those methods I have found to be particularly common in relation to online scamming.

Pretexting: Pretexting is defined as the act of creating and using an invented scenario to persuade a targeted victim to release information or perform an action. From a scammers point of view, pretexting is about shaping the way a victim views, understands and interprets the scammer’s actions. If I tell you I am an authority on something, you are more likely to believe what I am saying to be true. If I tell you I have done this many times before without ever encountering any problems, you are more likely to accept my future proposals. Why wouldn’t you? It has obviously worked for a lot of people before.

Pretexting is also used by scammers to shape a certain character. I’ve heard of cases in which the scammer took on the role of a father with kids. The scammer pulled it off so convincingly that most of his victims had no worries handing over their account information. The scammer seemed so trustworthy and honest. The defninition continues: “Pretexting can also be used to impersonate co-workers, police, bank, tax authorities, or insurance investigators — or any other individual who could have perceived authority or right-to-know in the mind of the targeted victim. The pretexter must simply prepare answers to questions that might be asked by the victim. In some cases all that is needed is a voice that sounds authoritative, an earnest tone, and an ability to think on one’s feet.”

Phishing: We’ve been over this one before. Phishing is a technique of fraudulently obtaining private information. Typically, the phisher sends an e-mail that appears to come from a legitimate business—a bank, or credit card company—requesting “verification” of information and warning of some severe consequences if it is not provided.

Quid pro quo: Something for something. This is often a method used by middle men. The scammer will help you solve a problem and in return demand some sort of information. In relation to account trading, the middle men often acts as a secure link between a buyer and a seller. However, as witnessed so many times, the middle man often succumbs to temptation and abuses the trust confided in him. In other reported cases, the middle man will try to black mail one side of the trade – typically once he has secured valuable information.

You can read much more about social engineering here. It will definitely open your eyes to the devious ways of a scammer. Through education we can hopefully bring down the number of victims dramatically.

With this in mind, here are some particularly useful posts for you – handpicked by yours truly:

http://youraccountseller.com/2009/10/21/7-surefire-ways-to-avoid-scammers

http://youraccountseller.com/2009/10/28/google-has-great-memory/

Yes, using a middle man can be safer because there is a chance the middleman you choose is actually honest. He will do his job properly and ensure a good trade for both parties.

No, because more often times than not, the middle man is dishonest. Scamming is about the betrayal of trust, and some people simply can’t handle the responsibility that follows with a middle man service. There’s been numerous cases in history – all you need to do is browse the various trading forums – where a trusted member of a community joins the dark side. The allure of easy money simply becomes too great. And at the same time, the risk is minimal. The middle man knows that the legal repercussions practically is non-existant. In layman’s terms: You’re screwed if he screws you over.

Using a middle man service is a step in the right direction, but don’t just trust the first and best one that comes along. Make sure he has a track record. And even then, ask for some verifiable information. Treat him with the same skepticism as you would a buyer.

So far 14 people have bought my book, each paying $5 on average. That’s the beauty of the ‘pay what you like’-principle. Anyone can afford to read it, which means the word will be spread like light fire. Some have responded back telling me their opinion, which is greatly appreciated. This way I can keep adjusting the book so it meets the high standards of my readers. You can catch up on what the readers think here.

The entries are from the iPod Touch contest have been really interesting so far. Entries are still welcomed, so what are you waiting for?

A forum has also been added to the site, located here; YourAccountSeller.com Forums!

Dealing with a keylogger can prove problematic. Most keyloggers are easy to remove using anti-spyware programs; registry scanning programs and other such utilities. However, there is little guarantee you will actually be rid of the keylogger. Some programs are able to play dead: Disabled while your program is scanning only to re-activate itself when you’re done.

With this information in mind, I’ll focus more on what you can do to avoid getting a keylogger in the first place.

• Be aware of entering domains ending in .cn – I don’t mind Chinese people at all, but there seems to be a correlation between Chinese domains and keyloggers. Apply caution before entering Chinese domains! Having said that, you’ll be able to get a keylogger from all sorts of other domains.
• Do a little research before visiting gold selling and/or powerleveling sites – A lot of sites attract gamers with the promise of free gold and free powerleveling. If you ever find yourself confronted with these, remember the ancient old saying: There’s no such thing as a free lunch. This is true in most aspects of life – also when you’re online!
• Switch to FireFox – No offense to Microsoft intended, but Internet Explorer is truly made of fail. I highly recommend using FireFox as you’ll be able to utilize the following addons. They’re all useful when trying to avoid keyloggers!First, there’s BlockSite. This addon, which you can download here, allows you to blacklist certain domains. Taking what you learned earlier into consideration, it may be wise to add “.cn”-domains to this blacklist. The addon will then prevent your browser from loading any domain ending in .cn.Secondly, there’s KeyScrambler. This addon, which you can download here, encrypts all passwords you enter when you are browsing the internet. Useful if you frequent certain.. sinister sites.The third and last addon I’d like to recommend is No Script! This addon prevents sites from loading scripts/flash, thus protecting you from acquiring a keylogger in this way. The addon allows you to add exceptions, so you don’t have to worry about not being able to load scripts/flash again, if you’re browsing a safe site. You can pick it up here.

If you’ve already tried selling your account you’ll know what I’m about to describe. The internet is overflown with scammers trying to rob you of your possessions. Especially in World of Warcraft account trading context, the problem seems especially dire. It’s a good thing you’re here. I’ll help you with five surefire tips and advice to avoid scammers. I describe them much more in depth in my book.

Of course, some of my advice is easier utilized if you’re dealing with a person in the same country as yourself. However, my advice can also be applied internationally – it just takes a little more effort. But what’s a little extra effort? You’ll save time in the end when you don’t have to agonize over a bad trade, because you didn’t do all you could to avoid a scam.

• Get personal information on your buyer/seller. This advice is invaluable. Once actual personal contact has been established, a scam becomes more unlikely.
• Ask questions when you’re buying – expect questions when you’re selling. People dealing with real money will often want full value for their money. As such, a questionnaire is essential.
• Be aware of suspicious behavior. If the buyer/seller refuses to give you any personal information, this may indicate he has something to hide. Please note some people are just protective of their personal information. Whatever the case may be, you have to take responsibility for your OWN security by declining a trade, if something’s not right.
• Don’t pay up in advance. A good rule everywhere in life is not to pay before you’ve actually got something in return. There are many ways to go about this to ensure the safety of both parties. Please refer to more information on Payment in my Resources section.
• If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. This one is for the seller. If you’ve priced your account at $50 and a person contacts you with a bid of $100, you should consider his motives. Especially if the interest in your account has been all but overwhelming. I elaborate on this popular scheme scammers use in my book.