Avoiding Scams
Fortunately, I haven't seen many scammers on Zetapets yet, but I'm sure as the
site grows in popularity you're sure to get a few rotten apples. So, here's a
guide to keeping your account safe from scammers:
1. Never ever, ever, ever, ever, ever (have I stressed this enough?) give
your password to anybody. I don't care if you're laying in a coma and you want
you friend to check on your pets. No.
2. Be careful of fake login pages. Always check the URL on your
address bar before you type in any information. If it doesn't start with
"http://www.zetapets.com/" then it's a fake. Shops where you click on an item
then are asked to sign in are a big user of these. You do not have to sign in
just before buying something.
3. Don't fall for people posting messages such as, "click here to receive
[insert item or ZP here]". The page you go to is embedded with either a cookie
grabber or has a fake login page.
4. If something sounds too good to be true it is.
5. Make sure your password isn't easy to guess. Having the username "catlover"
and the password "cats" or "kitty" for instance is going to make it
exceptionally easy for people to get in. Go for both letters and numbers
(examples: "axe478", "attp0" or "highbird90") to avoid anyone getting into your
account.
Popular Scams
Swap Scams
There are three main types of scammers on the swap centre. They are lot, offer and item scams.
Lot Scams
Someone will create a lot (usually junk) with a message along the lines of,
"I'm leaving Zetapets for good. The best offer on this lot wins my account."
This seems to be a very popular scam, though I don't see how anyone could fall
for it. Why would someone whose leaving a site want someone to bid expensive
items on their lots? If they're leaving there's no point since they won't be
there. Why not just donate their items to the donation house?
Scam Offers
Someone will bid junk on your lot then zetamail you asking you to accept and
once you do they'll give you a better item (usually unbuyable, a water
distiller, etc). They will NEVER send you the item afterwards and you
should never trade with anyone outside of the swap centre no matter who they
are. If you zetamail them back and they reply with, "I don't want anyone seeing
my offers" or such, tell them no one else can see their offers and it's the
safest means of exchanging items with others.
Item Scams
This one's actually a little clever and usually involves either two people or
one person switching between two accounts.
Someone will make an offer on your lot. It's not necessarily a bad offer, but
not worth the item you're trading for. Then you'll get a zetamail from another
person asking you if you have a specific item they're looking for and they're
willing to pay you much more than it's worth since no ones selling. And low and
behold the item they're looking for just happens to be the one someone offered
on your lot beforehand! The scammer wants you to accept their offer so they'll
get your more valuable item (mostly in exchange for a hard to sell item) and
will completely ignore any zetamails you send in regards to the person wanting
the other item.
Zetamail Scams
You'll get a zetamail from someone claiming to be a staff member asking you for
either you password, or to change your email account. They mostly use the old,
"someone's claiming you're harassing them and we need to check your account to
verify you're not" or "Zetapets is experiencing problems. We need your username
and password to keep your account and items safe."
They sometimes ask you to change your email address so they can use 'retrieve
password' from the site, which will then go directly to their email address and
not yours since you changed it. Zetapets will never ask you for your
password and all your details are on their database. Meaning they do
not need to ask you anything. And why would they need to check your account?
They have all your details to just log in to begin with. They don't need
permission.
Do not reply to them. Instead keep the zetamail and report them to
Zetapets and don't tell them you're doing so or they'll have a chance to move
all their current ZP and items to another account.
Instant Messenger Scams
Same as above except done on MSN, Yahoo!, etc. The only difference is you may
not know their username on Zetapets so you can't report them. No staff member
would ever contact you on an instant messenger. All messages are sent to your
email account you signed up with and end in @zetapets.com.
Babysitting Scams
Someone will advertise to babysit your pets whilst you are away. In reality
they'll just go into your account and take all your ZP and items. If you're
taking a break from Zetapets or going away remember, your pet can't die and
taking it to the shining river once you get back will heal your pet completely.
Item Cloning & ZetaPoint Making Programs
Someone will advertise that they have a program to clone items or will generate
ZP and need you to send the item you want cloned or the details to access your
account to install the program or use it. There is no such program nor will
there ever be.
Any program made can be sent through email. Give them a challenge, ask them to
send you the program through email. If they say it's not possible tell them you
know they're lying. Any program can be sent through email or even downloaded off
another person.
If you catch anyone trying to scam you or anyone else, report them here: report@zetapets.com