Scam Alert: 'Game Tester' Scam

Scam Alert!

'Game Tester' Scam
Affects: A target resident, someone either trying to help, or wanting to earn money.
Modus Operandi: Scammer makes an offer to the victim of making some cash ( reports suggest a fair number from 1500L to 2500L or more.) to help them 'test' a new casino game (or games). In some cases this may occur at a sandbox or in a casino. To make the scam look more legit they may have the victim fill out a survey notecard. Once the victim agrees, the scam begins.
How it goes down: The victim is TPed to the scammers location, or if the scammer is already at that location. At this point they give the victim an object. Presumably the game to be tested and request that the victim rez the object to begin testing. As the object is rezed it asks for debit permission from the victim. Once permission is granted, the 'testing' begins. The actually events after this point vary from the victim losing all of their L$ at once, or having it progressively drained by higher and higher betting from the scammer, who always wins at the rigged game. Once they have completely drained the victim they leave, and refuse to refund the money. Recent reports suggest that the scammers may use an alt as an 'innocent bystander' to add an air of further legitimacy to the scam.
Seeing through the Scam: This is actually quite an old scam, but it crops up from time to time. The rule of thumb here is DO NOT give debit permissions to any object that you don't implicitly trust the creator of. Especially not to something someone just gave you. Programmers can test their own stuff out with alts, they don't need you.
Damage control: If you do still want to 'help' as it were, there is a few tricks you can use to minimize damage. First, get your testing money up front. Second after that, put ALL your L$ for sale using the lindex at 1L:1$ USD. This removes it from your av's account and locks it safely away. You can also transfer it to an alt, or put it in a 'bank' of some kind. Just make sure your av is dead broke, having only maybe a few L for the 'testing' purposes. That way the scammer cannot take more than a couple of L, and since he already paid you, you'll walk away a richer av. However, more than likely the scammer will refuse upfront payment. INSIST. Do not do ANYTHING without getting at least half in advance. THEN transfer it out so he can't win it back. Once you are done with the scammer leaving in a frusterated huff, you can delete the object he gave you ( do so right away!) and any rezed copy of it, and then (and only then) transfer your money back or cancel your sell order to retrieve your L$.

Avatars known to use this scam
(( no info yet.))