Thu Jul 22, 2004 2:41 am
Too bad I don't have any. :-/
Thu Jul 22, 2004 2:47 am
He is scamming to get Neopoints.
I mean, it's something that isn't true, so it's not a scam
Anyways, I report any chainletter I see so It's not like this is a big differnce. >_<
I mean, it's something that isn't true, so it's not a scam
Anyways, I report any chainletter I see so It's not like this is a big differnce. >_<
Thu Jul 22, 2004 2:51 am
Reporting chain letters is pointless, as there are always people posting them. It won't end. You can report someone trying to raise the price on a worthless item all you want, nothing will be done. Just be smart about what you believe.
Thu Jul 22, 2004 2:54 am
Yeah, the guy from yesterday who did the Money Tree scam isn't even frozen. So....
Thu Jul 22, 2004 2:56 am
Johnnydontgo wrote:Although immoral and greedy, I don't believe that false inflation is against TOS... Guessing what will be needed for an avatar is done all the time.
Yeah, Actually, TNT shouldn"t froze people if they"re just guessing on an item. IT pretty normal,and everyone is guessing. Are you really sure they forze people for doing that^
TheClone wrote:Yeah, the guy from yesterday who did the Money Tree scam isn't even frozen. So....
Does that money tree avatar had any sense with the collectable card?
Rageedit: Combined posts. Please use the edit button to add to your post instead of making multiple posts in a row.
Thu Jul 22, 2004 3:08 am
false inflation itself doesn't determine if the person should be frozen; it's how you do it. i know of at least one staff who had once put in her lookup that she would do her utmost to stop the practice of false inflation.
i would say, in this case, it is not false inflation since the inflation is more attributed to a speculation.
false inflation normally happens with higher rarity item or retired ones. there are 2 main ways to do it. the first one is to buy up and monopolise one item and sell it at a high price, a few at a time. it's more hoarding than false inflation.
the second one is what most of us hates. the person who hoards an item distribute it over several accounts and try to create a false impression of a market price. it could be done through bidding on your own inflated auction through other accounts. i guess this kind of false inflation is what gets many players into trouble.
in the case of players hoarding hundreds of a single item; if they get frozen, it was mainly because they were suspected of duplicating item
i would say, in this case, it is not false inflation since the inflation is more attributed to a speculation.
false inflation normally happens with higher rarity item or retired ones. there are 2 main ways to do it. the first one is to buy up and monopolise one item and sell it at a high price, a few at a time. it's more hoarding than false inflation.
the second one is what most of us hates. the person who hoards an item distribute it over several accounts and try to create a false impression of a market price. it could be done through bidding on your own inflated auction through other accounts. i guess this kind of false inflation is what gets many players into trouble.
in the case of players hoarding hundreds of a single item; if they get frozen, it was mainly because they were suspected of duplicating item
Last edited by Mystique on Thu Jul 22, 2004 3:09 am, edited 1 time in total.
Thu Jul 22, 2004 3:08 am
Valé wrote:Johnnydontgo wrote:Although immoral and greedy, I don't believe that false inflation is against TOS... Guessing what will be needed for an avatar is done all the time.
Yeah, Actually, TNT shouldn"t froze people if they"re just guessing on an item. IT pretty normal,and everyone is guessing. Are you really sure they forze people for doing that^
I don't think they do, Vale. That was my point. I don't even think they freeze people for hoarding items and raising the price. There's nothing anywhere near indicating they'd do that, according to the TOS. However, I think we all know how incomplete the TOS is.
Thu Jul 22, 2004 3:48 am
I hope the money tree cards price doesnt decrease cuz I already bought one!
Thu Jul 22, 2004 4:23 am
warriorx - Then sell it fast!
I hate the stpid inflators, the stupid scammers
I hate the stpid inflators, the stupid scammers
Thu Jul 22, 2004 5:00 am
Just remembered someone is trying to trade a Pirate Peophin Plushie to me one time, and rejected it 'cause it is too HTS. What if the av is based on that? lol
Thu Jul 22, 2004 4:43 pm
I believe the false inflation in the TOS everyone is talking about has nothing to do with items, it's relevant to stocks. That rule is in place to keep people from falsely inflating the stock market, which wouldn't be too hard to do. The problem with it is that *someone* has to loose nps in order for others to gain it in both these inflation situations. Personally, I don't see anything wrong with what this guy's doing--not that I could do it with a clear consince.
Think of it like him being a salesman, he's got a product and he's trying to convince other people that his product (in this case an idea) is worth the cost to them to get it. He's got an idea, presented it to his audience, made a convincing argument, and they *chose* to go out and try to get a piece of the pie by buying this item. They should be more skeptical of random theories, but just like anyone who restocks in any way, they're relying on what the rest of the people playing will pay for their item, and they're just trying to buy cheap and sell for tons like everyone else.
The "fault" in this situation lies on the side of the people who bought them, not the guy who told them it would be a good idea. They took a risk and will either profit or loose from it, either way they signed up for that by purchasing the items in the first place.
One last note, perhaps this guy (don't go yellin at me, I didn't get to read the chat because it's gone now) isn't the instigator of this, perhaps he was just told this by someone else and is trying to share the opportunity with the rest of neopia, just like many of the PPTers do when they find an item that is suddenly rising in price.
I know, I can never just accept anything :-P
~Maria
Think of it like him being a salesman, he's got a product and he's trying to convince other people that his product (in this case an idea) is worth the cost to them to get it. He's got an idea, presented it to his audience, made a convincing argument, and they *chose* to go out and try to get a piece of the pie by buying this item. They should be more skeptical of random theories, but just like anyone who restocks in any way, they're relying on what the rest of the people playing will pay for their item, and they're just trying to buy cheap and sell for tons like everyone else.
The "fault" in this situation lies on the side of the people who bought them, not the guy who told them it would be a good idea. They took a risk and will either profit or loose from it, either way they signed up for that by purchasing the items in the first place.
One last note, perhaps this guy (don't go yellin at me, I didn't get to read the chat because it's gone now) isn't the instigator of this, perhaps he was just told this by someone else and is trying to share the opportunity with the rest of neopia, just like many of the PPTers do when they find an item that is suddenly rising in price.
I know, I can never just accept anything :-P
~Maria
Thu Jul 22, 2004 4:51 pm
Valé wrote:TheClone wrote:Yeah, the guy from yesterday who did the Money Tree scam isn't even frozen. So....
Does that money tree avatar had any sense with the collectable card?
there will be a money tree day. it said in the editorial so that wasn't a lie
Thu Jul 22, 2004 5:36 pm
I may be wrong on this, but this is an observation I've made over time lurking on the boards and just watching things:
The cases of false inflation (if not a scam, then very very close to being one) that I have seen usually seem to involve a few people going and buying up as many of a specific item as possible, then posting on every board they can that such and such an item is being retired/will be needed for an unreleased avatar and people should get one as quickly as possible.
So, many people will rush to the shop wiz and search the item. Since a few people have bought up all the cheapest of that item, people are going to see a higher price and jump to grab the item. This sets off a chain reaction, with people having shops seeing a previously overpriced/unwanted item suddenly selling out. They post something saying such and such was sold and for how much. Then more people with shops check the wiz, see the prices going up and decide (if they have any of the item) to price it...meanwhile the people who started the whole thing are sitting and waiting for the price to come close to topping out, then they sell - before the item starts dropping (due to rumors being denied as to retirement/need for avatar).
As to hoarding an item? That's not necessarily false inflation. Many people do collect a particular item, whether it's 5,000 piles of dung or 10 candychans or 5 sos or whatever. I have about 30 of a particular petpet, my "army". Not because I'm hording, but because I'm collecting them. I just like them! Some people do hoard an item in the hopes that it will retire or be needed for (*cough*) Neoschool or an avatar, but usually those people don't post all over the boards saying they're stocking up. They just quietly do it.
The cases of false inflation (if not a scam, then very very close to being one) that I have seen usually seem to involve a few people going and buying up as many of a specific item as possible, then posting on every board they can that such and such an item is being retired/will be needed for an unreleased avatar and people should get one as quickly as possible.
So, many people will rush to the shop wiz and search the item. Since a few people have bought up all the cheapest of that item, people are going to see a higher price and jump to grab the item. This sets off a chain reaction, with people having shops seeing a previously overpriced/unwanted item suddenly selling out. They post something saying such and such was sold and for how much. Then more people with shops check the wiz, see the prices going up and decide (if they have any of the item) to price it...meanwhile the people who started the whole thing are sitting and waiting for the price to come close to topping out, then they sell - before the item starts dropping (due to rumors being denied as to retirement/need for avatar).
As to hoarding an item? That's not necessarily false inflation. Many people do collect a particular item, whether it's 5,000 piles of dung or 10 candychans or 5 sos or whatever. I have about 30 of a particular petpet, my "army". Not because I'm hording, but because I'm collecting them. I just like them! Some people do hoard an item in the hopes that it will retire or be needed for (*cough*) Neoschool or an avatar, but usually those people don't post all over the boards saying they're stocking up. They just quietly do it.
Thu Jul 22, 2004 6:12 pm
First off: The neopian stockmarket cannot be manipulated by demand. Stock prices are set by a series of algorithms, not by user purchases. Otherwise, once a stock dropped below 15, it would keep going down, since demand is zero below 15 (you can't buy the stocks). Eventually, every stock would go bankrupt.
Secondly: False inflation IS a scam. There are no two ways about it. Here's how it works:
1 - A person decides, "Hey, I'd like some cash...what looks good...ah! This here collectible card!"
2 - Person buys a bunch of said card. A bunch.
(Note that this is so far just hoarding, which isn't against the rules at all).
3 - Person goes on neoboards and says, "I have a contact which says that this collectible card will be necessary for the next avatar! You'd better buy them now while they're cheap!"
(This is a lie. This is against the rules. Scamming is defined as intentionally deceiving another user or group of users into, basically, giving you money or an item).
4 - Person waits for the price to inflate to unbuyable levels, which it undoubtedly will, and then sells the ones he collected before telling his lie for a huge profit.
5 - Everyone else gets screwed.
Thus, it's a scam.
Secondly: False inflation IS a scam. There are no two ways about it. Here's how it works:
1 - A person decides, "Hey, I'd like some cash...what looks good...ah! This here collectible card!"
2 - Person buys a bunch of said card. A bunch.
(Note that this is so far just hoarding, which isn't against the rules at all).
3 - Person goes on neoboards and says, "I have a contact which says that this collectible card will be necessary for the next avatar! You'd better buy them now while they're cheap!"
(This is a lie. This is against the rules. Scamming is defined as intentionally deceiving another user or group of users into, basically, giving you money or an item).
4 - Person waits for the price to inflate to unbuyable levels, which it undoubtedly will, and then sells the ones he collected before telling his lie for a huge profit.
5 - Everyone else gets screwed.
Thus, it's a scam.
Thu Jul 22, 2004 6:21 pm
Shapu, thanks 
You said much more succintly and explained far better the false inflation method much better than I did in my post. 
I agree with you 110%.
And I agree with the stock market thing, I think it would be awfully difficult to try to manipulate that.
Bottom line? Don't listen to rumors, especially the I heard from so and so, who knows somebody who talked to a friend's second cousin 3 times removed who talked to someone who knows a person at TNT that insert item name here is retiring/needed for something.
If it sounds too good to be true, it's either a scam or something that'll get you frozen.
You said much more succintly and explained far better the false inflation method much better than I did in my post. I agree with you 110%.
And I agree with the stock market thing, I think it would be awfully difficult to try to manipulate that.
Bottom line? Don't listen to rumors, especially the I heard from so and so, who knows somebody who talked to a friend's second cousin 3 times removed who talked to someone who knows a person at TNT that insert item name here is retiring/needed for something.
If it sounds too good to be true, it's either a scam or something that'll get you frozen.