How Not To Get Scammed.
Disclaimer: It is against IMVU's TOS to purchase credits from a nonofficial reseller, it's NOT advisable to anyone to purchase credits outside of IMVU's website. I have done extensive research and have spoken with many people about their experiences before writing this article and only after doing my research, it was clear to me users will always try to save a dollar by seeking the legit resellers that IMVU has formally disbanded. This article is intended to help those and like-minded people. A few years ago when IMVU banned all resellers it made it nearly impossible for creators to sell their credits to IMVU users. It made it difficult for people who enjoyed the game to purchase credits at a good price. But, if you are a rebel and are constantly on the prowl to purchase credits from a reseller please read this article as a guide before you send your hard earned money to someone you don’t know.
Know your Seller Before doing the exchange, make sure you know the seller personally, and if you don't know them make sure you're referred to them by someone you trust. Never base their credibility on comments and screenshots. Buying from strangers is always a bad idea UNLESS they're a known creator and even then make sure it’s that creator’s official social media account and not a fake one.
Buy From A Well Known Trusted Source (If buying on social media) Who else would have a lot of credits? Think about it! The only people who are selling credits are the ones who are MAKING them. If the account has a small number of followers, or you have never heard of them, or you don't see their name when you type into any IMVU search bars – then don't trust them! Especially if they can't show you proof of the currency you're trying to purchase. The odds are they are scammers, block them immediately and warn your friends.
Ask for Proof of Currency If you have a funny feeling or are buying from a new person or just want to be sure. Ask for a video of them showing you their credit amount and name. Now the thing you will want to make sure of is if the avatar name matches up with who they tell you they are. Be sure that the video is clear and it's the actual IMVU.COM website and not a credit generator site.
Be Prepared...Just In Case I cannot stress this enough, ONLY USE PAYPAL! PayPal will allow you to cancel the money you're sending in case it doesn't work out. But, it will only last for a few minutes before you can file a claim. If you are scammed you can sometimes call PayPal and get your cash back within a few hours, and days, if on a weekend. Using Cash app or any other website will take longer to get your money back and you'll have to contact your bank most times. Only use cash app/square cash if you're comfortable with the seller.
Selling Linden’s is NOT common! Buying lindens is very different from buying credits; Linden Dollars is Second Life's currency. However, developers on Second Life usually just sell their Linden back to Second Life for a decent price. People on this particular game don’t waste time trying to sell linden when they can get it quick and easy from Second Life. If there is a social media account trying to sell Lindens and they are not a well-known SL creator I can almost guarantee you it’s a scammer.
Do it Off IMVU IMVU has certain keywords they scan chats for such as; selling credits, buying credits, order, and so on. So, to be safe, discuss your transactions via social media, or an email address that's not attached to your IMVU account. But, if you are ever scammed by someone you can never report them because you’ll end up getting yourself in trouble also.
Disclaimer: the personal views and opinions written in this post are from the writer and do not always express the professional opinion and views of Verve X Magazine.
Writer: Anonymous
