So after being scammed three times now, I thought I would share a few tips to avoid it yourself!
If anyone has any further advice, please feel free to add it as a reply and I will update the original post.
• Tip #1: Be wary when sellers ask for Gift Cards, unless they are willing to trade you the account first. Once you have given them the Gift Voucher code you are entirely at their mercy. Chances are they will redeem the code immediately, long before you have chance to contact the vouchers vendor for any change of a refund or replacement voucher.
I tried to purchase an account using an iTunes gift voucher. When the seller disappeared without delivering the account I contacted apple to see if there was anything that could be done. Unsurprisingly, they said no!
If the seller demands up front payment, I'd recommend using PayPal (better still a credit card through PayPal). If they don't deliver the account at all, you can file a claim to have the charge reversed. For extra safety, if you use a Credit card as the funding source you can contact your card company to cancel the charge altogether. Be sure to contact PayPal and inform them of what you are doing if you want less hassle down the road. Be honest with your Credit card company too. My card company explained that whilst it was unlawful trading, the still have to investigate the matter.
• Tip #2: Line can go along way to masking a scammers identity. Unlike skype, you can get very little information on someone who contacts you about buying/selling/trading an account. It is by far the most popular contact method for people trading KnD accounts. I'd recommend trying to get the buyer/seller/trader to use skype or similar so you have a better chance at submitting a full scam report should you wish to do so. There are guides on these forums that explain how to file a legal dispute.
• Tip #3:Scammers quite like to send lots of images about accounts they are trying to sell/trade to make you believe it is legitimate. A couple of things to note; If they send a flurry of images immediately after starting the chat, be suspicious. Yes, they may just be organised and have them saved from showing people before, but I have found people who have walked through the scam many times before with other unfortunates send all the account screenshots through VERY quickly.
An easy way to catch them out is to ask them to change some of their knights names to something you choose and ask them to send you new pictures. This will prove they have access to the account and are not using images they could have pulled from anywhere. Some people may genuinely be dealing with an account they have bound to an email and not active on their device, but the majority should be able adhere to this simple request.
• Tip #4: If you are really wary, ask for their friend code and add them in game. This will not stop them from not delivering an account, but it goes a little further to proving they are genuine and can sell/trade you their account.
• Tip #5: Be VERY careful trading accounts. Whilst I did research before trading I had no idea that when using the account retrieval feature, it SWAPS accounts between devices and unbinds your original account by email. For example..
== My account is bound to my personal email address.
== I use the retrieval function and input the email the trader gave me. I then use the function again when they give me the authorisation code.
== The game resets and you are now able to play their account.
== Your account is now on the traders device and is UNBOUND from your email address.
== They can bind your account to their personal email address and you now have no way of retrieving it without contacting Gree.
Now if the account you received is not as the trader described (usually a low level account with no armour etc), you are stuck whilst the trader now has your account.
I hope these tips help a few of you from experiencing what I have. I have given up trying to trade KnD accounts and am just sticking to my own
Good luck. If you have any questions, please ask.
If anyone has any further advice, please feel free to add it as a reply and I will update the original post.
• Tip #1: Be wary when sellers ask for Gift Cards, unless they are willing to trade you the account first. Once you have given them the Gift Voucher code you are entirely at their mercy. Chances are they will redeem the code immediately, long before you have chance to contact the vouchers vendor for any change of a refund or replacement voucher.
I tried to purchase an account using an iTunes gift voucher. When the seller disappeared without delivering the account I contacted apple to see if there was anything that could be done. Unsurprisingly, they said no!
If the seller demands up front payment, I'd recommend using PayPal (better still a credit card through PayPal). If they don't deliver the account at all, you can file a claim to have the charge reversed. For extra safety, if you use a Credit card as the funding source you can contact your card company to cancel the charge altogether. Be sure to contact PayPal and inform them of what you are doing if you want less hassle down the road. Be honest with your Credit card company too. My card company explained that whilst it was unlawful trading, the still have to investigate the matter.
• Tip #2: Line can go along way to masking a scammers identity. Unlike skype, you can get very little information on someone who contacts you about buying/selling/trading an account. It is by far the most popular contact method for people trading KnD accounts. I'd recommend trying to get the buyer/seller/trader to use skype or similar so you have a better chance at submitting a full scam report should you wish to do so. There are guides on these forums that explain how to file a legal dispute.
• Tip #3:Scammers quite like to send lots of images about accounts they are trying to sell/trade to make you believe it is legitimate. A couple of things to note; If they send a flurry of images immediately after starting the chat, be suspicious. Yes, they may just be organised and have them saved from showing people before, but I have found people who have walked through the scam many times before with other unfortunates send all the account screenshots through VERY quickly.
An easy way to catch them out is to ask them to change some of their knights names to something you choose and ask them to send you new pictures. This will prove they have access to the account and are not using images they could have pulled from anywhere. Some people may genuinely be dealing with an account they have bound to an email and not active on their device, but the majority should be able adhere to this simple request.
• Tip #4: If you are really wary, ask for their friend code and add them in game. This will not stop them from not delivering an account, but it goes a little further to proving they are genuine and can sell/trade you their account.
• Tip #5: Be VERY careful trading accounts. Whilst I did research before trading I had no idea that when using the account retrieval feature, it SWAPS accounts between devices and unbinds your original account by email. For example..
== My account is bound to my personal email address.
== I use the retrieval function and input the email the trader gave me. I then use the function again when they give me the authorisation code.
== The game resets and you are now able to play their account.
== Your account is now on the traders device and is UNBOUND from your email address.
== They can bind your account to their personal email address and you now have no way of retrieving it without contacting Gree.
Now if the account you received is not as the trader described (usually a low level account with no armour etc), you are stuck whilst the trader now has your account.
I hope these tips help a few of you from experiencing what I have. I have given up trying to trade KnD accounts and am just sticking to my own
Good luck. If you have any questions, please ask.
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