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Aug 13, 2001, 1:24am

Hello everyone. Today I have seen the bottom of the scams within Active
Worlds. I post this so that other users will not get hurt and so that AW
itself can be made aware of this sick thing. I am sure I will be flamed
but I am also aware that many read these words who do not post. I am
sure it will help many. I just want people kept aware and safe.

AWBingo started out as a great game. It still is except a huge scam has
corrupted it's fairness. The scam also works outside of AWbingo as well.
On the bingo part, I hope AW fixes the problem. On the part outside of
that game, only you the users can stop it.

Now I will explain. King Brian K, KBK, and his friends and family have
quite an operation going. They seem to have a way of winning more than
30% of the world prizes there. What they don't win themselves they get
from other players who win and give them the worlds. Quite a racket
because they use these worlds to take your money. I am sure AW did not
intend for this corruption to take place.

King Brian K says he will give you the bingo won world if you pay him to
host it. So he lures you inside to give him money for a free prize. The
problem is that the user gets burned as they pay him and he is hardly
computer literate or a host. Ask the hurt people he has already burned
and won't give the money back to. It is sad to see users loose their
property content because he uses a 100mhz broken machine. He won't
allow you to mail money. Maybe this is because he knows the Postal
Service will investigate for mail fraud? Hopefully Paypal will stop
allowing him use there.

If you want a world, buy it from AW or accept an honest bingo prize for
free from a friend. Don't fall for this lure. also ask AW to make bingo
fair by limiting prizes to one per IP address to avoid these type scams
from beginning.

If you seek a hosting company look for one who has been around a few
years. Ask for references of happy users. There are several honest hosts
around that have been in AW for years. Remember the age old words of
being 'too good to be true'

AW is a place to have fun. Be aware of the scams so your fun is not
stolen by them.

If you wish to use a host that is new, be sure to check that they really
have the tools and knowledge to operate properly. JBELL had tried to do
hosting but found that his ISP shut him down for it. It is normally not
allowed on home isp services. I am sure he was being honest in his
efforts and he admitted he could not do it in honesty. I respect JBELL
for that honesty on his part.

Beware of the cheapest price as well. In the history of Active Worlds it
appears there have been many new fly by nights who offered free or
cheap hosting. Problem has been they either can't afford to keep it
going or they loose interest in doing so. If I am wrong then please show
me a free world host that has been successfully operating for over a few
months time? Are there any over a year old? 4 years in AW and I know of
none.

This has been a long post but this is a community and a community has an
obligation to keep it's streets clean so to speak. Now if this service I
spoke of had been honest and trying to really help people I would not
have mentioned their user name, well the few I knew of that is. I
respect anyone who honestly tries. I will never respect one who starts
out with a dishonest approach as King Brian K has.

If there have been any young people hurt by this scam, please speak to
your parents or teachers about it. If adults have been hurt, please
write to AW about it. If the man is honest then I hope he does the right
thing and gets a legitimate service before he takes people's hard earned
money or hurts their builds because of inexperience and crashes. And for
AWBingo players, maybe you could write AW and ask if this is what they
had in mind when they spent the time making the great game and offering
the great prizes. I don't think it was. My opinion that is.

Be careful out there in VR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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