please report any broken images or links to me by PM
Announcement!!
WE'VE MOVED! PLEASE UPDATE YOUR LINK! all future updates will be in the thread. this guide has outgrown my journal, but this entry will remain
visit the thread here: http://www.gaiaonline.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=26302801
visit the thread here: http://www.gaiaonline.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=26302801
ninja HOW NOT TO GET HACKED ON GAIA ninja
3nodding hackings ARE preventable. you NEED to protect your account! 3nodding
account security is YOUR responsibility, NOT Gaia's.
DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES GIVE YOUR PASSWORD TO ANYONE INCULUDING MODS AND ADMINS. THEY DO NOT NEED YOUR PASSWORD. IF YOU ACCIDENTALLY GAVE IT OUT, CHANGE IT IMMIDIATELY AND REPORT THE USER THAT HAS YOUR PASSWORD.
A STRONG PASSWORD IS YOUR FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE AGAINST HACKERS, BUT IF YOU DON'T PROTECT IT, IT'S USELESS.
3nodding hackings ARE preventable. you NEED to protect your account! 3nodding
account security is YOUR responsibility, NOT Gaia's.
DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES GIVE YOUR PASSWORD TO ANYONE INCULUDING MODS AND ADMINS. THEY DO NOT NEED YOUR PASSWORD. IF YOU ACCIDENTALLY GAVE IT OUT, CHANGE IT IMMIDIATELY AND REPORT THE USER THAT HAS YOUR PASSWORD.
A STRONG PASSWORD IS YOUR FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE AGAINST HACKERS, BUT IF YOU DON'T PROTECT IT, IT'S USELESS.
idea PASSWORD SECURITY ARTICLE
idea PASSWORD GENERATOR a good password is at least 8 characters in length. don't make it so many that you will never remember it.
just a reminder
remember to keep ALL your passwords safe- not just gaia! if someone hacks something else of yours there's a good chance they'll get you on gaia too- especially if your use the same username and password combo every where you go. your e-mail is especially important to keep safe! if you e-mail is hacked they can go to all the sites you are a member of and have your password reset, then go steal your accounts and all your info. you think losing your gaia account is bad, how about your credit card number or your social security number!!
arrow what is considered HACKING? (it is considered a hacking when someone enters your account with out your permission- falling for a password scam is not giving permission. most hackings start as a password scam.)
The Gaia FAQ is a good place to look up terms you don't know!
US legal definition of computer hacking <-this is the definition of hacking i use as a government employee. if you would like to live in a fantasy land where all hackings have to be done by brute force please continue to do so with out arguing that i am wrong.
IMPORTANT!
► If someone contacts you and they have the [MOD], [ADMIN], [NPC] or [NCP] or any other staff oriented prefix they are NOT Gaia Staff unless their user name is:
orange- admins
red- NPCs
purple- dedicated mods
teal- global mods
green- omni mods
blue usernames mean they are on your friendslist.
IMPERSONATING A MOD OR ADMIN IS A SERIOUS OFFENSE THAT RESULTS IN BANNING. DO NOT CLAIM TO BE GAIA STAFF IF YOU ARE NOT.
orange- admins
red- NPCs
purple- dedicated mods
teal- global mods
green- omni mods
blue usernames mean they are on your friendslist.
IMPERSONATING A MOD OR ADMIN IS A SERIOUS OFFENSE THAT RESULTS IN BANNING. DO NOT CLAIM TO BE GAIA STAFF IF YOU ARE NOT.
- TABLE OF CONTENTS:
◊ INTRODUCTION (you are here)
◊ SCAM WARNING (see examples of scams and find out what to do)
◊ COMMON SIGNS OF A HACKING
◊ HELPFUL TIPS AND INFORMATION
◊ FOR YOUR INFORMATION (other important Gaia rules and info)
◊ LINK TO THIS PAGE (get a staff color codes sig for yourself)
◊ OTHER GUIDES
◊ COMMENTS (feel free to add your own, i do respond to comments by PM sometimes)
◊THE THREAD
SCAM WARNING: THESE ARE ACTUAL SCAMS
TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS! if you even think something is a scam, run away from it! if it sounds fishy or too good to be true, avoid it; it probably is a scam. i can't stress this enough- IF YOU HAVE ANY DOUBTS, DON'T DO IT!
xd ANOTHER ATTEMPTED SCAM ON ME check out those red flags! warning: large picture.
rofl HERE IS A FUNNY ATTEMPTED SCAM ON ME! (i am very particular about my name being in all lower case, so sue me sweatdrop )
arrow UNMASKING AN E-MAIL SCAM
arrow UNMASKING A PM SCAM
arrow SCAM EXAMPLES!!
What to do
IF YOU GAVE OUT/ ENTERED YOUR PASSWORD, CHANGE IT IMMEDIATELY. IF YOUR ITEMS ARE DISSAPEARING AND/OR YOU CAN NOT CHANGE YOUR PASSWORD, [report a hacking] AND PM AND ONLINE MOD TO DISABLE YOUR TRADING PASS ASAP!
COMMON SIGNS OF A HACKING
Have you been Hacked?
here are some common signs of a hacking:
- were you logged off recently and noticed something gone afterwards?
- did you give your password out?
- did you enter your password into a "new server", "gold generator" or something like that?
- is your username and/ or password suddenly different?
- did your avi's gender suddenly change?
- are you suddenly missing items? [there is a glitch that does this sometimes]
- is your profile different?
- are there posts in your posting history that you did not make?
if you answered yes to any of these questions... CHANGE YOUR PASSWORD if you can [>my gaia >account]. check your trades [go to the bank of gambino]. fill out a hacking report form [bottom of the forum page].
- were you logged off recently and noticed something gone afterwards?
- did you give your password out?
- did you enter your password into a "new server", "gold generator" or something like that?
- is your username and/ or password suddenly different?
- did your avi's gender suddenly change?
- are you suddenly missing items? [there is a glitch that does this sometimes]
- is your profile different?
- are there posts in your posting history that you did not make?
if you answered yes to any of these questions... CHANGE YOUR PASSWORD if you can [>my gaia >account]. check your trades [go to the bank of gambino]. fill out a hacking report form [bottom of the forum page].
HELPFUL TIPS AND INFORMATION
- above all, just don't give your password to anyone. i can't make this more clear. most hackings on gaia are done by the people who scammed you for your password. if you don't give them your password you will be fine. you should never have to think "should i give him my password?" if you ever consider giving out your password, SMACK YOURSELF SILLY!!!!! there is nobody in the whole world who will ever need your gaia password for any reason other than YOU!
- if you have actually been hacked, on the forum index there is a [report a hacking] button.
[report a hacking] [report a scamming] [report abuse or harassment]
- "shadow avatars" are just avatars that have been deleted and not remade. they are not proof that some one is a member of gaia staff. anyone can get a shadow avatar.
- mods and admins will NEVER ask you for your password. they don't need to know it.
- mods and admins will only contact you via PM or gaia's official e-mail, which is not a yahoo or hotmail account. it is on the gaiaonline or anihq domain ONLY. they will never contact you about gaia on instant messengers. admins and moderators have different color usernames. mods will not moderate on mule accounts.
- if the admins have something to say regarding the site, they say it in the announcements forum. they will never e-mail you regarding site wide problems or ask for your passwords to save your account from resets and the like.
- do not type your username any where except the official password box when you go to log in, the trade window or the account page. [ALWAYS CHECK THE ADDRESS BAR TO MAKE SURE YOU ARE AT WWW.GAIAONLINE.COM] watch out for phishing sites which copy gaia online's home page. some even have working links, which link back to real gaia pages.
- gold bots do not exist. they do not choose a person at random every month to give them gold. they are however, a scam to get your password.
- do not give yor password to friends. not even your best friend.
- don't share accounts. this is a very bad idea.
- do not give hints to your password. if your password is "daisy" don't tell someone that your password is a flower.
- make a secure password. do not use words in your password. "daisy" is not secure. D@s1Y_ is more secure because it uses a combination of upper and lower case letters, numbers and special characters [~!@#$%... etc]. a good password would be something that includes all those elements and is also at least 8 characters, the more the better.
- change your password every so often. don't have the same password for more than 4 months. make sure to remember your new password and that it is as secure as your last one.
- if a gaia online user is asking for your password, report it to a moderator by PM. (see the list of mods below)
- TAKE A SCREEN CAP! yes, take a screen shot so you have proof when you report by either the forms or contacting a mod.
- if someone says they can get you gold or items if you give them your username and password, report them. they are scamming you.
- if someone threatens you like "give me your password or i'll report you for being a hacker and then you will get banned, trust me, i know the admins and they will do it" REPORT THEM. do not listen to these morons.
- your password is not necessary to give someone to fix our profile page. if they ask for it, report them ASAP.
- accounts are never deleted. nobody will delete your account. report all threats to do so to a mod by PM.
- if you think you may have been hacked, check your trades: click here to check your trading history ! if there are trades that you did not willingly make, report a hacking!
- IF GAIA'S DATABASES EVER GOT A VIRUS THAT DESTROYED PASSWORD INFORMATION THEY WOULD NOT NEED YOUR PASSWORD. YOUR PASSWORD WOULD BE DESTROYED! IT WOULD NOT EXIST! IF YOU THINK CAREFULLY ALL SCAMS CAN BE UNMASKED. IF PASSWORDS WERE LOST YOU WOULD JUST HAVE TO CREATE A NEW ONE, NOT SEND IT TO AN "ADMIN".
- info on password scams from Jakobo (a REAL admin) CLICK HERE
- run virus scans regularly! keep your antivirus program up to date. it's also a good idea to have a firewall program as well. if you don't have any antivirus software, click HERE to download a free one. this will help to keep you safe from viruses that have keyloggers. more info on account security.
Quote:
WHO TO CONTACT
Complete Mod, Admin and Helper List
Site Administrators Creators of Gaia Online, responsible for sitewide development. (ORANGE)
Omnimoderators Responsible for resolving account issues, hacking cases, and scamming cases. (DARK GREEN)
Global GAIA Moderators Handle abuse and harassment cases, as well as help oversee ToS issues across the entire site. (TEAL)
Dedicated GAIA Moderators Work in a specific part of the site, handling ToS violations and thread move requests. (PURPLE)
GAIA Helpers Assist Dedicated GAIA Moderators with thread move requests. (specific to only this forum, and listed above)
Complete Mod, Admin and Helper List
Site Administrators Creators of Gaia Online, responsible for sitewide development. (ORANGE)
Omnimoderators Responsible for resolving account issues, hacking cases, and scamming cases. (DARK GREEN)
Global GAIA Moderators Handle abuse and harassment cases, as well as help oversee ToS issues across the entire site. (TEAL)
Dedicated GAIA Moderators Work in a specific part of the site, handling ToS violations and thread move requests. (PURPLE)
GAIA Helpers Assist Dedicated GAIA Moderators with thread move requests. (specific to only this forum, and listed above)
in response to a journal comment, it's a bad idea to have a file on your comp filled with passwords- especially notepad, especially titled "passwords". it's like leaving your finest jewelry in an unlocked box in the front room. if you ever got hacked, or your comp got stolen, they'd love you. you just made everything so easy for them. if you want to save your passwords on your computer, try one of these password keeper programs, all you need to remember is your master password. these are 100% more secure than a notepad file.
FOR YOUR INFORMATION
► DO NOT BUY GOLD!!! BUYING GOLD IS AGAINST THE TOS, THE GOLD IS USUALLY BOTTED AND THEY OFTEN ASK FOR YOUR PASSWORD.
Gaia Online will not give you viruses, it will not give you the blue screen of death or any hard ware failures. Gaia doesn't put anything more than harmless cookies and temp internet files on your computer. If you expirience computer trouble after following a non-gaia link that you found on Gaia (like in someone's signature, etc) it's not Gaia's fault. Gaia Online will not harm your computer.
Remember it is against the ToS to sell and buy Gaia gold, or time "with gifts"on and off Gaia!
It is strictly against the TOS to ask for sex or to cyber on this site. Even in houses. Cybering is not allowed any where. Don't even joke about asking for sex because you can be reported. GAIA IS A PG-13 WEBSITE.
Gaia is also not available to users under 13. That means if you are 11, 12 or any other age younger than 13 you should not be using Gaia.
To ease any fears you may have, nobody is banned for no reason. Most people are banned because they do not know and understand the rules. If you would like clarification on a rule be sure to ask in the Questions and Assistance forum.
GAIA STAFF WILL NOT CONTACT YOU THROUGH E-MAIL TO BECOME A GAIA MOD. THEY WILL NOT NEED YOUR PASSWORD TO MAKE YOU A MOD EITHER.
LOOK FOR SPELLING AND GRAMMAR ERRORS IN OFFICIAL LOOKING PMs AND E-MAILS. THEY ARE A RED FLAG FOR SCAMS!
THERE IS NO BATTLE SYSTEM BETA TESTING!! ANY PM ASKING FOR YOUR PASSWORD TO BETA TEST IS A SCAM. when the new profile system was tested by a select few of the month's donators, the PM came through the ADMIN user acount and did not ask for your password.
LINK TO THIS PAGE
PLEASE DO NOT STEAL MY SIG. YOU DO NOT HAVE PERMISSION TO USE THE IMAGE IN MY SIGNATURE. by stealing my sig, i mean right clicking mine and copying the URL. please do not do that, it takes my bandwith. i provide the images below for your use. 3nodding
you are welcome to make your own text and image links as long as they are not missleading or ToS violating. if you'd like to share your image link, PM me and i'll add it to the guide- of course you'll be credited.
you may use these images in your own imagemaps.
arrow LINKS FREE TO USE INCLUDING STAFF COLORS BANNER
GAIA, CYBERING AND YOU
arrow CLICK HERE
MINI HOUSING GUIDE
arrow CLICK HERE
3 WAY TRADE SCAM
arrow CLICK HERE
BBCODE GUIDE
arrow CLICK HERE
KAGE'S LINK LIST
arrow CLICK HERE
i love feedback on my guide! feel free to add a comment below or send me a PM. suggestions and examples of the latest scams are much appreciated. if you see a typo or a mistake please send me a PM right away so i can fix it, same goes for broken links/ images. i hope you have enjoyed reading this and have learned how to keep your account safe.
if you would like clarification on anything in this guide or need further help PM me i'll be glad to help you as best as i can. if you are being hacked at the moment, don't waste time PMing me, get an online mod to freeze your trades.
A SPECIAL MESSAGE TO THOSE WHO THINK THE VICTIMS OF HACKERS ARE AT FAULT FOR THEIR LOSS
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hey guys, saying you've been hacked in order to get donations is really, really lame if you haven't actually been hacked. people who do that give hacking victims a bad name and are just as big of a douche bag as hackers.
i don't donate to anyone, even if you have really been hacked so please stop asking. kthanx...
Community Member
I'll use the
thanks!