What SLosers! Another story for the books.
When Fashion Fitz graciously sacrificed this blog space allowing me to tell my story, I admit there were some grand ideas in my head. Justice! A juicy expose on that all too painful topic of SL trust gone bad off my chest. Exposure of the bad guy; yadda yadda. Believe me I've gone over this not only in my own mind but with anyone who would listen. Choice real life therapy time when I should be discussing familial obstacles, work related slights and the like cast aside to the back of the legal pad for what you are about to hear. But now, when the blog chips are down, all I can muster is a laugh at myself for being so naive. I thank you in advance for humoring me that some little bit of justice will be served here. Read on please.
Yes I grant you there on honest people in SL. I actually consider myself one. I've taken financial loss to make good on SL promises. Silly me for expecting the same. I was thinking I'd met an honest person in Jedediah McDunnough, an old land buying colleague of mine. We met up again and he was quick to tell me his great news. His land company Land Investment Income Fund (LIF) was going IPO baby! on the International Stock Exchange of SL (word fictitious in very small letters). Tales of great riches realized already and the sky's the limit. Barb invest! So I did. To the tune of 5000 US Dollars. Oh yes I hesitated. There are after all no guarantees. But wait Barb! We will pay you back all the money you invest, we promise. Notecards were passed by his fashion challenged partner Stetson Rail (this would be a Fashion Fitz blog piece that only a month could do justice) with a cut and paste of how he so graciously gave someone 10000 Lindens because they were scammed on a land deal. Here is where I failed. I took the copious assurances of money back guarantees at their word. After all as Stetson says, if you don't have your word in SL you don't have a thing. There were skype conversations, cell phone numbers passed etc etc.
A point came when it was clear these guys were playing a game with their investors money and I opted out. Releasing dozens of thousands of shares without asking shareholders, me all of a sudden becoming a board member NOT a partner yadda yadda again. I just opted to walk away. Money on the way Barb. Weeks of asking passed. IM's ignored. The one where Stetson pretended to be his daughter bidding on sim auctions was especially humorous.
Then, with the help of the Ginko fiasco, the jig is up. Barb "it aint gonna happen." Hmmm. All of a sudden there isn't money left. Damn I thought. Mortgage due. Out on sick leave. These guys got me good.
I went to the stock exchange. No help. But wait! You said this was like real life? Oh I see finally. It's real life when the money is going THAT direction. I see.
As I said tons of therapy and selling stocks we didn't want to later, I was getting over it. My therapist says I am an "experiential" learner. What the hell is that?? I'm 40. How have I not heard this before? But over it I was getting. Until.....da da daaaaaaaa. The notecard........
I get this notecard from a guy who claims, oh and I believe him, that Stetson Rail agrees to buy a private sim and pay him 1300 US Dollars. Stetson pays 800 then disappearo. This guy says I am still listed on the Board and wants the money from ME?? Oh boy I needed that laugh! We straighten this out and finally with pressure he gets his money. Pennies! that 500 bucks!
So here's the rub. No money to pay me back but they own at least 4 private sims and are buying more. That sounds like Texas math (really don't mess with Texas).
So if justice is to be served which part of my experiential learning has been it likely won't, don't buy land under a spinning Land Investment Income Fund box. Don't rent from them they charge WAY too much! They practice insider trading with their stock just bad bad bad.
If you got this far thanks for sticking with it! This isn't a scorned investor story. It's that fine line where SL and RL bump into each other. Perhaps glancing off and someone loses. I've accepted that's me and have learned from my experience. Don't lend money without RL papers and don't invest in SL stocks.
Here's to some nice experiential learning in the future!
Barb
Yes I grant you there on honest people in SL. I actually consider myself one. I've taken financial loss to make good on SL promises. Silly me for expecting the same. I was thinking I'd met an honest person in Jedediah McDunnough, an old land buying colleague of mine. We met up again and he was quick to tell me his great news. His land company Land Investment Income Fund (LIF) was going IPO baby! on the International Stock Exchange of SL (word fictitious in very small letters). Tales of great riches realized already and the sky's the limit. Barb invest! So I did. To the tune of 5000 US Dollars. Oh yes I hesitated. There are after all no guarantees. But wait Barb! We will pay you back all the money you invest, we promise. Notecards were passed by his fashion challenged partner Stetson Rail (this would be a Fashion Fitz blog piece that only a month could do justice) with a cut and paste of how he so graciously gave someone 10000 Lindens because they were scammed on a land deal. Here is where I failed. I took the copious assurances of money back guarantees at their word. After all as Stetson says, if you don't have your word in SL you don't have a thing. There were skype conversations, cell phone numbers passed etc etc.
A point came when it was clear these guys were playing a game with their investors money and I opted out. Releasing dozens of thousands of shares without asking shareholders, me all of a sudden becoming a board member NOT a partner yadda yadda again. I just opted to walk away. Money on the way Barb. Weeks of asking passed. IM's ignored. The one where Stetson pretended to be his daughter bidding on sim auctions was especially humorous.
Then, with the help of the Ginko fiasco, the jig is up. Barb "it aint gonna happen." Hmmm. All of a sudden there isn't money left. Damn I thought. Mortgage due. Out on sick leave. These guys got me good.
I went to the stock exchange. No help. But wait! You said this was like real life? Oh I see finally. It's real life when the money is going THAT direction. I see.
As I said tons of therapy and selling stocks we didn't want to later, I was getting over it. My therapist says I am an "experiential" learner. What the hell is that?? I'm 40. How have I not heard this before? But over it I was getting. Until.....da da daaaaaaaa. The notecard........
I get this notecard from a guy who claims, oh and I believe him, that Stetson Rail agrees to buy a private sim and pay him 1300 US Dollars. Stetson pays 800 then disappearo. This guy says I am still listed on the Board and wants the money from ME?? Oh boy I needed that laugh! We straighten this out and finally with pressure he gets his money. Pennies! that 500 bucks!
So here's the rub. No money to pay me back but they own at least 4 private sims and are buying more. That sounds like Texas math (really don't mess with Texas).
So if justice is to be served which part of my experiential learning has been it likely won't, don't buy land under a spinning Land Investment Income Fund box. Don't rent from them they charge WAY too much! They practice insider trading with their stock just bad bad bad.
If you got this far thanks for sticking with it! This isn't a scorned investor story. It's that fine line where SL and RL bump into each other. Perhaps glancing off and someone loses. I've accepted that's me and have learned from my experience. Don't lend money without RL papers and don't invest in SL stocks.
Here's to some nice experiential learning in the future!
Barb
There IS no fine line where SL and RL bump together. You invested in a gambling game, an unsanctioned pretend "bank", "investment" company in SL. It sucks, but you may have had it coming. (I even consider the L$ I have on my avatar a gamble. It could disappear at any time - Ol' Phil could pack up and leave.)
I guess the best bet is to move your money out and early to a real, physical bank that you can burn to a crisp if they disappear with your goods.
Posted by
Tenshi Vielle |
November 20, 2007 9:17 PM
5000 real american dollars?! that's gotta sting girl. i would be devastated. sorry you got burned. hindsight being perfect, i'd certainly want to have more assurances from the parties involved. like maybe being married to one of them? even then ya might not be able to tell yer getting played. damn.
Posted by
EnCore Mayne |
November 20, 2007 11:35 PM
All I'll say is...I know I know I know I know I know. Remember experiential learner. I think what gets my goat is the ever clearer SL rule of mathematical propability. That is... the inverse relationship between how wonderful and committed to "good" someone says they are and their true character. I said...I'm naive. In RL I am too. Too trusting. Well, experiences aside, I'm not anymore (so much).
Posted by
Barb |
November 21, 2007 6:06 AM
And moreover, I think the point of all of this is even though SL is a gamble (yes I knew that), people being dishonest shouldn't be part of the gamble. But alas, not is money and business and investing unregulated, people's conscience and morals often are too. I promise I'll blog some happier experiential experiences!
Posted by
Barb |
November 21, 2007 7:36 AM
No you didn't have it coming. You may have been foolish to invest in the first place but you do NOT have to take this lying down. They stole your money -- plain and simple. Have you seen a lawyer? I'm fairly certain this shit is illegal.
Posted by
Vivianne Draper |
November 21, 2007 11:00 AM
oh and names. Name the name of everyone involved and the sims they own.
Posted by
Vivianne Draper |
November 21, 2007 11:01 AM
Like anything there are always two sides to every story...yadda yadda, 1) The person recieved there $500 us through paypal before he ever sent the notecard to you. 2) I am sure if you told the rest of the story you listed your SL stock for sale in the exchange and all your stock sold for what you listed it for.. with over 5 million ppl on second life I guess we are all bound to find someone who dilikes us and only tells half truths
Posted by
Stetson Rail |
November 21, 2007 12:56 PM
Scammers are undoubtedly even more rife in a virtual world than in real life, but that doesn't make dishonesty and stealing right or moral. Never will. I feel sorry for any victim of a scam, and I particularly hate this for you, Barb.
I hope in some small way telling your story helps you in your journey to brighter days. I think you are protecting others who may have been tempted to fall into a dishonest business deal with these people, and if you've saved anyone this grief, the more to your credit.
xoxox,
Loren
Posted by
Loren Fitzgerald |
November 21, 2007 2:17 PM
I think your Stetson and hilarious boots are on too tight. I was told by Stick Shu he didn't get the money from you. I think what I wrote was accurate. Not a half truth at all. And Stetson, honey sugar pie, you told me all I would get was what YOU told me to put the stock up for. Medical bills and looming mortgage have a way of making people do things. Not a half truth I wasn't paid back what I invested. So what half truths are there? Is that fact that you said your word is good which turned out to be total and utter horseshit a half truth? Is the fact that you didn't answer my IMs for WEEKS and lied about who you were half truths? Is it a half truth that I was the only one who receieved a money back guarantee but lost money a half truth? Is it a half truth that you told me you didn't have money to pay me back despite all your assets and now obvious cash to pay me? No no no no no no....no to all and every bit of horseturd that comes out of your mouth. Land Investment Income Fund is a group of players. Admitted people using shareholders and my money to play. That simple. Was I naive? Yes. Was I had by a group of people who think if they put in their profiles that they are honest and nice that it is so? Yes. Bottom line is you made a deal and you didn't hold it up. The most wonderful thing about all this is that you read this fashion blog though. I pray you learn from Fitzie man. Maybe with the 3000 US of my money you could buy some clothes.
Posted by
Barb |
November 21, 2007 2:17 PM
Oh and names
Stetson Rail of course. He has perfected the art of wallowing in the stuff so he actually believes the self inflated stool that emits from his buccal area.
Jedediah McDunnough. Told me, when I originally asked why would he would go IPO he said.... why risk my own money! Damn... hindsight slapped me on the hoochie coo again.
I'll leave Fayandria Foley out. She does whatever Jed says in terms of the business.
So really just those two. I'm glad I could allow them the turn on of playing CEO and C whatever O with my money.
The sims I know of are Andorra la Vella. Oh they had me develop this sim for them in the name of the business but then Stetson said it wasn't for the business. So throw in the 1 week of 20 hour days I spent on that lost to Aholes. It wasn't the most wonderful ever but oooomg they turned it into a nasty pink flamingo(only a touch better than a nasty pink dildo hovering at 50meters).
Andorra
Fayandria
Fluid
Whatever other sims they have purchased with that non existent money they have.
Posted by
Barb |
November 21, 2007 2:30 PM
Fitzie has gracefully informed me that blogspot has not put in my full name (and I have noticed we all have a first and last name Fitz thanks).
Barb Carson is the name. IM me any time. And if you are an attorney and want to provide pro bono ass kicking help I'd take it. Oh wait! The LIF boys refused that notecard asking for their contact information. Should have kept those cell phone numbers! Did you see hindsight! Oh...on the hoochi coo again.
Posted by
Barb |
November 21, 2007 3:00 PM
Barb you are and have been on my yahoo messenger ..umm if u wanted to contact me u could have used that.. and isn't it funny how this started out on top u were takin for 5000us and half way down u are now down to 3000..hell by the time this blog is over u would have made 5000.. so there ya have it
Posted by
stetson rail |
November 21, 2007 7:41 PM
Well where to begin with what's wrong with that half hearted comment Stetson.
Just because I'm on your Yahoo doesn't me you are on mine. I contacted you several times and you ignored me. My husband and SL partner talked to your "daughter" in IM giving you our phone number asking you to call. Jed was given it too. Cocky Dagger the ISE Chair urged you to enter mediation but he told me you both refused. Are you saying he is lying? So all that aside....
Consider this a point of contact Stetson. You agreed to take my stock in exchange for 5000 US dollars when I resigned. I contacted Cocky Dagger to get it done and he was waiting for you. You answered one IM about your ill father and said you'd pay me the next week. I was ...doh..head slap..understanding.
So let's recap. You promised to take my stock in exchange for 5000 US. You ignored me for weeks when I repeatedly asked to get the transaction done. I gave you phone numbers which you didn't use.
You refused mediation.
I'm happy to give you my address if I thought you'd send me a money order. But knowing how you change the ground rules after the game starts I won't hold my breath. I'll take private sims in transfer. We can discuss assets to transfer to take care of your obligation.
So what it seems you are saying Stetson is be happy I only got a little screwed? You're a liar. In real life, Second life whereever. The facts can't change. You're delusional interpretation does for sure.
I'll post a retraction about how dishonest you people at Land Investment Income Fund are when I see what you promised. But I've become fond of breathing.
Stick with that Elvis regurgitated Roy Rogers persona you have going. Just don't forget to keep chanting the mantra that gets you by "I am honest. I am good. I am honest." In your world obviously it's true if you keep saying it.
Barb Carson
sailing off licking her wounds no longer naive and hoping to be shocked by a money order or Linden deposit from Land Investment Income Fund.
Posted by
Barb |
November 21, 2007 10:07 PM
Do you hear that? It's Stetson claming up b/c he knows he has no ground to stand on. What a poor excuse for a person.
Posted by
Barb |
November 25, 2007 11:05 AM