During August / September a griefing object in the form of a “freebie gift” started circulating in-world. Called ”..::ExDepart::.. Gift Package 2012”, it is essentially a spoofing/griefing item which, when rezzed will create more items citing you as the owner, and attempt to pass them out.
Since it first appeared, the item has appeared in a number of variants, of which “-[L4L]- Gestures & Walkers (Freebies) <3” is one.
If you receive either item – do not rez it. Instead, file an abuse report, citing Governor Linden as the abuser, list any pertinent information on the object – and remember the person you received it from most likely did not create it, then delete it.
Similarly, if you receive any other item with a similar format of name, or which gives rise to suspicions on your part – particularly if the receipt of the item is unexpected – contact the person who sent it to you first and verify with them that they have legitimately sent you something before attempting to rez the item.
If you receive such an item and rez it, you will need to locate it and delete it – and you may find it has spawned several copies of itself. Typically, one rezzed, the item will move itself to around 4000m above ground, and will continue to spam you with items. To locate and delete the object(s):
- Check the incoming dialogue pop-ups associated with the incoming items. These should provide the co-ordinates where the item is located. Alternatively, decline the object’s offer, and the co-ordinates should be recorded in local chat.
- Position yourself on the ground using the X and Y coordinates for the object, then:
- Either fly up to the Z coordinate for the object, or
- Rez and cube, sit on it and use EDIT to elevate the cube to the Z coordinate, or
- If you have a viewer which supports command line instructions, use gtp x y z – replacing X, Y and Z with the object’s coordinates
- Once in the location, enable Beacons for Scripted Objects (CTRL-ALT-SHIFT-N). You should see a small box with crosshairs on the offending object
- Go to Edit and drag a selection box around the object to select it.
- Press Delete to remove the object.
Note there may be more than one copy of the object nearby, so you may have to repeat the steps above to remove all of them.
The use of the object is known to the Lab, with Simon Linden commenting at the Simulator User Group meeting on Tuesday 20th November that, “It’s pretty much an ugly social-engineering griefer ploy.”
Miro Collas, of the Phoenix / Firestorm team has put together detailed advice on the object and removing it on the Firestorm wiki, from which the instructions in this post have been drawn.
With thanks to Miro Collas and Whirly Fizzle.
Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld 
I encountered one of these L4L variants. Another thing it does is change its Z position each time it sends out its broadcast offer…so you may have to chase it down a couple of times.
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Thanks for that, Lindal!
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Another tip is to never rez an unknown object of any type outside of a no-script area, since you can at least examine the object (and see, presumably, there’s no freebies).
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Assuming the no script area has rezzing enabled :).
If you’re on your own parcel, an option is to turn scripting off, as someone reminded me on my.sl.com.
Failing the latter, I’d still tend to go with asking the apparent sender, tho. The clearest sign that something is amiss is when they reply, “No I didn’t”, or “Say whut?” If they are unsure, then it’s time to hunt down a no script area or take the safe route and say “bye-bye”.
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Thank you for the warning!
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Very helpful post, Inara – thank you!
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You’re welcome :). TBH, I’d missed this, but for it being raised at the Simulator UG meeting.
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I wouldn’t hesitate a bit to put a bullet in the head of the person who wrote/distributes this type of VW Malware. What I want to know is why neither Linden Lab nor the Firestorm team have developed an anti-malware solution and rapid response “team,” that identifies malware and immediately initiates a grid/client-wide blocking mechanism. I would also like to see Linden Lab publish the REAL/1st Life names, addresses, phone numbers and email addresses of those responsible for distributing this, so those of us who are both trained and motivated to deal with these types of people can make sure they never perpetrate this again!
**Edited due to language content**
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I don’t have many rules for this blog, and prefer to keep comments free from moderation to encourage discussion – but I do request that people exercise retraint in their use of language because I’m aware that this blog is read by a wide cross-section of the community; plus profanity really isn’t required to make a point. To this end, please excuse the fact that I have moderated your post to remove the three colourful metphors.
I’m also unsure about the meaning of your last remark, but coupled with the demand for LL to release personal data on the perpetrators, it runs close to reading as a threat of physical or other violence against those concerned. Forgive me if that is not your intent in commenting. However, if it is indeed your meaning, then with respect it demonstrates precisely why LL should not and will not reveal personal information relating to their users.
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Yes do not Rez the object, also expect the object names to be changed at any time. With LSL scripting its possible to even give out Legit Freebies, and script a hidden object on them that is activated by a web server or email/shout command, and cause your avatar to start griefing the simulators done correctly you could hit over 1000 sims at the same time if lots of people are wearing it all over the place.
I have not seen this type of massive attack yet, but I would be careful for any object you Rez including not Rez these in world because it will make you look guilty like you are the griefer, and could get you banned from many places, or your name ruined as a griefer.
I saw a similar attack like this this year with an object spammed all over the sandbox’s created by Synphony Vayandar giving out a bunch of stolen content to a bunch of residents and then if they rez it it would start spamming others with the same stolen content. Of course this person and the owner of their estates accused me of being behind it and tried to get me thrown off of SL again but at least all the people who I know who count know this griefer, and her friends are from KingGoon.
* They claim it wasn’t them of course it is always It wasn’t me. Okay sometimes this is true, but then again if they were telling me the truth why did they attack me with foul language, Ban me from 11 sims to keep me from seeing the griefing, and spam my email from their simulator with LSL script spam objects to send me offline IM’s and keep me from file abuse reports on the persons doing this with objects from their Estates.* Also how convinent how all the griefing stop as soon as I was banned from all 11 sims or shortly after proves my point. * You can claim how much you were spoofed, I know spoofing is possible but I won’t believe you for all the lies and grief you have caused.* I know people who have actually been griefed, but I know who is lie who isn’t.*
Also on a reminder I would like to tell everyone watch out for Share Vendors you buy off the market place because they can be rigged to steal all the L$ in your account, and in general make sure your vendors are up to date, and secured from all known exploits. I know for sure that Casper Vend is a good system I haven’t used it myself but I know its not exploitable by the 0 L$ spam debit permission exploit.
This goes for any system because they can steal your money, and there isn’t anything LL will do likely.
** Another Suggestion to everyone**
Do not support griefers, or Botters on your sims or Estates, I have to say this because this is the reason Botting, and griefers are still around in Second Life. While I know there are a lot of people in SL that do not support it there are communites like NoR, and split communities in GOR, and BloodLines that do nothing about it or just don’t care. Ive played in all of them during a period in Second Life and seen the individuals and groups related to one another alliance who permit griefing, and bots. I know that for example the Creator OF Bloodlines, the GM meter, and popular places like GOR Hub do not support griefing, but those who are not giving a damn are the ones making the community as a whole look very bad.
*** With this said***
If you see people griefing claiming to be my alt, or My account chances are it isn’t me this started awhile back in 2011, and continued a bit in 2012 by griefers who came from a griefer community and I have snapshots, and logs to back it up. I knew of the people donig this and the griefer community they come from, I also know that there have been (Four) Merchants in Second Life who believe these griefers, have helped them in the past trying to get me banned from SL, I know your names, and your friends, with this said I hope you have learned from your mistakes because next time I will not be so forgiving when you draw first blood on me.
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how do I get rid of the 500+ boxes that have taken over my land ? I can’t find them
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It now has changed. You can’t use local chat to locate it. I recvieve this one at Bama country saloopm if stated it was Bama Gestures I need help to locate and delete. Seems only thing to do is delete avatar
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