Macky got their homepage at Neopets.com


	This page was initially created only to inform the public about Auto Adopters, realizing how many users it was reaching, I decided to add some definitions and tips regarding account protection and hacks. This section has now become a bit extensive ever since the Cookie Grabber hysteria... First and foremost, a few definitions: Cookie definition: small data file that contains your information/preferences from sites you visit neopet.relation: stores your information such as username and word notes: deleting cookies logs you out of all accounts on all sites on that browser Cookie Grabber (CG) definition: program/script that tricks your browser into sending a cheater your cookies neopet.relation: scammers try to make you visit their sites that contain cookie grabbers notes: cookies are not shared by browsers example: You use Firefox to browse only on Neopets and Internet Explorer to browse other sites. If you visit a site with a cookie grabber on it in Internet Explorer, only the IE cookies will be grabbed, not your Firefox cookies. see Cookie Grabbers Extended for more info on CGs Trojan definition: program that seems legit, but internally programmed to disrupt/damage computer activity neopet.relation: see backdoor Trojan Backdoor Trojan definition: program used by a hacker to take control over your computer via the internet neopet.relation: can do whatever he wants in your account note: much more dangerous than a cookie grabber. Once this program is installed, the hacker has access to everything on your computer through the internet. This is when you'd have to consult with antivirus sites, not TNT. Keylogger definition: captures user's keystrokes. used to determine errors in computer systems neopet.relation: cheaters use it to record what you type, most importantly your username and word Hacker definition: one who uses programs to gain access to your computer note: many hackers are kids who think installing these programs on your computers are fun. Its illegal but many do not understand this and had to find out the hard way. Not by getting their 3675th Neopet account iced but their families being banned from internet providers like Comcast and receiving fines, which their parents have to pay for. Anti-Virus & Spyware Programs The following programs are what I consider to be "must haves" for anyone that cares about their computer's protection. These can all be conveniently found at Download.com. It is a completely safe site. Anti-Virus Avast Home Edition 4.6- I highly recommend this anti-virus program as it is one of the highest rated programs on the market as of now, but also is FREE. It scans your computer for viruses, worms, and Trojan horses but also has real-time protection, meaning as soon as it detects a new problem with your computer, you will be alerted. Did I mention this was free? Spyware Removal Spybot- This is a FREE removal program that will scan your computer for spyware such as keyloggers and cookie grabbers. There are many different types of spyware, some are harmless, however, they should not be on your computer, especially if they were from a hacker. Ad Aware- Another FREE spyware removal program that has recently surpassed Spybot in popularity. I personally suggest downloading both because one may find something the other did not. I use these three programs and highly recommend them. You do not have to pay to have your computer protected, so take advantage. Tips Do not scan your computer with different programs at the same time Recommended not to use your computer while a program is scanning The first time you use a program, do a thorough scan instead of the quick/smart scan If you visit many different sites, I suggest thorough scans every couple of days, quick scan whenever you don't do a thorough. If you primarily browse on Neopets, I suggest quick scans every few days, thorough scan once a week Length of thorough scan depends on your computer (esp. hard drive size) so I recommend thorough scanning when you will not need to use the computer in at least an hour. I usually thorough scan when watching a movie, getting dinner, etc. Basically, a time when I will not be on the computer but will be around to check up on it. Before you scan, update the program so it has it's latest definition file because they may not find the newest forms of spyware if not updated Update! Whenever a new update is found for a spyware/anti-virus program, update immediately. I know "Remind me later" seems convenient but many get into the habit of choosing it every time! Dagnabbit. Can't Believe they Grabbed it. ( '_';) So someone had the munchies and stole your cookies? Are you sure? Alright, maybe someone got into your account but are you sure it was from an on site cookie grabber.. because it probably wasn't. Do you know what a cookie grabber looks like? There are many people who have no idea what a CG looks like, or what it actually does. Therefore, do not know the proper way to protect their computers. A cookie grabber is typically a blank popup that will appear and close quickly. When it is opened, it tricks your browser into thinking you are visiting neopets.com, so your browser sends your cookie to it. This is how it works offsite too. If you opened a cookie, you'd see nothing but strange code. The hacker only needs to replace his cookie file with yours and BAM, he's in your account. But hold on, the hacker needs to do this manually. So if you quickly change your word, you have nothing to fear. Log out=deletes your login cookie. They are the same thing. That is what logging out does, it deletes your cookie so neopets.com no longer remembers you. Did you forget what cookies do? Here's a reminder: Cookies are the files that remember your information. If logging out deletes the cookie, why bother change my word? If you have already been CG'd, the hacker has your word. However, he will only have the word you currently had when you visited the page. So if you word was "baNaNabL1zxkh" and you were CG'd, the hacker would have your username and "baNaNabL1zxkh" stored in the program. So lets say you realized that you were CG'd.. your account won't be stolen until the hacker sits down and does it himself. After you've been CG'd, you quickly change your word then log out (which deletes your old word cookie). When you relogin, this creates a new cookie but with your new word. So when that hacker is done on the toilet and comes to see what new cookies he has, yours will not work for him. He can either replace his cookie with your cookie, in which case, he would never actually know your word. OR he can import the cookie into a program that will decode the cookie language, spitting out a username and word. So when he puts in your username and "baNaNabL1zxkh", he will get a friendly message saying That username/word combination is invalid. Either click here to log in as a different user or sign up and get an account at our signup page. On a side note, what annoys me most are people who create topics about CGs that have no good news or protection tips to offer. These type of topics create panic and spread rumors. People should be making topics about how to protect your computer from malicious scripts and programs, not how to have less fun on Neopets. Telling everyone not to view lookups, pet's pages, shops etc is paranoia, not protection. You might as well disconnect your LAN cable and not explore the internet if that's how you protect yourself from malicious scripts and programs. Also, there are those who say they are protected by the best programs but still avoid lookups, pet's pages and shops? Can someone please explain the intelligence in this? That is right. There isn't any. Another "solution" which has the right idea but is totally blown out of proportion is "deleting all cookies." Cookies are not created by hackers, they are helpful tools on the internet that make browsing easier for you. However, hackers take advantage of them. A cookie grabber only steals one cookie, so why are you deleting all your cookies? You just logged yourself out of every account you own on the internet! Yes, seriously. When you log into a site, that creates a new cookie. Do you understand why I say deleting cookies is useless? As soon as you sign back in, Neopets.com creates another cookie for you, because that is what logging in does. Period. I'm not suggesting, I am telling you, protecting your computer overrules deleting cookies and is the way to fight this issue. When a keylogger is installed on your computer, it doesn't matter how many times you change your word because the information is sent back to the hacker. Its even easier for them through people who are always connected to the internet. Again, which is why you must equip your computer with powerful spyware removal and anti-virus programs. If they install one of the keyloggers or trojans on your computer, hack your account then take all your stuff, they could do it again, repeatedly. They could wait for you to rebuild a new account, make a couple million and hack you, again. You know why? Because that illegal program is still installed on your computer. They could also steal a bit of NP time to time.. an item here and there. Even if you do realize its going on but have no protection programs to delete the malware, what can you do? Nothing. In 2004, I noticed neopoints missing from my bank account every week. I reported it.. changed my word, deleted cookies, scanned my computer.. I'm not even going to say what help I got from the boards.. ok, fine, since you asked: I told people about this, usually once a week on the boards about it.. people started saying.. why do I always complain? Do you believe that? Of course you do because there are so many rude players. What I did not do however, was update my programs. I used to sit back and click "remind me later" when there was an update. This is why the scanning could not find this malicious program on my computer giving access to the hacker whenever he pleased. A minimum of 300k to 1 million neopoints were stolen at a time. Fortunately, the person doing this wasn't as mindless as many other hackers. Instead of just stealing my stuff, he stayed there and grabbed neopoints as I made them. I realized my problem was that I wasn't updating my programs but I researched so much that I learned about all these other malicious programs. And I don't mean I sat one afternoon and read about bad programs, this was weeks of reading and re-reading because I knew I wanted to take this program off but also learn how to protect myself even better. So I updated my program and guess what I found.. a keylogger.Neopets.com is a fun site"- Captain Obvious, Daily Bugle, but it is also a business. If new players signed up for Neopets and let's say, TNT posts on the News "Alright everyone, the cookie grabber issue has been dealt with"... new players are going to say "whoa whoa whoa, hold the phone, cookie grabbers? I am not joining Neopets.com to get hacked and I'm going to tell all my friends not to join this hacked site." Thats just an answer to those that wonder why TNT doesn't so I recommend protecting your computers, update your programs and get on with your Neopian life. Another small announcement: Stop calling cheaters' by their names. I can't stand seeing people say "SO & SO has hacked whoever." He's a cheater. She's a cheater. They are cheaters. That's their name and nothing else. They do not deserve our respect by calling them by their names. Its disgusting and only pushes them to do more. I almost laughed at some people in the Battledome chat who said "cheater can't be hacking right now, he's on vacation in Florida," but I felt sorry for them. Example: Lets say you are incredibly proud of your lookup and want everyone to see it. But no one calls you by your username, they call you a generic term, "neopian." So on the boards people are saying "Hey, neopian has a great lookup!"..which neopian? Wouldn't you feel disrespected? You did all that work and no one even cares that YOU did it? You want people to say "#visitor made that awesome lookup!" because then you will get credit and people compliment YOU. Now apply this to cheaters.

The Auto Adopter story
Prequel Pound sitter
status: legal
definition: one who competes to adopt a painted pet at the Neopian Adoption Centre
synonyms: pound sniper
reversed: rettis dnoup

Auto Adopter
status: criminal
definition: one who uses illegal programs to capture painted/avatar pets
synonyms: autofresher (AFer), auto adopter (AAs)
reversed: rettisotua

Many of us use the pound to transfer our avatar pets. We have space for four pets and there are more than four avatar pets. Therefore, most of us leave our avatar pets on storage accounts since we're allowed to have five accounts total; However, the only way to do this is by transferring. We are provoked into transferring.

Goal: Acquire pet avatars
Result: Spend neopoints on avatar pets, which we transfer after since we had to use our hard earned NP to create them

Haven't met many using a single pet to obtain all pet avatars. (Remorphing and Re-painting) That is a waste of neopoints, not to mention there is a high probability that you will need a certain pet again.

Many people work hard and create their own avatar pets. However, they must spend NP to morph/paint/add petpets, therefore, do not want to give that pet up once it spits out its avatar.

...you cannot charge people to adopt a pet you have nursed, nor can you ensure a particular Neopet will go to a certain person. As soon as a Neopet is placed in the pound it is available for anybody to adopt." -The Neopets Team

This in not encouraged by TNT because once your pet is in the pound, its up for grabs by anyone and people complain if they lose it. You risk it, so be it. However, the pound absolutely is not fair game when there are cheaters. Like criminals, there are people who can't make it on their own legitimately, so they do it illegally. Don't throw your beer bellies around saying "Well, you should have known the consequences."

Similar to the auto purchasing of items in the shops, there are sad, lonely, bad Neopians who refresh your pets' adopt links. Fact.

..but.. but I use the quick adopt link to transfer my pets too, Mr. Sin, am I a bad neopian too?

Please, let me finish. They do not sit at their computers hitting Refresh, do ABers do that? Certainly not. Fact: There are programs in which an URL(s) can be refreshed continuously. Autofreshers. Cheaters use these programs to refresh pets' adopt links.

So, how exactly do you know this?

Like I explained before, people move their avatar pets to their storage accounts. Aug 8th: Blumaroo Day. Avatar: Blumaroo- Fire!. My girlfriend had a pet with aged Ghoti on it, therefore, we made it a Blumaroo then painted it and the Ghoti, fire. We now had our avatars. I did not want to keep our Fire Blumaroo with Fire Ghoti on my main, it was not my wish to own on e. And he was not free, by a long shot, so I was not going to pound him. Cheaters know this and pounce on you when you decide to take them off your main.

I've been playing for years and know very well how to move pets easily through the pound, as do other veteran players. My record for losing pets in the pound, before my girlfriend's Fire Blumaroo, was an unbelievably low zero. When I lost our pet (not recent, no need to console me), I knew something was wrong. Twas the early hours of the morning, when most of you are asleep and there was no lag during the transfer. No pound sitter could have clicked faster than someone button mashing F5 (refresh). There are a number of handicaps a legit pound sitter has versus a quick adopt link user:

(I actually had to add in this table because some people still like to argue that Pound sitters are faster than the Quick adopt link. Of course, there are rare occasions where the QAL user might break his finger when button mashing F5 leaving the pet open to Pound sitters. :o )

Back to my story, I looked at this user who "adopted" our pet. A side account. Go figure. I neomailed him and he did not reply until the next day. (He used a program, so he wasn't there to reply minutes after adopting.) So the next day, he said he was a pound sitter, but I did not believe him purely because of the facts I stated above; I knew there was no possibility a human being just clicked several links in that millisecond where F5 wasn't pushed down. He probably thought I was going to say "d4rn, i new i shudnt hav transfured" because I have no idea who he thought he was fooling.

My Plan pretty much had an A and B.
A: Maturely convince him to give it back
B: Continue talking to him so he doesn't transfer the pet and buy TNT time to freeze the account, then provide TNT with evidence that the Blumaroo was ours with screenies and dates.

So I watched this account, no harm in that.. the next day he had another avatar pet. Day after, another. Now for all you pound sitters out there, how often to you actually see and adopt a pricy pet in the pound? Not often, if ever right? And when I mean pricy, I mean over 1 million neopoints to paint. (Pirate, Maraquan, Grey etc) So he then transferred one to another side account, which had three other avatar pets on it. So I copied the names of those pets and waited for him to transfer another which he did. I did this for three weeks. Let me tell you, he has a lot of accounts and uses the same lookup code for most. More than 5 had the same lookup code

I continued speaking with him through Neomail and I'm not gullible. He told me he didn't play much. So, wait a minute.. when he actually did play, he sat in the pound refreshing and had over 15 pricy pets ALL on side accounts? Excuse my chatspeak but ROFLMAO. (Boy, haven't used that one in years!) I've tried pound sitting for a couple days only to see what its like, and its boring, might I add, I saw not a single painted pet, but this guy (who didn't play much) could get two and three a day. To get an awesome pet in the pound is one thing, but several everyday?

Frightening, huh? When I had enough information, I made it known publicly that I knew what was going on and as a result, met owners of some of the other pets on these accounts. The cheater's reaction: He made a desperate rush to the Avatar/Signatures board and created a topic about pounding a Fire Blumaroo. Why would he do that? He obviously lied about being a pound sitter. Is it just me, or when you hear this, you totally think of a criminal, being chased by the authorities, so he tries to ditch the evidence? Neopets is just a game, but funny how many aspects of it can resemble real life.

This obvious display of guilt by the cheater was almost amusing to watch besides the fact that hundreds of vicious ACers were going to massacre our poor Blumaroo in the pound. You could only imagine how fast that board moved.. so I didn't even bother attempting to tell everyone on the board what that pet was a victim of. As if they'd believe me there anyway, right? It was the AC.

I won't get into where he ended up because it is not relevant to the issue at hand, but as a memorial, will say my girlfriend put much time training him, and we put many neopoints into making him an avatar pet. What is more important? Helping fellow Neopians or selfish greed? More importantly, profiting off a cheater is not the way to go.

Why am I telling you this? It was brought to my attention by a friend, that someone had lost his draik. Most of the uncaring people reading this are probably saying "Big deal, he should have known the consequences."

Well, I checked out the new owner's lookup.. side account. Four draiks. Remember how I said the other cheater had repeats of avatar pets? Well, guess what was the most recent pet avatar of the time.

Hatched. Meaning, cheaters were on a frenzy at the boards looking for people with Draiks. I'm not superman and cannot track them all down but they are here, and they are taking advantage because no one knows. Many people just go "Darn! Lost my pet!" *cry to AC*

You post on the boards with a Draik on your account, you're provoking cheaters to autofresh him, because they now see the name of the Draik, and add it to their list in their program.
I took the time to write this to make you aware. The cheater who stole our Fire Blumaroo has had three, probably more, of his pound accounts frozen so far. I reported him and all these accounts in great detail through premium. There was no way I was mistaken. He was a cheater. Like I said earlier, I know how to use the pound and when my pet was stolen, I was shocked since there was absolutely no lag at 3am and I have a great connection. There was no way I was going to sit back and say, "ohemgee 1ost meh pet 2 a poudnsiter."

I did not create this page for people to console me about our Blumaroo. I have my main pets which will never be pounded because I'm positive they are all probably being targeted right now.

Don't lend pets that have emotional value to you.

This page was made to help you. So that you know that this is going on.

I spent quite some time updating, hope you understand I just want this type of cheating to be as widely known as ABing is. Recently, I came across people arguing whether this is true or not. I'll make it known that I have seen sites and know of programs that can do this, but ABSOLUTELY will not post them here nor tell people where they can see them because I do not want more people auto adopting. Have you seen the "restockers" ABing program? Probably not. Do you need proof to know that its real?..

I did a lot of investigating before reporting this cheater. However, most people lose their pets to legit pound sitters.