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That "too easy to scam" explanation is something quite strange.
I think I've also seen an explanation that something "X" is not allowed because EMC staff could not "protect" people when doing "X", because of lack of time or for whatever other reason. This would be typical kindergarten mentality (kindergarten teacher style).
The feigned "protection" of people on EMC (from themselves!) is for the most part something rather different.
I don't see where or how that could be beneficial to EMC and the development of the community.

Insurance companies and banks are a scam in real life already, but they have been integrated in the system, so we are forced to enslave ourselfs to them by law. I agree with Alex, I'm not saying that those who want to found them have bad intentions, but we are talking about something that is in itself a fraud, because the way they work could easily turn into actual scamming.

It's a good thing that they are not allowed, whatever are the reasons for it.

Ninja's idea comes out of solidarity and it is not about profiting, there's no need to ruin it turning into some obscure business.

I beg to differ. Banks are a safe way to store money, and give us access to beneficial financial products. Insurance helps take care of us when things go wrong.

Both can be abused, but both are useful and essential.

Banks and insurances are not a problem per se.
The problem is the monetary politics and what people make of them.
Nothing forces you to use any financial product besides a simple bank account.
The obligatory insurances (like car insurance) are controlled by law,
there is a number of companies and it's quite fair.

On EMC, in this unburdened vritual world, I see a chance for
(younger) people to try and show that we can do it much better
than what out grandfathers and fathers did in RL. Can we?

PS: Unfortunately, EMC has one of the worst monetary politics known,
with supporter classes and excessive emission of free rupees.
Starting from this point, I think we can only make it better.

How did you calculate that?

That's one way to define them, yes.

I think we have enough proof of the wrong doing that people are capable of in this virtual world even if they don't profit on it.

I didn't mean to start a discussion about what banks -and insurance companies- are, no matter how interesting it could be, but it would be very offtopic, so forgive me if I don't give you a longer answer about the points you guys have made. We have very different views on it anyway, so we wouldn't reach a conclusion.

You must have forgot you sold them

• Mods don't have enough time to keep track of rupees, pm's (which only snr. staff+ can read) and businesses that offer insurance/financial services
• Unlike in real life we don't have policies put forward by the "government" to protect the users of the servers and the businesses
• Companies like this have 1000's of staff and quite a few of them dedicated to find out whether or not a claim is legit
• EMC isn't really on the level nor does it have the right platform and stability to cater for these types of companies.

These are a few reasons I can think of but contact ICC and he'll let you know why.

I learned that they can only read PM's if added directly. Some privacy issue or another

Oh no, I mean in-game

Guys, I don't and never plan to make this a for-profit system. Not everything needs to be made money off of. Not saying making rupees isn't fun, but I would much rather continue helping the community and keeping this completely non-profit. I won't allow the griefers to win.

For some reason, I noticed this thread turned from a thread about helping the griefed to a thread about people talking about money and scamming...

They don't need to. It would be insane (in multiple aspects) to even attempt to control and paternalise members and the community. I'm quite sure the vast majority of the members don't want to be treated like kids in kindergarten.

Basic policies are there: don't grief, don't steal, don't be rude. That's a good foundation, that's basically enough.
More complex policies? Probably not needed. And one can not and should not expect that from the service provider - Kalland Labs and staff. But a 5,000 - 6,000 strong community can organize itself.

To serve millions of accounts. We don't need that here.
A group of, say 100 members can found a mutual insurance when they trust each other enough.
As it was done IRL in the past. No big deal.

I don't think catering is needed.
The community can provide for all its needs that go further than keeping the basic EMC rules itself.

Sounds like a great idea. Ill join you in this insurance company venture.

You're making a first step in the right direction.
Obviously, your help is (and will be) very much appreciated, but it is limited.
What I hope will happen is that people will recognize (more then they do now) the merit of helping each other after attack from griefers and thieves.
That's the basic idea behind a mutual insurance.

Ahaha okay. Well I won't get it into anymore detail as these reasons just popped into my head and might be completely false.

Banks/insurance companies still aren't allowed though, sorry.

I was not able to find that in the guide (?)
Can you provide a link?

Actually, no one can forbid people to organize mutual help. Or meet and organize in a different way.
(Except perhaps in North Korea and some other brain-damaged countries.)
That would be illegal even in Texas. I think that should be common sense.

Even if it is legal in Texas to arbitrary restrict communication on a publicly available service,
it is only that - it would only be about advertising it on the EMC forum.

Can't think of anywhere that it might be at the moment, it's not in the guide. I'm 100% sure that banks aren't allowed which most likely means that insurance companies aren't either.

I think you should reword that into "most likely aren't allowed to be advertised in the forum."
Because it would be illegal to "forbid" people to organize and make contracts. Can't do that.

BTW, even if it is legal in Texas to restrict communication (...), it is NOT legal in most of e.g. European countries. And there's a good reason for it.

No idea about the legal stuff, I just know that you can't do it lol.