First an intro, then my issue @ begging:
My server (Altar of Storms, US PvP, released May 18, 2006) was dying. At one point it was a thriving new server. However, like most new servers, three months in the first hardcore guild killed Nef, and then suddenly a new batch of servers was released and half of population was somehow tired at this old (very old- 3 months) server and thought it was time for a fresh start.
Anyway - a few key players left, and chaos followed. There was a mass exodous that took it from a high pop server to a very-low-pop.
This lead to a DEAD server - the kind where it is nearly impossible to sell anything on the AH because there are just too few people to buy it. Combine the low-pop w/ most of the server being L60 and you have a very slow economy.
Anyway ...
Then Blizzard did something about it. At the same time as they put ads on TV, they made AoS a "Recommended" server- meaning random newbies who asked WoW to choose a server for them were sent to our realm.
About a month has passed and we are not a medium population server with a relatively rich economy again. In many ways, life is good.
However -
I am not sure what it is about this new batch of players but I am getting begged ALL THE TIME. It honestly happens 2-3 times during every session I play.
Often they open trade and THEN ask for money. Other times, they send me tells like:
beggar: Excuse me. Are you a nice person?
me: Yes.
beggar: Then give me 1g plz plz
me: No.
beggar: plz !
Another time:
/beggar opens trade
beggar: money pls!
me: no
beggar: /spit
It's endless. People generally ranging in level from 10 to 30 just running around begging. I've had people literally follow me around asking me "why not you're 60 you have money."
What is behind this trend? I'm not sure. Maybe people who choose thier games from TV commercials are more likely to be the kind of people who have an affinity for begging. Maybe someone made a money making guide that said "the best way to make money is to ask other people for it! L60s have lots of money and they love giving it away!"
I don't know.
What I do know is that I remember most of the names when I see them. When/if they reach 60, they won't be welcome in any of my circles. I don't think people realize that if you get a reputation as a beggar (aka loser) on a medium sized server w/ only a couple thousand active players, people are going to remember and eventually your pathetic excuse for gameplay will come back and bite you in the *** when you can't find a good group for anything meaningful @ 60.