You know...I've just had a potentially controversial idea. Maybe it's been suggested before, but here goes.
See, when people come here to complain about getting ripped off and venting their frustrations, other people who don't read the post (i.e. b/c they are on vacation, or have not become BF members yet, etc.) never get to find out. In addition, posts are an inefficient and ineffective way to inform people of bad dealers/sellers, since they tend to get lost in the shuffle after a week or so. Thus, the bad apple always has the possibility to strike again successfully and to keep ripping people off.
I suggest to start a mechanism at BF where moderators or other people in control here can post a list of bad dealers/sellers. I mean, the really serious and documented cases where there is no doubt that the person in question was ripped off. If any dealers or sellers feel that they have been unjustly put on that list, then they can take their case up with whoever handles the list.
The list, of course, would be a permanent feature so anybody can access it anytime. Maybe this is a horrible idea, and of course I'm acting out mostly on instinct without refining it and thinking about important consequences, but I just felt inspired to try to help out these people. I try to put myself in their shoes and it would also feel horrible if I sent a M.O. for a substantial amount, only to be ripped off. Although you might argue that there are ways to trace the M.O. or catch the crook, it really comes at a big price as it takes time and patience to do this, not to mention the emotional stress that the victim has to go through. And, of course, the probability of failing to catch the crook is high.
I understand that privacy is something held dear by everyone, but when you commit illegal acts, you really give up that right and must face the consequences. If you feel unjustly accused, defend yourself. If anything, the moderators and other people placed in charge will act as a buffer to sort out good claims from bad ones, and will also count on a mechanism to reverse their decision to post on the list. Another plus to this system is the fact that legitimate dealers tend to be well-known throughout the forums, so if somebody would post a bogus claim, it should be easily identified as such and discarded. This has happened numerous times with great results.
Well, there you have a VERY rough sketch. Hopefully people will contribute to this idea and build something that can benefit the consumer/customer.
Just a suggestion. CONSTRUCTIVE comments are welcomed, flames ARE NOT.
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-It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a Grue.
See, when people come here to complain about getting ripped off and venting their frustrations, other people who don't read the post (i.e. b/c they are on vacation, or have not become BF members yet, etc.) never get to find out. In addition, posts are an inefficient and ineffective way to inform people of bad dealers/sellers, since they tend to get lost in the shuffle after a week or so. Thus, the bad apple always has the possibility to strike again successfully and to keep ripping people off.
I suggest to start a mechanism at BF where moderators or other people in control here can post a list of bad dealers/sellers. I mean, the really serious and documented cases where there is no doubt that the person in question was ripped off. If any dealers or sellers feel that they have been unjustly put on that list, then they can take their case up with whoever handles the list.
The list, of course, would be a permanent feature so anybody can access it anytime. Maybe this is a horrible idea, and of course I'm acting out mostly on instinct without refining it and thinking about important consequences, but I just felt inspired to try to help out these people. I try to put myself in their shoes and it would also feel horrible if I sent a M.O. for a substantial amount, only to be ripped off. Although you might argue that there are ways to trace the M.O. or catch the crook, it really comes at a big price as it takes time and patience to do this, not to mention the emotional stress that the victim has to go through. And, of course, the probability of failing to catch the crook is high.
I understand that privacy is something held dear by everyone, but when you commit illegal acts, you really give up that right and must face the consequences. If you feel unjustly accused, defend yourself. If anything, the moderators and other people placed in charge will act as a buffer to sort out good claims from bad ones, and will also count on a mechanism to reverse their decision to post on the list. Another plus to this system is the fact that legitimate dealers tend to be well-known throughout the forums, so if somebody would post a bogus claim, it should be easily identified as such and discarded. This has happened numerous times with great results.
Well, there you have a VERY rough sketch. Hopefully people will contribute to this idea and build something that can benefit the consumer/customer.
Just a suggestion. CONSTRUCTIVE comments are welcomed, flames ARE NOT.
------------------
-It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a Grue.
