The scammers are thick tonight

John Johnson

John Johnson

Gold Member
Feedback: +98 / =0 / -0
Joined
Feb 12, 1999
Messages
1,041
Just a heads up to everyone, and as you know the scammers seem to have proliferated here on the FS forums. I had a buyer tonight get scammed for $325 and after calling the scammers out in the FS thread, proceeded to have previous buyers being contacted for payments. Here's the thread, and yes, I went dark in calling them out for their crap behavior: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads...st-and-a-special-note-to-the-scammer.2010297/

I realize the whole feedback system wouldn't prevent this. Would it be possible to change the messaging system so that Gold and higher members can initiate a private message to Basic members to cut down on the scammers? As it stands, Basic members short of a "I'll take it" in the sales thread is the only way for them to contact a paying member. And that really opens them up to scams, unfortunately.

So the question is, how do we identify the scammers? Should we have a running thread of scammer emails and phone numbers, or is it all in vain if they're being spoofed?

What say ye, BF?
 
John Johnson said:
So the question is, how do we identify the scammers? Should we have a running thread of scammer emails and phone numbers, or is it all in vain if they're being spoofed?

What say ye, BF?
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Yes, absolutely we should have a thread where scamming assholes are outed. Shit’s getting far out of hand.

For now I’m only dealing through PMs. I made one exception lately, but I made sure the other party was fully vetted.

The buying/selling aspect of this site is f@cking broken with no feedback system. Period. That’s out in the open and obvious.
 
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AntDog said:
Yes, absolutely we should have a thread where scamming assholes are outed. Shit’s getting far out of hand.

For now I’m only dealing through PMs. I made one exception lately, but I made sure the other party was fully vetted.

The buying/selling aspect of this site is f@cking broken with no feedback system. Period. That’s out in the open and obvious.
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People are getting scammed via bogus emails, with the scammer pretending to be a seller and intercepting the payment, Feedback system would not prevent that.

I have not seen any increase in actual members ripping people off,

If dealing via email, the buyer must confirm that the person he is talking to is the actual seller. In every case I've looked into, there was no such confirmation. The victim blindly sent money to a person who said he was the seller.
 
knarfeng said:
People are getting scammed via bogus emails, with the scammer pretending to be a seller and intercepting the payment, Feedback system would not prevent that.

I have not seen any increase in actual members ripping people off,

If dealing via email, the buyer must confirm that the person he is talking to is the actual seller. In every case I've looked into, there was no such confirmation. The victim blindly sent money to a person who said he was the seller.
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That’s true, and one has to do one’s due diligence. But, at least feedback gives us a damn starting point.

Frank, I’m meaning no disrespect at all here to you or anybody else. I’m at as much of a loss as anybody. I’m just saying feedback would be very beneficial. Actually, it’s crucial.

I’ve worked with web developers that would’ve had a workaround for this feedback thing day one. They weren’t all the most scrupulous guys, but I’m sure they’d git r dun.
 
AntDog said:
That’s true, and one has to do one’s due diligence. But, at least feedback gives us a damn starting point.

Frank, I’m meaning no disrespect at all here to you or anybody else. I’m at as much of a loss as anybody. I’m just saying feedback would be very beneficial. Actually, it’s crucial.

I’ve worked with web developers that would’ve had a workaround for this feedback thing day one. They weren’t all the most scrupulous guys, but I’m sure they’d git r dun.
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You are missing my point.
Feedback validates members. The scammers are not members, so feedback does not help ID them.

Yes, I would like to see the FB system re-established, to give buyers and sellers some peace of mind. But it won't have any effect on scammers, because they are not selling members.
 
It’s simple just get a membership if you want to do knife deals. I’ve only ever communicated personal details through DM’s. The cost of a gold membership is pretty cheap compared to getting scammed 🤷
 
knarfeng said:
You are missing my point.
Feedback validates members. The scammers are not members, so feedback does not help ID them.

Yes, I would like to see the FB system re-established, to give buyers and sellers some peace of mind. But it won't have any effect on scammers, because they are not selling members.
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Point taken.

I guess people really need to stop posting their email addresses then? Failing that, they need to have concrete proof they’re dealing with the person they think they are. Like a photo of them holding the actual knife and a paper with the current date/time.

I don’t see how anybody receives an email and blindly sends money without knowing anything other than the person who sent the email knows what they wanted to buy.

I just do all deals via PM now with the exception i mentioned which I personally vetted through much effort.
 
knarfeng said:
You are missing my point.
Feedback validates members. The scammers are not members, so feedback does not help ID them.

Yes, I would like to see the FB system re-established, to give buyers and sellers some peace of mind. But it won't have any effect on scammers, because they are not selling members.
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Bingo. Feedback is just a convenient way to see who’s a member with a history.
 
To the online scammer.
You are a shoplifter. The dregs of criminal activity.
No talent like say, a pickpocket.
No imagination to engineer a real score.
Sitting in front of a screen pushing buttons, congratulating yourself on chump change. How embarrassing.
When you look in a mirror, do you see an evil genius, or the truth.
Whatever gains you count, pale in comparison to a proper life.
The sad truth is, you have lost and have yet to realize it.
 
The vast majority of problems would be avoided if folks would simply pay for a "Basic" membership which allows DMs between the seller and the prospective buyer.

It boggles the mind that folks are willing to put hundreds of dollars and more at risk to save ten bucks annually.

And no, neither Boru13 Boru13 , knarfeng knarfeng , rycen rycen or myself make a dime whether anyone chooses to do so or not. So we do not recommend doing so out of self-interest.

It's time for members to stop being penny wise and pound foolish. We cannot help prevent that.

Don't post your email online...and communicate directly with the seller via DM. It may not solve every problem, such as if the seller him or herself is actually a thief, or if their accounts were hacked. But that is a much smaller percentage of these cases. Then you should look for other telltale signs, such as a deal that is "too good to be true" or language which is clearly not indicative of being from the actual member based upon their prior posts.

It's up to you. But if you are unwilling to protect yourself, you really need to sit down and have a think. We can't protect you from yourself.
 
knarfeng said:
You are missing my point.
Feedback validates members. The scammers are not members, so feedback does not help ID them.

Yes, I would like to see the FB system re-established, to give buyers and sellers some peace of mind. But it won't have any effect on scammers, because they are not selling members.
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While I agree that they are not the member posting the sales thread, and feedback system would not prevent this, but how have you determined that they don't have any form of membership ?
A membership would not be needed, but that doesn't rule it out.
I am guessing they are using the search function to find the buyers email, but of course I could be wrong.
Also if you have a list of the names, is it short or long?
 
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Make payments via PayPal goods and services or through direct credit card payment and the problem goes away.

This nonsense started with the Federal government jumping into to steal from our transactions (taxing PayPal transactions). They have driven most into a virtual black market which enables the thieves.

N2s
 
How about a Pop-Up for Nonpaying Members when they enter the For Sale Forums- Telling them to remove their emails from any Posts, not send payment unless they verify the source, send payment via a secure method and recommending a Basic Membership.
 
braillediver said:
How about a Pop-Up for Nonpaying Members when they enter the For Sale Forums- Telling them to remove their emails from any Posts, not send payment unless they verify the source, send payment via a secure method and recommending a Basic Membership.
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Spark has posted bulletins and banners all over the place and folks just don't bother to read them. At some point, acting like an adult and taking fiscal responsibility is called for...or...just continue rolling the dice.

(There's also the matter of following the rules established by PayPal and / or other financial services, but I don't even want to go down that road at this juncture.)
 
I hate to see this continue but I agree with Blues that it’s got to be on the members to protect themselves. Communicate via PM or take your chances. I do not wish for more rules to be added to the forums. $10 Basic membership is an excellent investment towards protecting your transactions.
 
I have done both multiple trades and purchases in the last few months and each time I have temporarily posted my email in my post so I can be contacted directly. As soon as I am contacted I email back the seller or trader with a code word and ask him to post that code word as a new post. Once he does that I edit out my email contact info and this verifies to me that I am dealing with the original legit poster of the ad. Safe for both parties. YMMV.
 
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