Scammer Prevention, My way of Not Getting Burned

A lot of us old timers (some of the safest buyers and sellers) going back to the Old Yellow are not and do not care to be technologically advanced enough to use live video-just sayin’. At 64 years old with no children or family I have zero need to learn live chat, certainly not to sell something for 1/2 of what I paid for it.

I'm thinking you'd feel different if you were female. Invariably there will be the pervert that gets naked as soon as you start chatting. That and demands to show your t*its, etc.

I do appreciate your creativity though. It's sad that many of us have fallen victim to these scammers.

That's a great idea. Its not hard to figure out how to use zoom and if you can't figure that out, you're not trying hard enough. As for you being a women, you could a ask your significant other or a friend to join you. So it doesn't get weird. 

A lot of us old timers (some of the safest buyers and sellers) going back to the Old Yellow are not and do not care to be technologically advanced enough to use live video-just sayin’. At 64 years old with no children or family I have zero need to learn live chat, certainly not to sell something for 1/2 of what I paid for it.

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+1 I don't do Facebook, PayPal, Twitter, etc., etc., etc. 

What's worked for me is just looking at their forum history. Seeing if they have sold items before, and then if they have positive feedback.

Also how long they have been a forum member.

It seems the WTB listings tend to draw these scammers out like moths to a flame.

The last WTB I did I still have people sending me bs pm's, matter of fact I just got one from someone who joined the forum today, yet is responding to a listing I placed over a month ago, now really who is going through classified listings that far back on day 1?

If I know how much I'm willing to pay for any said item, there really isn't a whole lot of conversation, given the listing is priced accordingly.

And as long as the buyer is covering shipping, I have no problem with paying the 3%, friends & family is just for sending $$ to friends and family, PayPal couldn't explain it any better, so if you're paying for goods and services, do just that.

A lot of us old timers (some of the safest buyers and sellers) going back to the Old Yellow are not and do not care to be technologically advanced enough to use live video-just sayin’. At 64 years old with no children or family I have zero need to learn live chat, certainly not to sell something for 1/2 of what I paid for it.

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+1 I don't do Facebook, PayPal, Twitter, etc., etc., etc.

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+1+1 just started using PayPal again only because everyone demands it here!

Another way to ensure a little less scammers is to make the "Member Classifieds" page invisible to none member.

To see " Member Classifieds" or to use PM, member need to be at least 10 post. 

Just my $.02

"A lot of us old timers (some of the safest buyers and sellers) going back to the Old Yellow are not and do not care to be technologically advanced enough to use live video-just sayin’. At 64 years old with no children or family I have zero need to learn live chat, certainly not to sell something for 1/2 of what I paid for it."

+1+1+1!

Furthermore, I feel about that probably somewhat similar to how you'd feel if we were negotiating and I said, "Don't you know who I am?"  

While video-chats are a nice idea, that won't work for everybody..
Ex: Me. The very first thing I do when I get my computers is 'disable the camera and microphone'. 
The same goes for my cellphones - I go through and make sure my 'mic' isn't "allowed" for apps. 
I'm not even wearing my tin foil hat right now, I'm just speaking 100% facts.. 
People / Companies / Govt' can and do tap into our cams and mics. 
They can claim it's to help with targeting advertising, ease of searches, and so on.. 
I don't care. "spying" isn't something that I tolerate. It's invasion of privacy, and that's that. 

As for proving that I'm not a 'scammer' - It's way too easy.. 
I've been on the internet since the beginning, and all of my accounts/forums/sites/etc. 
use the same Username and info. It's available publicly, and also always happily provided.

Before I shut up..  
Years ago, my dad was in the market for a zero turn lawn mower.. And they're Expensive.. 
After a few hours of searching around, we stumbled across a Very Legitimate looking site.. 
They offered decent pricing, service, warranty, sales to the public and discounts for commercial.. 
They offered discounts on orders as well as shipping if/when multiple items were purchased.. 
After e-mails, a call, etc. Dad placed an order.. for TWO zero turns. 1 to keep / 1 to sell.. 
We figured he could flip one to make a few hundred bucks - to help him recupe some initial costs.. 
Long story short.. He went the safe route, and did a Bank Money Order / Electronic Fund Transfer 
after the bank 'claimed' that the transaction would be insured/protected.
NOPE. 
Bad-Luck is in our DNA, and he was scammed also. Burned for 100% of the money involved.. 
The company Was legit, but, it Was Not who we were dealing with.. 
The scammers mirrored the legit site, set up new email / phone numbers, etc. 
The bank with their so called FDIC insured money [that's not worth the paper it's printed on]
completely changed their story about insurance/protection, and they failed him also.. 

So yeah.. My point.. No matter what we do to try to protect ourselves, 
there are still going to be people out there that are masters of their craft..
Some work solo / Some work in networks.

Most of the time - law enforcement [Cyber Crimes Division] also can't or won't do a thing.

*Get contact info - name/address/number
*Look people up [Compare from multiple sources]
*Check for recommendations/referrals 
*Use common sense
*Trust your gut

People that can't or don't do that might as well just consider it a gamble.

Sam -

The government tracks our every move anyway it's their job we can't hide so no biggie. Just do what is necessary to avoid being a victim. PHONE CALL MANDATORY from a real phone and not an internet phone you know you can hear the difference especially that voice recording. English speaking of course and question that Chinese accent you chronic buyers all know that AA Classifieds scammer's voice already by now and apparently he makes his living off of doing it. Have a "relative" (COINCIDENTALLY!!!) living in that same state of suspected scammer arrange a face to face tell the seller that see if he bites. OH CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? MY COUSIN LIVES IN YOUR CITY! Get specific instruction how to get to his house. No meeting at his home then you know it's a scam. Who doesn't want CASH in PERSON and not have to SHIP IT? If it's legit just say your (WHOMEVER RELATIVE) can't take off to help due to (BLAH BLAH BLAH BE CREATIVE). GOOD LUCK

I think PP is the safest way to go. Not 100% foolproof but close. One thing a lot of guys do on FB is ask for 'legit' checks. Which is basically making a post saying.... I am doing a deal with 'XYZ' has anyone done a deal with them and are they 'legit' .Again not foolproof but if XYZ did a bad deal in the past, it ill be known shortly. 

And this whole thread is a reason people should be using PAYPAL PURCHASE for every transaction, and require it whether they are buyer or seller. PayPal protects you from this stuff. If you had bought those mowers through PayPal using purchase they would have pulled the money right out of those people's account and you would have gotten it back. PayPal protects both the buyer and the seller. It also helps that you can print out shipping right from PayPal if people use the purchase option, and PayPal has a discount over going to USPS.com, and this helps create a paper trail of the transaction and shipping.

Edit note: And people, please don't give age as an excuse. No disrespect, but my mother is almost 79, has a mac and an iPhone, takes picture and videos, uses Waze and other nav apps, does photo editing for an art website. If you can go to youtube and learn how to take down an airgun gun, I can guarantee you that after watching a few youtube videos you could use Facetime, Zoom, whatever. 

If I try to buy or sell something, and the other party insists on a live call or video, I will simply move on the the next buyer/seller. While I understand the desire to try to verify the legitimacy of the other party, I am also concerned about my own security and privacy. Everybody has to do what they are comfortable with, but you shouldn't assume that everyone believes that there is no security or privacy risk to a live call/video. I simply do not agree with the assertion "there is absolutely no reason not to do so."

What a freakin paranoid age we live in, huh? For people to feel they are giving up their privacy by making or receiving a 2 minute phone call and actually talking live to another person.

I dunno what to say folks - do what makes you feel safest.

I didn't even think about 'internet security risks' in my initial post.. 
That's a good thing to mention also.. By connecting with others via live streaming software [even video calls]
You can potentially have a scammer/hacker gain access to your computer system.
They're able to find out much more via a 'backdoor' than they would via e-mails..
Just something to take into consideration.

Another nice thing you can do - that I always do..
Give a secondary / verifiable contact info out like work place and work number.
Assuming that's something that you can do..

I run a business that anyone can look up and/or call.
Something simple like that definitely helps to add reassurance.

Sam -

You can also reassure buyers or sellers in other ways. Fleabay was based on you live and die on your rating. I am carl8571 there and have been there for probably 20 years with $10’s of thousands of dollars in transactions.

https://www.ebay.com/usr/carl8571

I don’t think you are starting any trouble at all. We are all just sharing ideas and discussing the various ways we can protect ourselves from online thieves. I’m not worried about Big Brother either. I own numerous NFA items, have a CHP (concealed handgun permit), vote, and pay my taxes. I am well known to them as are those who think they are not.