SCAM on the classfieds Beware

[2002 lightning]

Well I have been trying to sell my old heads off my 2002 lightning, and i got a response from a sharon via yahoo email saying I will send you a money order for the pruduct plus shipping you just pay the shipping cash. never asked about the heads codition . Tried to get him to call me but wouldnt call .So beware if you have any clasfieds going .

[dennisfranz]

I think the classifieds should have the user account associated with the seller/buyer.

I got burned on the classifieds on this forum. Disputed with Paypal and CC. NEVER pay with anything other than CC for buyer protection.

Seller protection is another matter.

[Copenhagen848]

Originally Posted by dennisfranz

I think the classifieds should have the user account associated with the seller/buyer.

I agree, there should be a section in the forums for buying/selling so you can just post like normal.

[Gotts2BMe]

Originally Posted by Copenhagen848

I agree, there should be a section in the forums for buying/selling so you can just post like normal.

Agreed, all the other forums I am on are set up like that as well. You should also incorporate a feedback section some how so you can post feedback saying that you had a good experience with some one else similar to the way ebay has it.

[tarajerame]

but then the moderators are stuck in the middle of the disputes that arise and i don't think they want the extra hassle...

i had a issue purchasing a truck and some part from a member on here when i first joined the site I posted a "beware of this guy" in the calssifieds and he threatened me with court a few times but he knew he was in the wrong and he left me alone after that.

[Gotts2BMe]

but then you could just make a sticky at the top of the classifieds that includes something along the lines of. By posting in here I do not hold the site responsible for any mishaps that may occur during the transactions. or something as simple as "Buy or sell at your own risk"

[Stealth]

Originally Posted by Gotts2BMe

"Buy or sell at your own risk"

That much should be plainly obvious.

[webmaster]

I don't think adding any more impediments to buying/selling in our classifieds will make a difference with scam artists (or those that might fall for scams). In the case of the scam noted above, it has been around for years and people are still falling for it, even though disclaimers have been all over the web for years. eBay has a very sophisticated rating/feedback system and people still get scammed every single day. The bottom line is that often in human nature, we overlook red flags that lead us to ignore common sense because we think are are getting a deal. When you buy something from a stranger online, ask for a full name, REAL email address (i.e. not Hotmail, Yahoo or Gmail), phone number, mailing address, etc, etc. And don't just write it down. Call it. Google it. Email it. Minimize your liability risk by paying with PayPal or COD. If the seller does not want to provide the information, use some common sense and move on.

Oh, and if you receive a suspicious response to your classified ad on here, use the "report" feature in the email. I've seen people report responses on the forums, but that does not help very much. The report function in the email includes the IP address of the respondant, which I can then block so others do not receive the same responses. (we have more than 20 IP address ranges blocked at the moment)