Scam Warnings

[Stan]

What can we do to educate users more to not become victims of scams here? Such as listing what types of scams are afoot or have been seen. It must be agonising for someone to join this site and then find themselves victims.

 

[BlueWidow]

What can we do to educate users more to not become victims of scams here? Such as listing what types of scams are afoot or have been seen. It must be agonising for someone to join this site and find themselves victims

You are always thinking of others

 

[Stan]

You are always thinking of others

Sadly I have had a few conversations with people recently and this is an active thing that is going on right now.

 

[BlueWidow]

Sadly I have had a few conversations with people recently and this is an active thing that is going on right now.

That's really horrible that people would scam and take advantage of people that are already in so much pain and having so many problems. Some people are just total a**holes!

 

[Brick In The Wall]

There should be a centralized thread relating to scams. Where people can call out the scam artists and post details about it. So others can avoid those "venders".

This and or a FAQ about how to spot and identify shady online listings with ways to possibly spot red flags. This is about the only idea I could come up with. It wouldn't completely stop the scams but it may cause a dent and make the scam artists work harder causing them to rethink if it's worth all the trouble.

 

[Lethe]

I've gotten some hoax offers, yeah.

 

[Johnnythefox]

From earlier

 

[omoidarui]

i havent seen any scams recently though or are you saying the alts have resorted to PMs because they know if they posted a scam publicly i will just p on their thread

 

[Shamana]

What can we do to educate users more to not become victims of scams here? Such as listing what types of scams are afoot or have been seen. It must be agonising for someone to join this site and then find themselves victims.

Is it members scamming other members?

 

[Stan]

There should be a centralized thread relating to scams. Where people can call out the scam artists and post details about it. So others can avoid those "venders".

This and or a FAQ about how to spot and identify shady online listings with ways to possibly spot red flags. This is about the only idea I could come up with. It wouldn't completely stop the scams but it may cause a dent and make the scam artists work harder causing them to rethink if it's worth all the trouble.

at the risk of giving mods work, its a shame that a weekly email can't go out to everyone with links to a scam thread, the rules and FAQ and anything else they see fit to remind members about.

i havent seen any scams recently though or are you saying the alts have resorted to PMs because they know if they posted a scam publicly i will just p on their thread

Correct.

Is it members scamming other members?

Yes

 

[Shamana]

at the risk of giving mods work, its a shame that a weekly email can't go out to everyone with links to a scam thread, the rules and FAQ and anything else they see fit to remind members about.


Correct.


Yes

Can you PM me the names of these members? I'm considering making a purchase from a member here.

 

[Stan]

Can you PM me the names of these members? I'm considering making a purchase from a member here.

I think it would be unwise to do that yet. Nor am I able to share names as it is other people's story not mine and I will not betray their confidence in me. You are most welcome, and in fact I'd like you to send me what is going on with you in pm if you wish.

 

[teotme]

Are these scams related to N purchases or are there others?

 

[Stan]

Are these scams related to N purchases or are there others?

More than one type. Regardless of the method it normally boils down to two things. You pass on your personal or private details or you handover money. This could result in the following, not saying it is but people have to be aware. The last reason is very personal to me which is why something like this really gets my attention. Again, they are possibilities so I am not trying to frighten the forum needlessly.

1. Money scam - you have basically just lost a lost of money. Potentially with the loss of more if they follow up the scam claiming some problem and it needs a bit more money to fix it. They have caught you once so it is likely they can catch you twice.
2. Honeypot trap. You don't know who is on the other end of that keyboard, could be authorities. You are trying to buy something illegal.
3. Identity theft. They could get enough personal details from you to clone your identity. That means it could be possible to hack your bank account or start new lines of credit and ruin you. This happened to me 6 years ago, even though it was proven to be fraud as of this day I cannot get a mortgage, any line of credit for big things like a car etc and a bunch of other stuff that requires a credit check (including jobs in certain companies). This will ruin you.

 

[Jen0804]

I was scammed once.
Someone PM'ed me, offering to give me diazepam/tranqs for free. They asked for my address, I gave it, and they vanished. I was SOOOO stupid to have done that, please, don't give out your address unless you've spoken for at least six months or something like that. Even if it sounds like a good offer. ''if it seems too good to be true, it probably is! ''
I dont have the username anymore I think they were banned for another reason. It was a while ago. Just be careful and remember that scammers can be nice/friendlyt.. basically, it doesn't matter what they do or who they are, just be cautious if you're offered something for free or super cheap, and try and get a PO box if you need to accept mail

 

[teotme]

I see, thank you for the heads up Stan.

 

[Stan]

The reason why I suggest a weekly email reminders is that new users join everyday, and they are the preferred targets as they are probably in a vulnerable and desperate state.

 

[Throwawaysoul]

I think we need to post the user names for everyone to see.

 

[Stan]

I think we need to post the user names for everyone to see.

As much as i know it could be useful, I think it is bad to make an accusation based on one side of a story. For all we know one event could be innocent. My point is that if any dealings done in pm looks to result in handing over personal data, money or both then you really have to take stock of what you are doing. If things progress badly for those that are in the situation, then I will encourage them to tell their story or give me permission to tell it for them. But throwing out names may be pointless as they could comeback with a new account and do the same thing. Look at the behaviour and the consequences of the scammers is the best way to go for now and the future.

 

[Misanthrope]

That is a hard one. Because some of the things required put you on a collision course with encountering fake pharmacy sites or other criminal elements. In desperation people will roll the dice and scammers know that. Plenty of scammers will play the long game in befriending a person as well. If I see anything involving Western Union or Money Gram I ignore it. Can't comment on crypto currencies either and how that can be exploited, I don't understand them enough. I am sure some here do, and can weigh in on that angle and how to best guard yourself. Might though be worth writing a standard article on being cautious and red flags to watch for. 'If it is too good to be true it probably is.' Maybe flag some of the scam attempts that have already happened on this site and what they try and nudge people to do or go to. So people can see how they have operated. Break it down to the core techniques used. But to be honest this is a site ripe for the picking with people desperate enough to meet strangers to die with if they have N. Or go into the darker aspects of the net with little understanding of it on the say so of anon strangers, and enter details into criminal sites to get what they want. That same desperation has caused me to flirt with things I don't understand. All you can really do is advise caution and outline known pitfalls. It is hard to trust anything these days.

 

[Stan]

a few more are coming out of the woodwork. Feel free to contact me if you are in the process of being scammed or think something strange is going on. We can't allow this to continue.

 

[Johnnythefox]

Think I'll tag this on here.

How to Spot a Scam

There are a number of signs to look out for

Being contacted out of the blue (also known as 'unsolicited') by telephone, post or email

The offer is too good to be true

Being asked to pay money up-front or to buy a product

When contacted, if the person contacting you is overly familiar and friendly with you

Being asked for your bank account, credit card details or other confidential information

Being told that you need to keep the offer a secret

If any of this seems familiar you maybe facing or have faced a scam.

General Advice to Avoid Scams
Do not…

Enter into conversations with organisations that contact you in an unsolicited manner.

Respond to unsolicited emails.

Part with any money, to either pay fees or purchase a product.

Give out any personal information such as banking and credit card details or copies of documents such as your passport or driving licence.

If you have already sent money or provided bank details, please take the following actions:

Do not send any more money; unfortunately if you have already parted with money it may be very difficult for you to get it back.

Contact your bank, building society or credit card company and close your account if you have given your details to a third party that you do not know and trust.
If you receive any correspondence that may be a scam or an offer that you are just not sure of, always seek advice before acting.

How do Scams Work?

Potential scammers will try to catch you unawares; this increases their chance of being able to convince you to part with your money or personal information.

They will will try to make the offer too good for you to refuse; they prey on vulnerable people and people who may be in financial difficulties. Remember - if it seems to good to be true, it probably is.

Many of these operations ask you to pay a fairly nominal fee to purchase your item. This makes it seem as though you have little to lose. But the demand for money does not stop there; you will be asked for more money to cover an increasing list of fees.

You are put under pressure to make a decision by only being given a short time frame in which to purchase your item; this affects how much time you take consider the offer, and you are more likely to make the wrong decision.

By becoming friendly with you, the potential scammer is trying to create a relationship where you are likely to trust the information they are providing you and make you believe you are a winner

By asking you to keep this offer a secret, you are less likely to talk to family and friends who may point out the problems with the offer, and therefore will not receive the correct advice on how to deal with it.

Buyer beware!

 

[omoidarui]

An old fox is not easily snared.