Buyer and Seller Beware - How to Protect Yourself Against Fraud

[clackey]

Your intuition is your best weapon against fraud. If the deal seems too good to be true and the member is evasive or unwilling to provide additional information, then walk away.

Here are some ideas if you are concerned about the legitimacy of the deal:

• Ask to talk with them on the phone
• Ask for additional details about the item and the person you are dealing with.
• Look at the member history on the forum. If they have little history then there is more risk.
• Do not rush into buying because you're afraid of losing the opportunity. Be patient. If anything is going to get you into trouble, it's going to be impatience.
• Avoid using wire transfers, cashier checks, money orders, etc.
• If you are suspicious, report the member so we can research it a bit more.

Generally, the other party is going to be equally as paranoid as you are. In all likelihood, you'll both have concerns, so just be a nice person while taking the necessary precautions and you should be just fine.