Many classified ad services will have many great deals, and for the most part, honest people. That being said, there are also scammers who are waiting for you to make a mistake in order to make a buck. Whether you plan on buying, selling, or simply browsing through items, scammers are always planning their next move.
It Starts With The Ad
It caught your eyes. But why? Check out the previous article to understand why that ad did in fact get your attention.
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Your Gut feeling
Listen to it. If the ad is short, has an image from the internet, and the only way to contact the seller is by email, doesn't it sound fishy? Consider moving to the next ad.
Example Situation
You had a bad feeling about buying a gift card that had a value of $100 while the seller only asked for $60 cash. Going against your gut feeling and knowledge you met up, you just really have to get this item. You are okay with taking the risk of possibly being scammed, so the least you can do is ask to see a piece of identification. You do not have to take a picture or write anything down, all you are doing is watching for seller's reaction. If the seller absolutely refuses to show his ID or he "lost it", that's a sign that you are about to be scammed.
Stay in your area
Scammers will manipulate. They will get you to drive for an hour to where it is convenient for them just to easily rip you off. They know you drove far, they know that you clearly want what they have for sale, so do not be surprised if suddenly something is not as it seemed to be.
Cash Only
Only accept or pay with cash. No cheques, visas, debits, interent transfers or whatever other way the scammer comes up with. You should never have to give any financial or personal information (Bank, PayPal, SIN) in a local transaction.
Avoid Wire Transfers
In today's world, you should really be carefully where private information goes, especially financially related information. You should never have to send money over the internet for what is supposed to be a simple local transaction. If the seller or buyer ask to use a wire transfer in order to complete the transaction, it is a sign that you will end up at a loss.
Buyer beware
From the Latin saying "Caveat emptor". As a buyer, you should always test, inspect, and make a judgement before paying. Once the item is sold and you walk away, not much can be done as the scammers are not going to suddenly have a change of heart and come back.
Fake Money
Yes, even with new bills, counterfeits are possible. When dealing with larger sums, use all your instincts and knowledge to check that the money is legit.
Certified Service?
When getting a service from any classified ads website, keep in mind that the offered service may say "Certified" but that does not mean anything until they show you proof in person.
No job interview?
Be very carefully when a job you were looking for asks for personal information, even a resume. If you have not seen a logo, a physical address location, or something just looks unusual, move on. The last thing you want is someone to have all of your personal information in their hands and use it in a wrong way.
Feedback & Rating (If available)
Some website, such as eBay, have a feedback section for each user. Before buying or selling an item, try to find the feedback area, look at the username of the person you are about to meet. Usually, next to the username you will find a rating that was accumulated over time since the user has joined the website. The rating could be gained from feedback left, ad postings frequency, and other means of gaining trust points. Note any negative feedback you may find and make your judgement from there.
Be careful when searching for your desired item, job, or service. There are lots of scammers out there that treat your mistakes as their daily income.
Sincerely,
BragDeal Team
It Starts With The Ad
It caught your eyes. But why? Check out the previous article to understand why that ad did in fact get your attention.
Web design Vancouver
Your Gut feeling
Listen to it. If the ad is short, has an image from the internet, and the only way to contact the seller is by email, doesn't it sound fishy? Consider moving to the next ad.
Example Situation
You had a bad feeling about buying a gift card that had a value of $100 while the seller only asked for $60 cash. Going against your gut feeling and knowledge you met up, you just really have to get this item. You are okay with taking the risk of possibly being scammed, so the least you can do is ask to see a piece of identification. You do not have to take a picture or write anything down, all you are doing is watching for seller's reaction. If the seller absolutely refuses to show his ID or he "lost it", that's a sign that you are about to be scammed.
Stay in your area
Scammers will manipulate. They will get you to drive for an hour to where it is convenient for them just to easily rip you off. They know you drove far, they know that you clearly want what they have for sale, so do not be surprised if suddenly something is not as it seemed to be.
Cash Only
Only accept or pay with cash. No cheques, visas, debits, interent transfers or whatever other way the scammer comes up with. You should never have to give any financial or personal information (Bank, PayPal, SIN) in a local transaction.
Avoid Wire Transfers
In today's world, you should really be carefully where private information goes, especially financially related information. You should never have to send money over the internet for what is supposed to be a simple local transaction. If the seller or buyer ask to use a wire transfer in order to complete the transaction, it is a sign that you will end up at a loss.
Buyer beware
From the Latin saying "Caveat emptor". As a buyer, you should always test, inspect, and make a judgement before paying. Once the item is sold and you walk away, not much can be done as the scammers are not going to suddenly have a change of heart and come back.
Fake Money
Yes, even with new bills, counterfeits are possible. When dealing with larger sums, use all your instincts and knowledge to check that the money is legit.
Certified Service?
When getting a service from any classified ads website, keep in mind that the offered service may say "Certified" but that does not mean anything until they show you proof in person.
No job interview?
Be very carefully when a job you were looking for asks for personal information, even a resume. If you have not seen a logo, a physical address location, or something just looks unusual, move on. The last thing you want is someone to have all of your personal information in their hands and use it in a wrong way.
Feedback & Rating (If available)
Some website, such as eBay, have a feedback section for each user. Before buying or selling an item, try to find the feedback area, look at the username of the person you are about to meet. Usually, next to the username you will find a rating that was accumulated over time since the user has joined the website. The rating could be gained from feedback left, ad postings frequency, and other means of gaining trust points. Note any negative feedback you may find and make your judgement from there.
Be careful when searching for your desired item, job, or service. There are lots of scammers out there that treat your mistakes as their daily income.
Sincerely,
BragDeal Team
