PSA: Trading With New Members! READ THIS AND DON'T GET SCAMMED!

[Dan]

Use this board at your own risk! Dan's Deals LLC assumes no liability for deals gone bad.

Extra precautions should be taken when trading with new members.

Ideas include:
-Asking for references from established accounts and not references from new accounts, as those can easily be manufactured.
-Asking for goods from all relatively new members to be delivered before payment
-Asking for proof of who the seller is, with ID and DDF handle in the image.
-Speaking over the phone and calling the seller at a verified number.
-Agree to wait until after flight/hotel is used before payment is paid
-Use an escrow.
-Post your own ideas below.

Even with precautions taken, you can still get scammed with fraudulent items, an unethical seller, or even a hacked account.

Caveat emptor!

[Denverite]

Anyone have links to sites that basically do escrow accounts for individual transactions?  It might be helpful for people.  I rented some timeshare weeks off of people years ago on Redweek.com and I know they recommended a company.  I figure the technology has improved since then and prices may have gone down.  I know it's not worth it for small gift cards, etc. but I see a lot of transactions (especially for Ritz/Marriott weeks) for large amounts, where using a third party service like this could be useful.

[mmgfarb]

Anyone have links to sites that basically do escrow accounts for individual transactions?  It might be helpful for people.  I rented some timeshare weeks off of people years ago on Redweek.com and I know they recommended a company.  I figure the technology has improved since then and prices may have gone down.  I know it's not worth it for small gift cards, etc. but I see a lot of transactions (especially for Ritz/Marriott weeks) for large amounts, where using a third party service like this could be useful.

Usually even a couple percent added to the cost will make the deal unviable, especially when you're talking about GC's.

[Denverite]

Usually even a couple percent added to the cost will make the deal unviable, especially when you're talking about GC's.

I know, that's why I said this isn't for small purchases, gift cards, etc (so I know this won't help a lot of people).  I was more referring the large amounts people are spending for Marriott weeks or multiple Hilton night certs.  Also, one guy that recently got scammed was for a "Travel Bank" purchase at 25% off.  I don't know how large of an amount he spent but paying an extra little bit for an escrow might have saved him a lot of heartache.

[LEARNERBURNER]

I have been scammed multiple times on ddf. It is a real cesspool of opportunists....

[mmgfarb]

I have been scammed multiple times on ddf. It is a real cesspool of opportunists....

I don't know why anyone expects anything different when dealing with people who don't have an established record of good transactions or who is a longtime member in good standing. This is an anonymous online forum, no different than any other, there's no reason to assume that people trying to take advantage are going to come here.

[ludmila]

I don't know why anyone expects anything different when dealing with people who don't have an established record of good transactions or who is a longtime member in good standing. This is an anonymous online forum, no different than any other, there's no reason to assume that people trying to take advantage are going to come here.

Well said.

[mmgfarb]

I don't know why anyone expects anything different when dealing with people who don't have an established record of good transactions or who is a longtime member in good standing. This is an anonymous online forum, no different than any other, there's no reason to assume that people trying to take advantage aren't going to come here.

Whoops, FTFM

[DoreshEmes]

Do most of you active DDFers know who each other are?  Do you know each other in person or only online?  By name or only by username?  Just because someone has posted many times on DDF, how does that necessarily make them more trustworthy?

[myi]

Do most of you active DDFers know who each other are?  Do you know each other in person or only online?  By name or only by username?  Just because someone has posted many times on DDF, how does that necessarily make them more trustworthy?

The more your around on DDF the more you've interacted with other members, I've been here for quite some time and had bought sold and hand delivered many items to random DDF members over time.
 Now can I say there's any members who know who I am outside of my DDF handle? That's another question. There are many that know im myi.. but being around and commenting and participating in the forum makes you a man of your words and will have some trust added to your name.
  I've never met most of DDF members, but I would trust many of them.(mostly those that were around on DDF for some time.)

[myi]

Do most of you active DDFers know who each other are?  Do you know each other in person or only online?  By name or only by username?  Just because someone has posted many times on DDF, how does that necessarily make them more trustworthy?

For example you created an account 5+ years ago but have only posted once since then.
 Unless others know you and can vouch for you, don't know if  I would give you a status as a trusted member.

[DoreshEmes]

For example you created an account 5+ years ago but have only posted once since then.
 Unless others know you and can vouch for you, don't know if  I would give you a status as a trusted member.

I would imagine there are lurkers on the forums who just read and try to educate themselves but don't have as much to contribute, or those who made an account in the past to post something and then forgot about it until they went on the site again.

I'm just thinking that the frequency of posting on an anonymous online forum wouldn't necessarily impact how much I trust a person.

[myi]

I would imagine there are lurkers on the forums who just read and try to educate themselves but don't have as much to contribute, or those who made an account in the past to post something and then forgot about it until they went on the site again.

I'm just thinking that the frequency of posting on an anonymous online forum wouldn't necessarily impact how much I trust a person.

Very valid thinking for a newbie.
 Give it a few months or even a year and you will see what I'm talking about how members who were here for quite some time become family  .
   Now if you didn't want to do business with other members I can understand as the famous saying goes never do business with family.

[davidrotts63]

Just because someone has posted many times on DDF, how does that necessarily make them more trustworthy?

It doesn't!

[TimT]

  Just because someone has posted many times on DDF, how does that necessarily make them more trustworthy?

It doesn’t. Use extreme caution

[ckmk47]

I have been scammed multiple times on ddf. It is a real cesspool of opportunists....

On what percentage of transactions done here were you scammed?
Were any scammers active, long time members?

[LEARNERBURNER]

Don't know about percentage but about 3k in value

[Fish Tank]

I have been scammed multiple times on ddf. It is a real cesspool of opportunists....

Multiple times?? 

How does that happen? You didn't realize to ask for references after the first time being scammed?

[12HRS]

Can we delete half the posts on this topic and in other threads related to this.. all we are doing is giving scammers ideas needed to make themselves look more legit.

[myi]

Can we delete half the posts on this topic and in other threads related to this.. all we are doing is giving scammers ideas needed to make themselves look more legit.

If there's someone really good out there he knows what he's doing even without your/our help.

  It's like saying the news shouldn't publish stories how the burglars broke into someone's house, hence you're giving ideas for thieves and burglars have to break into people's houses. Obviously that's a dumb statement because you got to live life and that's what happens you just have to prevent it by taking security precautions on your end.
  in my opinion I think you can accomplish more by putting it out there and warning all the members that there's those that will scam people whether new members whether old members it's on your end to make sure you don't get scammed and take the extra steps to avoid being scammed.