Topic Wiki

https://www.dansdeals.com/more/dans-commentary/dark-side-earning-credit-card-points-psa-dont-swipe-others/

https://www.mixcloud.com/zev-brenner/talkline-with-zev-brenner-on-credit-card-scams-affecting-the-orthodox-jewish-community/

http://podcast.headlinesbook.com/e/31616-credit-card-miles-and-points-swiping-for-rewards-buying-and-selling-miles-is-it-assur-and-a-chillul-hashem-or-a-great-way-for-a-side-parnassah/



BEFORE SWIPING FOR SOMEONE READ THIS: (first hand story)

https://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=36812.msg2062371#msg2062371
https://www.dansdeals.com/more/dans-commentary/dark-side-earning-credit-card-points-psa-dont-swipe-others/#comment-1399884


Dan's warning to DDF:
I hope people realize that any buying group or anyone else that gets merchandise in advance of payment can go south at any time. That's even if you get a check at the time of delivery.
X-posting as I don't want anyone to say that I never put a warning here.

A story that ended up in court - https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/nyscef/DocumentList?docketId=iRcRHuyZUdOIx69D00a5XQ==&display=all&courtType=Kings%20County%20Supreme%20Court&resultsPageNum=1


I am one of the biggest buyers for buying groups, I have done millions in transactions and have sent to every group there is over the past 3 years. Most buying groups are okay, some scan in slower than others, some pay slower than others - most will lose a few packages over the year. You can research and find which are better for you.

However there is a bigger problem now with Amazon itself.  Amazon in the past has been great with any problems always ready with a refund for lost packages even if it was thousands of dollars. Lately Amazon has clamped down and has tagged these buying groups addresses  in their systems as "freight forwarder" and now no longer will fix any problem you have whatsoever. Doesn't matter what the problem is, even if it shows the package was never delivered, amazon will not help you in any way. Their copy and paste response will always be "this item was sent to a freight forwarder and we're unable to replace or refund the item. We recommend contacting your freight forwarder for more details, as we don't have any more insight or information regarding this matter, For more information about sending items via freight forwarders, please visit our Help Pages: https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201117950." As well the amazon drivers either must know this or have been increasingly bad at delivering packages because the numbers of packages missing has gone up astronomically. Previously you would have very few packages missing, now the past 3 months I have had 59 "lost" packages. I now have over $15,000 of loses and some guy in Delaware is probably living the life with all the stuff he stole from me. I will survive, I have made a lot more than $15,000 over the years however just a warning to others here that things are not as they used to be and it really is no longer worth doing buring groups with all the loses piling up

« Last edited by Yo ssi on July 24, 2023, 06:47:26 PM »

Author Topic: PSA: Don't swipe recklessly for others  (Read 1182768 times)

Offline EJB

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Re: PSA: Don't swipe recklessly for others
« Reply #960 on: May 09, 2018, 01:25:09 PM »
ROI
The calculus isn’t so simple. Even if you spend exclusively nonworking hours on “churning” activities , it can impact your work quality, job security, advancement, etc. This can be extremely difficult to quantify.

Offline AJK

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Re: PSA: Don't swipe recklessly for others
« Reply #961 on: May 09, 2018, 01:25:57 PM »
I realised that for some, it is a source of much needed secondary income. Rather than a game or such.

I do realize that, done right it represents a few hundred extra dollars a week, which can be crucial or at least helpful.

Sometimes I parlay my personal experience with things into the big picture, not because I think the world evolves around me, I just forget that each person is different.

For me, churning is often a distraction from my day job and inherently a waste of time.

Not to be difficult, but your main argument--i.e. that these people are wasting their time with buying groups because they could be, in your opinion, "doing something more productive or more effective or more [insert whatever]"--has not been addressed.

Why do you no longer think that?
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Offline ChaimMoskowitz

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Re: PSA: Don't swipe recklessly for others
« Reply #962 on: May 09, 2018, 01:27:09 PM »
The calculus isn’t so simple. Even if you spend exclusively nonworking hours on “churning” activities , it can impact your work quality, job security, advancement, etc. This can be extremely difficult to quantify.
If you don't know how to qualify them stop what you are doing and figure that out first.
I just found a new supply of forks!

Offline chevron

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Re: PSA: Don't swipe recklessly for others
« Reply #963 on: May 09, 2018, 01:41:02 PM »
Because I am my own boss and prone to procasination and losing sight of the big picture. Churning can make me 100$ when I should be making the company 1000$ etc.

My mother terms this, quiting your day job to collect soda cans.

How about deals that were cancelled on you. Was that not a huge waste of time?

Also, as I said, in the past I was in this line of work, so helping make someone money and myself making a few bucks, is contrary to my mindset of years of making my company money etc. I should be selling the stuff for top dollar says my head. It's not because I'm greedy, it's what I did for 15 years.

Offline Mountain Man

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Re: PSA: Don't swipe recklessly for others
« Reply #964 on: May 09, 2018, 02:03:28 PM »
The calculus isn’t so simple. Even if you spend exclusively nonworking hours on “churning” activities , it can impact your work quality, job security, advancement, etc. This can be extremely difficult to quantify.
Well said.
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If you never had to eat crow then you lived one boring life.

Offline Mountain Man

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Re: PSA: Don't swipe recklessly for others
« Reply #965 on: May 09, 2018, 02:07:22 PM »
Because I am my own boss and prone to procasination and losing sight of the big picture. Churning can make me 100$ when I should be making the company 1000$ etc.

My mother terms this, quiting your day job to collect soda cans.

How about deals that were cancelled on you. Was that not a huge waste of time?

Also, as I said, in the past I was in this line of work, so helping make someone money and myself making a few bucks, is contrary to my mindset of years of making my company money etc. I should be selling the stuff for top dollar says my head. It's not because I'm greedy, it's what I did for 15 years.
So that's really the crux of your argument. I surely don't have 15 years experience. I was very happy getting ~13% on some Amazon purchases. If I could get that with real volume consistently then call me a gopher, I'd do it all day long until I'm financially independent.
Quote from: JTZ link=topic=10531.msg1695873
If you never had to eat crow then you lived one boring life.

Offline 12HRS

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Re: PSA: Don't swipe recklessly for others
« Reply #966 on: May 09, 2018, 08:04:34 PM »

How about deals that were cancelled on you. Was that not a huge waste of time?


You never worked towards something in your business that didn't pan out? Its a learning experience and you move on.

I factor those into my time cheshbon. Some deals are more profitable because of less cancelations while others have more cancellations and I will avoid them. Over time you learn what generally works and what does not. I still get cancelations however they are not as frequent and therefore I tend to waste less time on them.

Offline S209

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Re: PSA: Don't swipe recklessly for others
« Reply #967 on: May 10, 2018, 02:10:52 PM »
I wish people would share techniques that help with Best Buy. I've tried, but it seriously seems tougher than plain ol' churning.. which is crazy
Quote from: YitzyS
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Offline chaimmayer

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Re: PSA: Don't swipe recklessly for others
« Reply #968 on: May 10, 2018, 06:18:37 PM »
What do people do with their payments?
deposit the check in their own bank account?
use the check to pay their cc (a bad idea from what I understand)?
Deposit cash in their bank account?

Offline cholent

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Re: PSA: Don't swipe recklessly for others
« Reply #969 on: May 10, 2018, 06:19:21 PM »
What do people do with their payments?
deposit the check in their own bank account?
use the check to pay their cc (a bad idea from what I understand)?
Deposit cash in their bank account?
Business acct. Deposit checks there then use that acct to pay off cc
Don't ask stupid questions and you won't get stupid answers

Offline sharkman

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Re: PSA: Don't swipe recklessly for others
« Reply #970 on: May 10, 2018, 07:28:18 PM »
What do people do with their payments?
deposit the check in their own bank account?
use the check to pay their cc (a bad idea from what I understand)?
Deposit cash in their bank account?

use the check to pay their cc (a bad idea from what I understand)? Y is that a bad idea?

Offline Eliyohu

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Re: PSA: Don't swipe recklessly for others
« Reply #971 on: May 10, 2018, 08:28:44 PM »
use the check to pay their cc (a bad idea from what I understand)? Y is that a bad idea?
There are reports of people getting they're accounts shut down for doing this

Offline yzj

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Re: PSA: Don't swipe recklessly for others
« Reply #972 on: May 10, 2018, 09:05:09 PM »
Mods, how about splitting this into  a thread titled Buying Groups and a wiki?

Offline davidrotts63

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Re: PSA: Don't swipe recklessly for others
« Reply #973 on: May 10, 2018, 09:08:24 PM »
Mods, how about splitting this into  a thread titled Buying Groups and a wiki?
Many such threads have been started, and they were always merged here, just that as much as you discuss it you should remember the PSA.
(Quit) pulling out the flowers, and watering the weeds. -Peter Lynch

Offline regular

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Re: PSA: Don't swipe recklessly for others
« Reply #974 on: May 11, 2018, 12:37:27 PM »
There are reports of people getting they're accounts shut down for doing this
Source? I believe the last time someone reported this it ended up being he was shut down for a diffrent reason. Cmiiw

Offline davidrotts63

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Re: PSA: Don't swipe recklessly for others
« Reply #975 on: May 11, 2018, 12:39:20 PM »
Definitely such reports.
I even know someone who had them admit that was the reason even tho the letter had the regular balances excuse.
(Quit) pulling out the flowers, and watering the weeds. -Peter Lynch

Offline coralsnake

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Re: PSA: Don't swipe recklessly for others
« Reply #976 on: May 11, 2018, 01:07:29 PM »
Source? I believe the last time someone reported this it ended up being he was shut down for a diffrent reason. Cmiiw
Wrong.
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Re: PSA: Don't swipe recklessly for others
« Reply #977 on: May 13, 2018, 04:25:16 PM »
Source? I believe the last time someone reported this it ended up being he was shut down for a diffrent reason. Cmiiw
Happened to 2 of my friends last year
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Offline joe

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Re: PSA: Don't swipe recklessly for others
« Reply #978 on: May 13, 2018, 11:15:55 PM »
Can anyone recommend a good buying group to join? TIA

Offline Yammer

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Re: PSA: Don't swipe recklessly for others
« Reply #979 on: May 14, 2018, 02:45:17 AM »
Can anyone recommend a good buying group to join? TIA
USA