Adding Buyer Security to the Market Place
08-27-2009, 10:12 AM
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Adding Buyer Security to the Market Place
Unfortunately we have thieves and con men always sneaking back onto RCU to pull selling scams in the market place. I know that there is an escrow service that can be used, but if I am buying a $50.00 item, paying an additional $25.00 to an escrow service really makes the purchase unreasonable. If you are talking about a major purchase, then yes, escrow is probably the way to go. I just want to stop the scammers from even getting back in and on RCU to set up their selling traps. I just caught the same guy who ripped me off a year ago, back on here getting ready to do the same thing. He is gone again for the moment, but under RCU's current member registration, they will keep coming back.
In my opinion, all sellers on RCU should provide a Verified PayPal account. This will make the thieves have to give up their real addresses because it will match a bank account and credit card address also that is needed to become verified. This may be a pain to some sellers out there already, but it will tighten up security in the market place and also give buyers some recourse in claims should they ever really need to use it. Having to buy with Checks and Money Orders only is tremendous risk especially when buying from a new member with little or no feedback. Sellers can still accept MO's or Checks, but the whole reason for the PayPal account is to verify that the seller really does live at the address on his membership information because it matches PayPal's information. You know who you are dealing with and if they somehow scam, they're info will give them away the next time. RCU can contact PayPal when someone registers to sell on the Market Place to verify the accuracy of the information provided. It would be a little more work for RCU, but it would be well worth it for them to give their members better security in their biggest forum on their website. You will catch scammers trying to enter with a PayPal address if they are using the same address they used when they got suspended before.
Trying to get a district attorney to prosecute a claim in a state where you don't live, is next to impossible, I know, I am having a problem right now trying to recover $235.00. If the law won't stop them, then we have to take away their storefront for scams and RCU, you hold the key to doing that for us.
The Market Place is awesome, I love it and all but one person I have dealt with have been great honest people. One thief is too many, they have no business being here, lets make RCU as thief proof as possible! Let me know if this can be done here on RCU, Ebay did it to help prevent scams also, (as well as make more money for themselves).
Ron
In my opinion, all sellers on RCU should provide a Verified PayPal account. This will make the thieves have to give up their real addresses because it will match a bank account and credit card address also that is needed to become verified. This may be a pain to some sellers out there already, but it will tighten up security in the market place and also give buyers some recourse in claims should they ever really need to use it. Having to buy with Checks and Money Orders only is tremendous risk especially when buying from a new member with little or no feedback. Sellers can still accept MO's or Checks, but the whole reason for the PayPal account is to verify that the seller really does live at the address on his membership information because it matches PayPal's information. You know who you are dealing with and if they somehow scam, they're info will give them away the next time. RCU can contact PayPal when someone registers to sell on the Market Place to verify the accuracy of the information provided. It would be a little more work for RCU, but it would be well worth it for them to give their members better security in their biggest forum on their website. You will catch scammers trying to enter with a PayPal address if they are using the same address they used when they got suspended before.
Trying to get a district attorney to prosecute a claim in a state where you don't live, is next to impossible, I know, I am having a problem right now trying to recover $235.00. If the law won't stop them, then we have to take away their storefront for scams and RCU, you hold the key to doing that for us.
The Market Place is awesome, I love it and all but one person I have dealt with have been great honest people. One thief is too many, they have no business being here, lets make RCU as thief proof as possible! Let me know if this can be done here on RCU, Ebay did it to help prevent scams also, (as well as make more money for themselves).
Ron
08-28-2009, 10:49 AM
#2
RE: Adding Buyer Security to the Market Place
Your suggestions are good, but would be difficult to implement and still subject to fraudulent activity.
Requiring a Paypal account does not prevent a scammer from taking advantage of someone else. There have been many, many cases were someone has created a Paypal account, opened a bank account and been issued a credit card all the while using a stolen identity.
It is not possible for RCUniverse to contact Paypal to verify the information posted by a marketplace user. We have 400,000+ registered users yet only a handful of moderators and even fewer full time employees and contractors. In addition to the magnitude of such an undertaking, Paypal does not provide member verification services. They keep their customers information confidential, as they should, as part of their security and privacy policy. RCUniverse has the same policy. We will not release the contact information for any of our members just because someone says they want it, or wants to verify it.
There is always a risk when engaging in transactions with unknown parties over the internet. Buyers and sellers alike must take measures to protect themselves. RCUniverse provides a strong set of tools to review anyone you are considering engaging in a transaction with. They may not be perfect, but we are always open to suggestions on how to increase their effectiveness. Using Paypal to manage the money transaction is more secure than a money order or check. But if the scammer gets your money, Paypal cannot recover it for you if that person has also cleared out the bank account attached to their Paypal account. It is certainly possible for a buyer to require the seller accept Paypal, but if the seller refuses, then the buyer should simply back out of the transaction. The only truly secure transaction is the one you do face to face with the other party. Every other means contains risk to some degree.
If you find a previously banned scammer on the site, report them immediately using the tools provided in the marketplace. Our staff will research it as quickly as possible and take whatever action is necessary to maintain the integrity of the site. Beyond that, everyone must remain vigilant and be sure they do not become too trusting of the other party. Especially when that other party has little or no previous history on this site.
Requiring a Paypal account does not prevent a scammer from taking advantage of someone else. There have been many, many cases were someone has created a Paypal account, opened a bank account and been issued a credit card all the while using a stolen identity.
It is not possible for RCUniverse to contact Paypal to verify the information posted by a marketplace user. We have 400,000+ registered users yet only a handful of moderators and even fewer full time employees and contractors. In addition to the magnitude of such an undertaking, Paypal does not provide member verification services. They keep their customers information confidential, as they should, as part of their security and privacy policy. RCUniverse has the same policy. We will not release the contact information for any of our members just because someone says they want it, or wants to verify it.
There is always a risk when engaging in transactions with unknown parties over the internet. Buyers and sellers alike must take measures to protect themselves. RCUniverse provides a strong set of tools to review anyone you are considering engaging in a transaction with. They may not be perfect, but we are always open to suggestions on how to increase their effectiveness. Using Paypal to manage the money transaction is more secure than a money order or check. But if the scammer gets your money, Paypal cannot recover it for you if that person has also cleared out the bank account attached to their Paypal account. It is certainly possible for a buyer to require the seller accept Paypal, but if the seller refuses, then the buyer should simply back out of the transaction. The only truly secure transaction is the one you do face to face with the other party. Every other means contains risk to some degree.
If you find a previously banned scammer on the site, report them immediately using the tools provided in the marketplace. Our staff will research it as quickly as possible and take whatever action is necessary to maintain the integrity of the site. Beyond that, everyone must remain vigilant and be sure they do not become too trusting of the other party. Especially when that other party has little or no previous history on this site.
08-28-2009, 12:14 PM
#3
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RE: Adding Buyer Security to the Market Place
When listing an ad you can also check off to accept offers ONLY from verified buyers. these are buyers where we have run their credit card and verified them to "some" degree over somebody relatively anonymous. While our verification step is by no means foolproof it does offer some additional information that a user is more likely to be a real buyer and not a scammer. Again this is not 100% as users can steal cc numbers and billing info but this is still a hurdle most scammers won't go for as they tend to shoot for the low hanging fruit
08-30-2009, 12:20 AM
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RE: Adding Buyer Security to the Market Place
It's a buyer beware world out there. Places like Kijiji and Craigslist don't offer any sort of protection and I think it's unreasonable for RCU to do that either. They are basically giving the members an area in which to buy and sell, nothing more.
I've been scammed just once ever and I'll never fall for it again. If someone comes on looking to trade me and they have 0-2 feedback then no way in hell will I ship first. I only pay via paypal and only accept payments via paypal and always verified.
Another way to use paypal for trades is to have each member "pay" for the item then refund the money when you receive it. That way you even get the fees back.
P.S. Love the guys that have no feedback at all but say "will not ship first", if you fall for that then you're just not paying attention.
I've been scammed just once ever and I'll never fall for it again. If someone comes on looking to trade me and they have 0-2 feedback then no way in hell will I ship first. I only pay via paypal and only accept payments via paypal and always verified.
Another way to use paypal for trades is to have each member "pay" for the item then refund the money when you receive it. That way you even get the fees back.
P.S. Love the guys that have no feedback at all but say "will not ship first", if you fall for that then you're just not paying attention.
08-30-2009, 07:13 AM
#5
RE: Adding Buyer Security to the Market Place
As a side light as well PayPal offers 0 protection for a deal that went south. I bought a kit from a verified member, never did get the kit, filed a dispute with PayPal, won the dispute, and to this day I have never received a dime of my money back from PayPal. PayPal tells me that if any money ever passes into that verified account again, I will get my money back. Three years later, I am still waiting. I broke one of my own personal rules when I made this deal and paid the price. Check out the seller. Good Luck, Dave
08-30-2009, 11:47 AM
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RE: Adding Buyer Security to the Market Place
ORIGINAL: boxbeam
In my opinion, all sellers on RCU should provide a Verified PayPal account. Ron
In my opinion, all sellers on RCU should provide a Verified PayPal account. Ron
