Scammers On The Prowl

[e30crazie]

So I have been on this forum for a long time. I have found good advice, bought and sold tons of parts and met some cool peeps on here. BUT!!!! Lately I have encountered some classified ad trolls on here that want to scam me out of my hard earned money. I have placed 2 WTB ads and both times someone has tried to scam me. Beware of these scammers with Noobie status and zero posts offering parts. Has this forum really become a place of precaution where they prey on people? Well not this dummy. I’m not falling for it. Scammers stay away!!!

[twright]

I agree completely.

I posted a WTB for a Touring Spoiler and have received 6 offers to sell one of those to me. I'll bet there are not 6 of those in this country for sale.

The scammers (or maybe just one with a bunch of different names) are watching our WTB postings.

[Shadye30]

It's gotten to the point where I don't even feel like posting a WTB ad any longer.

[rtuite]

I'm a cybersecurity analyst by trade, and I see this all the time. It's so bad out there right now. I'm not new here, but mostly just a lurker. It sucks because I'm about to post my entire turbo kit for sale and I know my status is going to suppress most of the attention I would normally get because of these scammers.

Edit: I forgot to mention that the first thing I was greeted with when I logged in was a notification of a reply to one of my posts, and they were spam replies.

[rturbo 930]

I think perhaps a post count requirement to post in classifieds or to post links would help a lot with both scammers and spam. BFC had something like that in place, I think the requirement was either 10 posts or 100. I think 20 would be about right. My understanding is that a lot of these scammers do so by sending a PM saying they either have the part for sale, or that they know someone who has the part and they link an email address. A post count requirement to send PMs could help with this too. Some legitimate new posters looking for parts might be hindered by this, but I think it would be an overall net positive, and I would think it would be pretty easy to implement.

[e30austin]

It's gotten to the point where I don't even feel like posting a WTB ad any longer.

the last one i posted, i got bombarded with PMs and spam texts. i'm done doing it.

[McGyver]

Some legitimate new posters looking for parts might be hindered by this, but I think it would be an overall net positive, and I would think it would be pretty easy to implement.

Are there new members?!?

[varg]

I'm a cybersecurity analyst by trade, and I see this all the time. It's so bad out there right now. I'm not new here, but mostly just a lurker. It sucks because I'm about to post my entire turbo kit for sale and I know my status is going to suppress most of the attention I would normally get because of these scammers.

Edit: I forgot to mention that the first thing I was greeted with when I logged in was a notification of a reply to one of my posts, and they were spam replies.

Just post pics. I reply to just about every message in relation to a WTB with a request for pics.

[AWDBOB]

Just post pics. I reply to just about every message in relation to a WTB with a request for pics.

Back in the EvoM days, it was required, even back in 2011, to post photos with username/date in them. Granted, folks are getting better at photoshop, but it's almost always obvious when something is photoshopped in, and even then, asking for a few additional photos with username/date often sells them out.

[AWDBOB]

I'm a cybersecurity analyst by trade, and I see this all the time. It's so bad out there right now. I'm not new here, but mostly just a lurker. It sucks because I'm about to post my entire turbo kit for sale and I know my status is going to suppress most of the attention I would normally get because of these scammers.

Edit: I forgot to mention that the first thing I was greeted with when I logged in was a notification of a reply to one of my posts, and they were spam replies.

I will vouch in your for sale ad when we get this oil pan pulled and your kit gets listed!

[nando]

I think perhaps a post count requirement to post in classifieds or to post links would help a lot with both scammers and spam. BFC had something like that in place, I think the requirement was either 10 posts or 100. I think 20 would be about right. My understanding is that a lot of these scammers do so by sending a PM saying they either have the part for sale, or that they know someone who has the part and they link an email address. A post count requirement to send PMs could help with this too. Some legitimate new posters looking for parts might be hindered by this, but I think it would be an overall net positive, and I would think it would be pretty easy to implement.

I'd love to do something like this. The difficulty is implementing it. I'd think it's possible but it would be up to James to make happen.