How to Avoid Scams

As more and more blacksmiths and alchemists arrive in game the likelihood of being scammed in game is also increasing. As a way to combat this problem I'm suggesting a method that's been around since really the beginning of modern trade in the Roman Empire..aka a really long time ago. The concept is simple..."Never allow money to leave your hand without getting something in the other" that being said and all dirty thoughts aside the following is the method.

Now to be clear this method is for any service that requires you to trade an item/equipment to another player for them to perform a service on it such as adding locks, xtal extract, or refinement just for a few examples.

Step 1: Appraise your item / know it's current market value as well as any xtals that might already be set in its sockets. This also applies to the service provider and is both the customer's and service provider's responsibility to do so.

Step 2: After having your item/equipment appraised you move to the negotiations with the service provider at this time you agree to pay for services rendered but upon the condition the service provider allows you to hold an item or spina of theirs equal to the value of the item you would be giving them. If the service provider denies this request end your negotiations here and walk away it's never a good idea to trade something for nothing.

Step 3: Should the service provider agree to the terms proceed with the trade being sure to check the item/equipment or the amount of spina you're getting from the service provider is of equal value to that of what you are trading away to be serviced. Again I stress the importance of knowing the rough market value of your items and the ones you would be receiving as insurance.

Step 4: Once all seems to be in order make the trade being sure to hold the service providers item/equipment or spina in reserve should the service provider ask for their money or item back be sure you get your item back in the same trade screen.

I understand many blacksmiths and alchemists can't afford to process this method because of their availability of funds and yes that does pose a problem but just like major stores you have to have the capital before you can open a business. This method works much like insurance or a modern pawn shop. For example a modern pawn shop agrees to give you money in exchange for a money loan in which you give them an item of equal or greater value to the amount of the loan. They hold that item till you pay back said loan and if you don't they sell your item to recover their loss on the loan. The same principle applies to this method, should the service provider flee with your item/equipment or won't give back what you gave them, then this is a means to ensure you don't suffer a total loss because you can simply sell the item they gave you for spina to replace your stolen item. This method also serves as deterent against scammers as most scammers will not agree to this arrangement. I hope this little guide will help people and reduce the amount of people being scammed as well as further increases talks about ways to truly make it difficult for scammers to continue. As a side note I'd just like to add that those that trust a list of names, while that might be enough for some people to trust someone and gamble with their items or spina...I'll caution against that very idea stating that while someone's name might be on that list remember that users moderate that list and just because their name is on a list does not mean they have never scammed someone or would never...bet you never would of thought a military veteran's organization like wounded warriors project would have scammed people either.....get my point?

Does anyone remember a game that let you preform services in the trade window for specific services. I remember playing game like that but I can't seem to remember the name of the game.

 

Wah.... I'm not optimist by this.
Still, good job and good luck ^_^

 

I would never agree to something like this and I doubt anyone else would, trusted or not.
Best way to avoid getting scammed? Check the lists =P

http://toramonline.com/index.php?threads/trusted-services-list-refine-synth-etc.13027/

 

There's a flaw when it comes to xtal extractions.
Many seek extraction services, due to the fact, they are selling said items afterward.

Here's what I envision:
You're the extal extractor, and get contacted to extract a DG from a MoD.
You agree to collateral trade of 2.5m, which will be returned upon successful extract + service fees.
You proceed with the trade.
Customer disappears after the trade.
Congratulations, you're now the owner of a MoD(DG).

This would make the extractor vulnerable of buying said item without knowing.
Yes, you can always sell the item, but who has the time for that.

 

Wow.... think like a criminal, you just nailed it XD

 

This is true but at the same time what are you losing at this point because now you can still sell the item and depending on market value earn more so either way the method stands as a way of ensuring no loss of profit or collateral. It's clearly an age old proven system considering pawn shops have been doing it since before Roman days.....just saying....I guess I should of also mentioned the time comment you made....as if standing around in town broadcasting extract service wasn't already time consuming....then what's the issue selling an xtal? As for checking lists of so called approved vendors what does that count for when at anytime they could even scam? Just because your name is on a fourm page saying you can trust this person does not make it 100% true nor false....that would be like believing everything you read or see is true.

 

So, from what you've said.
All of us should be prepared to be left with some equipment and useless xtal while we lose our money to some stranger we don't know.
And then, we have to sell those scrap that people don't want.
So the point is I sell extraction, and instead I got equipment with xtal while my money lost.
That means, extraction + equipment + xtal = my lost money + fee.
Yet, at the end I got equipment + xtal = my lost money.
So, blah blah blah.... I lost my extraction crystal, I still lose my money!!!!

 

In the end you have the power to stop the trade just as much as the customer does the fact anyone would be against this really puts into question their motives in the end. In other words take for example major retailers for sake of argument I'll say Walmart. Well when you shop you get a receipt as proof of your purchase which you can then use to return said purchase if you weren't happy with it or it was defective. Same applies with pawn shops. They give you an exchange of money for an item of equal or greater value which they can sell should you not repay the money they gave you. Retailers aka sellers should be taking it upon themselves to prove their trustworthy not the other way around. Would you shop at a store that could take your money and say you never gave them anything? It's a pretty safe bet that would be a no for an answer well once again same applies here. All this method does is bring a real world proven system to the game. The only and I repeat only true down side to this that I'm rather shocked no one has commented on is the available funds for a blacksmith and the hardship it would bring to the ones who couldn't afford to insure a transaction. To them I could understand a true issue there seeing as how a just level capped blacksmith would likely not have the funds available to do this.

 

Blah blah blah... don't see any point that can helped the other but long talk. Wonder how many people will read all of it. And not really helpful at all.
But then, you've succeeded at finding a new way for a scammer to legalize their scamming action. Good job buddy....

 

I don't like people like that , if they don't trust me Idc lol I wouldn't trade anything just to prove I'm trusted, most people dont know the prices of things it won't work , if they do then they're prob already be experience players and all experience players know of trusted services .

 

Once I asked for 3 lock synth service. I had no one to ask if the person was trusted or not, I just trusted this person with all my heart and yay. XD

It's not full proof, I know. But you'll get the feeling to know if that person is trusted or not if you believeeeee.

Lol it's either that or I was just lucky. XD

 

Well, while I enjoy truly constructive criticism this is not. Labeling it as legalizing scamming without giving a true explanation is just your way of leaving the door open for scammers to carry on like they have and in many ways you may have or know people that do scam and in someone's attempt to close that door you lash out at them. Either way this system is how all modern real world trade works. Any responsible adult could tell you money never leaves your hand without getting something in the other. This is progress toward a better gaming community as a whole and I'm more then happy to hear anyone else's ideas how to better stop the scams. But until I see something better then just quote unquote names you can trust on a list that's about as good as British petroleum's promise to clean up the Gulf of Mexico then this by all accounts would remain the only binding way to truly secure a service trade.

 

Pfft... modern real world trade work for game. Like buying and selling spina with real money. Great suggestion buddy XD
Pfft... any responsible adult? Don't think any game have those thing. Because any responsible adult are busy dealing with real life XD
pfft... yeah, it's a progress. Toward a better gaming community??? I sincerely hope so ^_^

 

See in a perfect world yeah you would be able to trust anyone and it would be nice to see that some

Just remember that's kinda like saying that everyone that owns a car knows how to change a tire...

 

I personally prefer to use either my fellow guild members or the market for items.

EDIT: Either way it's good to be aware of scams, the business is bad yet lucrative |~|

 

I totally agree using the guild has its benefits but case in point I was just reading today about someone who'd been with a guild a month and just had a guild member scam him/her then quit the guild run and make a new account. With gamers like that among the community that begs the question who can you really "trust" and given that situation of making new accounts and what not now that person is lost in the masses. Now funny but a true possibility given the ability to have multiple accounts who's to say some of the scammers aren't in real life also some of the names on the trusted list....just some food for thought.

 

I agree quality over quantity and it does sever as a lesson to guild leaders to better monitor their members and be more active with their guilds. There are a whole lot of people out there just out for themselves and not their guilds as a whole...in fact in many years of mmo's I found its rare to find the few that do wish to see the betterment of the whole over the select few.

 

Agreeably this is true. I think in conjuction with @kariin 's idea you should get a feel for who you can trust. For my guild I can trust a handful of members who are mostly guild staff. Otherwise like I said I've just go to the market.
Unfortunately, @TIAMAT is correct: Scammers can just make new accounts and avatar names to remain hidden