ATTN: Potential Scammer!

Antoine said:
Awesome Shaun...did tekkie and ghostwhisper assist you with it?

I'm uber busy at the moment but we will move forward based on this summary...I'll check it out and post my final proposal soon...Thanks!

What I did was print out the thread with members' ideas and made notes. Then I combined conversations with ghostwhisper and tekkie as to which ideas should be put into action first. We've all been pretty much on the same page.

One update is the 30-day rule for new users. Maybe we should drop this as a requirement, and maybe implement it later if needed, as tekkie suggested to me. We all figure it would be best to implement some ideas for now (i.e., the one's under "My Favorites") and maybe make adjustments as needed later on. Tekkie also showed me a nice rule sheet on another board that included rules about self-bumping and irrelevent posts that just muddy the FS threads.

Yeah, I've been crazy busy lately, too. I've got some annoying ignition problems on my 626 right now that I'm trying to sort out...
 
Guess I should post them here :) As said already I just got them from another board, the toprotege.com site in fact. I will give props to them for doing this and I know it works well, why re-invent the wheel.

1) You must post a price for the item you are listing or trying to trade.

2) No auction style posts, list your price from the beginning and do not ask for people to up the price if someone offers you what yo uasked. If you want to place the item on ebay and then put the link here that is ok.

3) You cannot sell things that you do not currently have in your possession.

4) Do not bump your thread more than 2 times per 24 hrs.

5) Edit / bump your current thread, do not restart a new one unless the old one is real old, like more than 30 days.

6) No cross posting of the items into other forums.

7) If you are putting up a gauging interest thread you must still post a minimum amount that you expect to get.

8) You must post pics of items for sale.

As shaundarbie has already said I also think people with low post counts should at least have references from other websites that show they are honorable. Not everyone with low post counts are here to rip people off so I think its unfair to give them the cold hand right from the beginning.

We can get this all consolidated soon :)
 
Final Summary Draft...

Important Principles:
  • Selling on Mazda Forums is privilege, not a right
  • Scammers will not be tolerated and will be pursued aggressively
  • While a forum cannot guarantee that someone is trustworthy, Mazda Forums will try its best to maintain trust amongst its members
  • EDUCATE!!! Be professional and courteous unless it's a scammer
Rules and Guidelines

Trader Ratings

Lets give this a try! In addition to the current rep system

Scammer Info Archive

Lists all past scammers
Includes scam threads (for sellers to research by type of scam)
Catalog IP addresses of scammers

Potential Scammer title

Title applied to avatar (in red?) if no response to scam allegation
Applied only by an Admin/Supermod when deemed necessary

Must post real location under avatar

Both sellers and buyers

Required picture of actual item
*Don't have a digital camera? No Problem, you can buy a "disposable" one ;)

You cannot sell things that you do not currently have in your possession
A picture must be posted of the item including something that has Mazda Forums written on it (paper, cardboard, etc). Mazda Forums must be visible within the picture.

New users wait to post in FS forum

Possibly required in the future

Required Delivery Confirmation and/or tracking number on all sales

Only $0.55 for USPS!
Protects both parties

Buyer/Seller Education Guide

Encourage Paypal, getting references from seller, etc.
More details to come

Actual posts by members!

"[Scammers] should be kicked in the nuts, then be stripped of all his aftermarket parts and generously be given to [member]. Just my opinion, though."

"Its amazing how scammers can live with themselves. I would feel like s**t not earning my way through life honestly. I think its the parents. S**tty parents raise s**tty kids."
 
i think that NEW users should not be able to post in the for sale section NOW. dont implement it LATER, do it now. at least 30 days or 100 posts whichever comes first.
 
This is what we are going to go with right now , and try it out, we would love to please everyone, but this is a trial and error thing, and hopefully there wont be many errors, (ie scamming)
 
For those people that will complain that they don't have a digicam, you can now purchase "disposable" digicams at your local photo store. You no longer have an excuse...

Ben

Antoine said:
Required picture of actual item

You cannot sell things that you do not currently have in your possession
A picture must be posted of the item including something that has Mazda Forums written on it (paper, cardboard, etc). Mazda Forums must be visible within the picture.
 
benimal said:
For those people that will complain that they don't have a digicam, you can now purchase "disposable" digicams at your local photo store. You no longer have an excuse...

Ben

Awesome point!...updating summary!
 
About the new user, I find it very bias (It's just my personal opinon). Basically, sometimes other car owner is really trying to sell his/her stuff that happen to fit on our car(i.e. rims). Though, due to the restriction of low post count & new users, he/she can't post on the sale section. As of result, he/she may just lost a huge chance to sell. I'm sure one of you guys have ran into this situation in the past or may in the future. In conclusion, sometimes not all new posters are scammer (maybe majority of them are), but some are here for real business. I, for one have been through this situation on ClubRSX (or one of big RSX forum). Luckly, the admin did not lock my post or ban me from the board, and within a week I found a buyer with my 3 posts counts. So, I "personally" don't think we should restrict new posters from posting in sales section.

Anyway, that's just my $0.02. I think providing actual product pictures are very helpful (maybe with sellers name edit onto the photo) way and somewhat convincing. This is what I did to get obtain buyer's trust with my low posts count.

Lastly, majority of us probably have an ebay account. I think listing your ebay review is also a great idea. For example "I have an ebay account named 'snowblack', I have 100% positive review with 6 or 7 buyers reviews. (One of them is the rim I sold on RSX forum)"
 
Jliao said:
About the new user, I find it very bias (It's just my personal opinon). Basically, sometimes other car owner is really trying to sell his/her stuff that happen to fit on our car(i.e. rims). Though, due to the restriction of low post count & new users, he/she can't post on the sale section. As of result, he/she may just lost a huge chance to sell. I'm sure one of you guys have ran into this situation in the past or may in the future. In conclusion, sometimes not all new posters are scammer (maybe majority of them are), but some are here for real business. I, for one have been through this situation on ClubRSX (or one of big RSX forum). Luckly, the admin did not lock my post or ban me from the board, and within a week I found a buyer with my 3 posts counts. So, I "personally" don't think we should restrict new posters from posting in sales section.

Anyway, that's just my $0.02. I think providing actual product pictures are very helpful (maybe with sellers name edit onto the photo) way and somewhat convincing. This is what I did to get obtain buyer's trust with my low posts count.

Lastly, majority of us probably have an ebay account. I think listing your ebay review is also a great idea. For example "I have an ebay account named 'snowblack', I have 100% positive review with 6 or 7 buyers reviews. (One of them is the rim I sold on RSX forum)"

great point. yes i have ebay and i think mine is like 95 or somthing only cause some ppl cant read the god damn for sale s*** but yea only one negaitve with like 15 positives
 
Jliao said:
Lastly, majority of us probably have an ebay account. I think listing your ebay review is also a great idea. For example "I have an ebay account named 'snowblack', I have 100% positive review with 6 or 7 buyers reviews. (One of them is the rim I sold on RSX forum)"

If someone is looking to sell something on this board, more than likely they HAVE setup an eBay/amazon or other such auction site. Maybe make that an early poster option? post your eBay or other online store screen name so your credibility can be checked.

shaundarbie said:
Good Ideas with Problems:

Require sellers phone number
  • Too easy to change number, give wrong number, etc.

call them. i had another board do that. its still not fool-proof, but at least their is another way to contact them...
 
The idea of "Trader Rep" Is a great one. Approved Merchants should have a box on each post that can be used for a diferent type of rep. Blue Boxes in addition to the gree boxes...
 
I think having actual, up-to-date pictures as suggested by Antoine will resolve many problems. This is a reasonable requirement in any situation. I don't want people selling imaginary products they have never seen.
As for trader rep, if we can't ensure that trade rep points given (+ or -) are legitimate, then it will be of no use. Ebay, for example, ensures that rep is only given between buyer and seller.
Therefore, enforcing such rules would me programming a whole new vb hack to handle sales, trades, and gb's. If we're lucky, such hack exists on vbulletin.org. What do you guys think?
 
yeah, just thinking about the trader rep idea, that could get ugly (like the rep points) unless there is a way to keep it between the buyer and seller. good luck finding something...
 
what about this guy mrpopnfresh? this guy is stiffing someone hardcore in the CA section. he needs to be banned asap.
 
Here it is for now...

Final Summary...

Important Principles:
  • Selling on Mazda Forums is privilege, not a right
  • Scammers will not be tolerated and will be pursued aggressively
  • While a forum cannot guarantee that someone is trustworthy, Mazda Forums will try its best to maintain trust amongst its members
  • EDUCATE!!! Be professional and courteous unless it's a scammer
Rules and Guidelines

Trader Ratings

* Pending..Need a system that can ensure ratings are only given between buyers and sellers

Scammer Info Archive

Lists all past scammers
Includes scam threads (for sellers to research by type of scam)
Catalog IP addresses of scammers

Potential Scammer title

Title applied to avatar area if no response to scam allegation is received
Applied only by an Admin/Supermod when deemed necessary or by deadline

Must post real location under avatar

Required by both sellers and buyers

Required picture of actual item
*Don't have a digital camera? No Problem, you can buy a "disposable" one ;)

You cannot sell things that you do not currently have in your possession
A picture must be posted of the item including something that has Mazda Forums written on it (paper, cardboard, etc). Mazda Forums must be visible within the picture.

New users wait to post in FS forum

Possibly required in the future

Required Delivery Confirmation and/or tracking number on all sales

Only $0.55 for USPS!
Protects both parties

Buyer/Seller Education Guide

Encourage Paypal, getting references from seller, etc.
Include your ebaY review status and or feedback

Actual posts by members!

"[Scammers] should be kicked in the nuts, then be stripped of all his aftermarket parts and generously be given to [member]. Just my opinion, though."

"Its amazing how scammers can live with themselves. I would feel like s**t not earning my way through life honestly. I think its the parents. S**tty parents raise s**tty kids."
 
well thought... i think it will work well. If strictly enforced it could work out great.

I think new members should have to obtain a center post count. When ever i check out a new seller and if his post are generally BS posts just to build i wouldnt buy from him. IE:http://www.msprotege.com/forum/member.php?u=14216 acutally personally PMd said i knew what they were attempting and the person deleted posts and wasnt heard from again. I made a mod aware as well.
 
Matthew said:
what about this guy mrpopnfresh? this guy is stiffing someone hardcore in the CA section. he needs to be banned asap.

damn matt cant u just lay off of this already! banning him wont solve the prob!
 
Although this may be counterproductive, but maybe you should require that all sellers list their items on ebay and only allow buying through there, unless a GB. Otherwise there will always be shadiness.
 
Matthew said:
what is the purpose of "mazda forums" being visible in the photos? im confused.

so that we know the pic isn't stolen from another site, so we know the seller actually *has* the item...
 
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