Thread Prompt

Can we prompt a thread to all users before entering the market that explains the danger commonly associated with this site? This thread would only show once before market entry and would not create further dialogue after repeat visits. It's too often that many users fall peril to common methods of scam and deception. With this addition, you teach market safety, and no longer absolve impatient and ignorant users for not reading a multitude of sticky threads. The effectiveness of this is worth the little to no effort it takes to put this in order. It should take an hour at most to create a thread listing the subjects below. Heck, I'll do it if any of the 23 current staff members don't want to.

This thread would explain the following:

Impostors (What it is and how to avoid)
Middleman (What it is and the benefits of using one)
Electronic money transfers (Primarily paypal, and the risks of using it for virtual sales / Promote better alternatives)
Trust (Explaining the credence of some ranks, specifically SVU and how it doesn't increase the credibility of any user)
Scams (Explain how to marginalize being a victim of a scam)
Stickied threads (Explain the importance of them and why they should read stickies that are respective to the market they're in)
Ban evaders (Explain what they are and the tactics to point them out)

If there is anything else that helps, then add that too.

Spoiler: Draft

Draft:

Title: Protect Yourself With Safe Marketing!

Over the years here at Sythe, it's become very evident that many users, particularly newcomers, are highly susceptible to market deception that results in numerous members being swindled out of their wealth and or belongings. We've created a guide to ensure that your risk of being a victim is diminished to great lengths. It is essential that you read everything here. This guide will be divided into 6 components, each individually explained in brief detail.

Spoiler: Impostors

Impostors

What is an impostor? A person who pretends to be someone else in order to deceive others, especially for fraudulent gain.

How do you know if you're speaking to an impostor?

1. Check the profile of the messaging service you're using. Look to see if the username is an exact match to the one posted by the original. It is important to patiently observe both usernames when comparing as you may easily be deceived into thinking both are identical.

2. Request a private message on Sythe that shows the chat-log of the messing service you're using to verify the person you're speaking to is in fact the original. Make sure they show the chat-log as there are various methods used to trick the original into sending you a private message that may not reflect the conversation you had on the messaging service.

- If you want to avoid adding the wrong person, use this button that is most likely provided by the original in the right hand corner of the users post bit. This will prompt the messaging service you're using to open and add the user for you.

Spoiler: Middleman

Middleman

What is a middleman? A person who ensures both parties come to a mutual agreement safely during a trade.

Why is a middleman important to use? A middleman is important to use because it assures that you will get through a trade safely.

Are all middlemen safe to use? No. It is important to note that middlemen are divided into two divisions.

1. Official Middleman
2. Unofficial Middleman

What is the difference? An official middleman is a highly trusted user who is approved by the leaders of this site. Because they hold a rank of high reverence, they charge fees for using their service. Although it may be off putting, it is definitely worth it depending on the value of the trade. Unofficial middleman don't charge fees, and are not approved by the leaders of this site, but are viable to use for cheaper trade values.

When picking an unofficial middleman to use, it is important that you look at the quality and quantity of their vouches before coming to a decision.

Official Middleman List
Where to find a middleman?

Spoiler: Sticky Threads

Sticky Threads

What are sticky threads? Sticky threads are threads that are pinned at the top of each individual forum.

Why are they important? Threads that are pinned usually detail that they must be read before acting in their respective forum. They hold insight and value, and should not be taken for granted.

How can you point out a sticky thread? Sticky threads have this tool icon pinned on the right hand side of thread titles

Spoiler: Ban Evaders

Ban Evader

What is a ban evader? A ban evader is someone who avoids a ban given to them by creating a new account, or acting on existing one before clearing up their initial ban.

Unfortunately for us, they plague this forum, usually with the intent of scamming others.

How can you tell if someone is ban evading?

1. Look in the Anti-Scam forum to make sure there aren't any pending reports on the user.

2. Run a google search with the messaging service username they use. More often than not, there will be a link between other accounts that are banned. In that case, it is important to report them in the Anti-Scam forum.

3. View their user audit by going to their profile and clicking on the 3rd link to the right. It should look like this . It is not a definitive source of finding out if they're evading a ban, but it gives you an idea of who they are linked to.

4. If they have a recent join date. This isn't always the case, but it is a common indicator.

What if you can't tell, but are unsure of the person you're trading with? Request to use a middleman. More often than not, they will decline your request. That should tell you to move on and avoid trading that person.

Spoiler: Methods of Payment

Methods of Payment

There has been an ongoing occurrence of users requesting chargebacks/reversals for transactions that were already completed, resulting in scams. The service most associated with this is paypal. It is important to note that many online payment systems that allows for payments with a credit card will put you at risk of a chargeback. Here is a guide specifically for paypal that explains in detail what it is and how to fight it.

To avoid this specific problem, you can use systems that allows for the trading of digital currency such as coinbase. A popular digital currency is bitcoin. To learn more about bitcoin, click here.

What is digital currency? Digital currency can be defined as an internet based form of currency or medium of exchange (i.e., distinct from physical, such as banknotes and coins) that exhibits properties similar to physical currencies, however, allows for instantaneous transactions and borderless transfer-of-ownership.

Spoiler: Scams

Scams

How to avoid getting scammed? Take the steps above into account. Using those tips alone will heavily diminish your risk of being scammed. When dealing with someone, you must again look at the quality of their vouches. If you come to a decision that you can't rely on their vouches to trust them, use a middleman who is more trustworthy.

Other tips:

a. Look in the Anti-Scam forum to see if there are any pending reports on the user in question.

b. Be patient. Impatience will drive you to make irrational decisions.

c. Be cautious and observant when trading with someone. It is essential to take trades with extreme care, following previous tips to ensure you're making the right decision.

 

Support. This is a pretty good idea that could definitely help newer users on the forums. I can help put this together later if nobody else has gotten to it.

 

Great idea. Keeping it as short as possible, but having all the info will be the key. New users don't like to read much and want to get into the market immediately.

 

Support.

Something like this was suggested in the past, not sure what came of it.

 

I believe it was something like a welcome PM to new users that included market safety. I think it was assumed that new users wouldn't have read it anyway.

 

Support. I'm all for anything that reduces the risk of new members being scammed.

 

This is a good idea, not everyone is used to trading on a blackmarket, and that could be a toutorial how to stay safe on it. 100% support

 

Very nice idea, would educate many users. I'd be able to help if needed.

 

Awesome Idea! I support this

 

This has come up before and was denied. We tried to get a new user PM done but apparently PMing new users is too hard. It is still a good idea and really should be done in some way.

 

I'd prefer the welcome PM that has already been suggested and written but never used.

I don't think any of the low age/intelligence users who fall into this stuff would read through a safety guide anyway, even if pushed in their face. So I'm entirely neutral.

 

It would definitely benefit some people. If a prompt was forced on me before entering a forum, I would read it (I see my 13 year old self doing the same). 9/10 users who register are most likely returning members evading a ban. With the amount of people who come here with the intent of scamming, this should be seen as a silver lining to those who are ignorant about the market, specifically around here.

@Super

Cool

 

Basically what we did for the PM and it worked well.

 

I'm okay with either a PM or this. It needs to be short and succinct enough to not discourage people from skipping over it though

 

Support, an admin could create a thread explaining some of the popular scams and when you try to join a market thread it would prompt you to view that thread before trading.

 

Would be a very useful thread. Many newcomers do not read stickies and are very unaware of the many types of scams that occur in this market.

 

Support, for obvious reasons. probably wouldn't be hard to implement too

 

Support, would be helpful to new users.