[denied] Add additional safeguards to account selling

1. Describe the problem:
Account selling section of the forums has been a highly targeted by scammers for a while. It's a product for which info can be easily spoofed, sells for a high dollar, and is easily recoverable. There are countless posts right now from Sythe users created recently, low/no vouches/post count, and listing accounts for an incredibly cheap price.

To a user that has been around the block, it's obvious to stay away from these, but for newer users, it may be a tempting offer which almost always ends in the user getting scammed and leaving the forums or/and learning from it the hard way.

2. What current rules tackle this problem?
- Suggestion to search the Login ID of accounts to see if it has been involved in a scam
- Stickyd threads to warn users that account trading is dangerous and accounts are always recoverable

3. Proposition:
Here are some suggestions in no particular order:
- Add Sythe user requirements to limit who can make listings in Account Sales sections
- Use a "proof of work" approach by requiring x number of posts, a Sythe account age of at least x days. Vouches would be another metric to combine but likely not possible. Other statistics that are attached to an account proving the account is actively being used can also be considered.
- Account must be IP audited and verified before posting
- Add additional warning signage at the top of account listings stating the risks, suggestions, and/or the reputability of the Sythe account making the listing
- Add a tips thread/signage to give the buyer a list of red flags and things to consider before purchasing an account. Ex) if a user lists a max main with limited info for 100m a/w on a Sythe account created last week, chances are they are not reputable.
- Make everything as dummy proof as possible

4. Analysis:
The likely rebuttal to this is "scammers will just spam post, vouch for each other, make new accounts, etc." And I'm sure they will, but requiring a user to spend the time meeting these additional requirements, as well as having additional warnings informing new users of the dangers will, at worst, have no effect, and at best, have a positive effect.

5. Side-effects: A new user may join Sythe genuinely wanting to sell his/her account legitimately, and be unable to do so until they meet the requirements. In this rare case, if they value the account they are selling, they should have no qualms (in my mind) participating in the forums to get those requirements.

 

I think they were suggesting that an easier way of seeing current or past reports or infractions against users selling things should be implemented. You can always just Google 'x name scammer sythe', or search them in the forums although sometimes it takes a bit of playing around with the wording before discovering everything at least for me, so I would personally be in support of that idea. I agree with basically everything else you said tbh.

 

It's 2023. I feel as if someone sees an account 1800+ total level with all these "added bonuses" for 100m OSRS A/W and they purchase it, then quite frankly it's their own fault.. new user or old user it shouldn't matter. It's pretty easy to sniff out what doesn't seem right when it comes to believable account sales. There are too many reports, preventative steps, and "be careful" posts to not consider doing some research on the current OSRS market before making a purchase. Plus it's also extremely easy to spot the otherwise blatant desperation when it comes to scammers selling accounts at that low of a price. You shouldn't purchase an account from someone who can't give you much information about the account.

And regardless of placing limitations on accounts until they meet this and meet that, people have their interest in buying from certain people with large amounts of vouches, hundreds of sales, because they feel more comfortable, I don't think doing that would really change anything. The only suggestion I have here is maybe make the stickies bigger? I don't think adding anything else will do much unfortunately. I respect the pitch as you're trying to look out for unsuspecting members, but sadly I feel it will still occur regardless.

Cheers,

 

I don't think we should restrict the market in any way for a small retard minority that will get scammed regardless. I've seen like a thousand of these cases, and almost every single time it's the "Why pay 500$, when some random is selling at 50$".
The only way we can change this is through more clarity and information of how account sales work, but the problem is, you can't force a retard to do research, and we shouldn't trouble everyone else for their poor decisions

 

Even with all these restrictions, account buying/selling is always going to be high-level risk.

Accounts are ALWAYS recoverable, even with a Middleman/Recovery Test!

There are plenty of warnings around. If they choose to ignore them and accept the risk, that is on them.