Should the Wanted forums be viewable by Supporting Members only?

[paul]

Hi TalkBass'ists,

Some not-so-good news: We've had at least 4 long-time TalkBass members hooked and scammed by a Nigerian via the Wanted: Basses... forum. One lost $1500 in one pop. We're hoping PayPal makes things right and takes the hit. Regardless, we want to make sure this doesn't happen again.

The scammer went through the Wanted forum and found "the perfect bass" for these members. The scammer had very good english, excellent knowledge about the basses, and loads of photos. The victims paid the scammer via PayPal and MoneyGram.

Here's the option, and you tell us if you like it: Keep the Wanted forums open for posting and creating threads, for all members. BUT change it so that only Supporting Members can VIEW ads. So non-supporting members would still be able to post a new thread, and view/reply to their own threads only. Supporting Members would be able to post and see all threads in the forum. By requiring the Supporting Membership, 99% of scammers are just going to go away.

The downside of course is that the number of folks viewing the Wanted ads would decrease.

 

[DaveLS]

I've seen Wanted sections on other forum website where access is limited to the length of time a user has been a member and the number of posts you have. So for instance, you could have a rule where you can only view/post in the Wanted section if you have been a member of the forum for 30 days and have 30 posts. And you limit those posts to certain sections of the website. So you can't just go to the "Welcome" forum and say "hi" in 30 different posts just to get the number up.

 

[svtb15]

Did the Seller WAIT till the payment cleared thru PayPal? If not they are on the hook. I did a sale on a popular and growing new BASS FB page to an overseas buyer this week... Paypal said on the received money that it is "Under Review".. I will not ship until that "UNDER REVIEW" has cleared on the payment so that i am covered....
Sadly, in these two instance I think Its the sellers fault toallow the scam... Dont be falling hook line and sinker for the scam. Its basic street knowledge ... .... They need to beware and sell to people that have good feedback... and wait for payments to clear before they ship. Its common sense...
The only reason I come here now is to look at the FOR SALE stuff.... Already I am not happy with the the new TB , having my tail harassed at times for no good reason ( only to be exonerated later ) so I probably will NOT become a paying member ever again.. not 100% on that , but Im pretty sure i wont due to the mess it has become the past few years.. Besides, I have better luck selling on the Proprietary Bass FB page than here.
IMO, if i had to pay to be a member to search adds.. I would have no reason to come here anymore. Hope you don't take it all in the wrong way. But you did ask, So i am telling you my feelings on the matter ... Just my .02

 

[Hyper-sloth]

I believe it was the buyers who were scammed here....

 

[chris.gotfunk]

That is horribly unfortunate. I truly feel for our members that were scammed. Personally, I feel that only subscribing members should be able to post, view or respond to anything related to the classifieds section. While it would significantly decrease views in our posts, it would reduce and minimize any scammers. If possible, it would also help when receiving a PM or a response in an add that the stats of the individual are highlighted more in the avatar section that shows up when we all post here. Some kind of potential risk notification or flag to the person who posted or something of that nature.... just my .02.

 

[bass_case]

I've seen Wanted sections on other forum website where access is limited to the length of time a user has been a member and the number of posts you have. So for instance, you could have a rule where you can only view/post in the Wanted section if you have been a member of the forum for 30 days and have 30 posts. And you limit those posts to certain sections of the website. So you can't just go to the "Welcome" forum and say "hi" in 30 different posts just to get the number up.

Seems like a less restrictive approach if it's not to difficult to program.

 

[svtb15]

ooopsss There i go again.. reading with one eye open and no coffee yet

Well why is anyone buying from someone without POSTS or FEEDBACK anyway.. especially high dollar items?

I believe it was the buyers who were scammed here....

 

[carl h.]

What is to keep a scammer from becoming a supporting member? If your potential take is $1500, what's a minor contribution?

Heck, even legit bass players have pulled crap here, so what is excluding folks based on financial outlay going to accomplish?

 

[TolerancEJ]

I like an earlier poster's recommendation to limit the Wanted sub-forum permission according to the member's length of time.

 

[Low Class]

What is to keep a scammer from becoming a supporting member? If your potential take is $1500, what's a minor contribution?

Heck, even legit bass players have pulled crap here, so what is excluding folks based on financial outlay going to accomplish?

+1! If some scammer becomes a supporting member it gives them more of a sense of legitimacy.

 

[OnederTone]

Seems logical to me. Supporting members can sell. Posting a WTB is potentially buying, responding/viewing a WTB is after all, selling.

 

[MarkoYYZ]

If only supporting members can see the threads, then a non-supporting member will go to the forum - see nothing - and not bother to post their own WTB threads either. It's either visible or it's not. I thing DaveLS has the better plan, where you have to have been a member with a minimum number of posts over a certain period of time before you can see the WTB ads. That, or make a it a requirement that any sale still gets posted in the FS section, to offer similar protections that those boards do.

 

[OnederTone]

+1! If some scammer becomes a supporting member it gives them more of a sense of legitimacy.

This is true, but I see it as defense in depth. Sure they may be willing to pay out $25 to make a post, but it's one more hurdle.

 

[The Bass Clef]

Did the Seller WAIT till the payment cleared thru PayPal? If not they are on the hook. I did a sale on a popular and growing new BASS FB page to an overseas buyer this week... Paypal said on the received money that it is "Under Review".. I will not ship until that "UNDER REVIEW" has cleared on the payment so that i am covered....
Sadly, in these two instance I think Its the sellers fault toallow the scam... Dont be falling hook line and sinker for the scam. Its basic street knowledge ... .... They need to beware and sell to people that have good feedback... and wait for payments to clear before they ship. Its common sense...
The only reason I come here now is to look at the FOR SALE stuff.... Already I am not happy with the the new TB , having my tail harassed at times for no good reason ( only to be exonerated later ) so I probably will NOT become a paying member ever again.. not 100% on that , but Im pretty sure i wont due to the mess it has become the past few years.. Besides, I have better luck selling on the Proprietary Bass FB page than here.
IMO, if i had to pay to be a member to search adds.. I would have no reason to come here anymore. Hope you don't take it all in the wrong way. But you did ask, So i am telling you my feelings on the matter ... Just my .02

I think you may have misunderstood this thread on 2 counts..
1st, it sounds like the people that got scammed were the buyers, not the seller. From what I gather, a bogus (overseas) seller went onto the wanted page, and told members that he has the bass that they posted they were looking for, and took their $$. So your point about waiting until the payment clears (as a seller) is a good valid point, but it doesn't really have anything to do with how these particular folks got scammed since they were the buyers. They paid the money and never recieved the basses (at least that's how it sounds to me).

2nd, I think you would still be able to view all the normal for sale threads as a non-supporting member, you just wouldn't be able to view the wanted threads. This would help ensure that supporting members who post that they are looking for a piece of gear would only be contacted by other supporting members. But as far as how it concerns you.. you would still be able to view the normal classifieds and buy things off here - you just can't sell stuff (or view the wanted section) without a supporting membership. Correct me if I'm wrong Paul.

I think it's a great idea because I wouldn't buy from someone who doesn't have feedback on here anyways. It does raise the question though..
Is there a way to make it so that people who have been supporting members in the past (and have the feedback from previous sales on TB), but not currently supporting members could still see the wanted section? I ask that because I would buy from someone if they had feedback on here, regardless of whether or not they are currently a suppoting member.

 

[svtb15]

It will only hurt paying members... since their adds will not be seen by enough people..... Thats a simple game of numbers.. Since many people become paying member in order to sell here.. So i feel it will hurt the reason to become a paying member

 

[svtb15]

+1 I jumped the gun again.. I need coffee.... Long plane ride last night.. and im not awake yet..

I think you may have misunderstood this thread on 2 counts..
1st, it sounds like the people that got scammed were the buyers, not the seller. From what I gather, a bogus (overseas) seller went onto the wanted page, and told members that he has the bass that they posted they were looking for, and took their $$. So your point about waiting until the payment clears (as a seller) is a good valid point, but it doesn't really have anything to do with how these particular folks got scammed since they were the buyers. They paid the money and never recieved the basses (at least that's how it sounds to me).

2nd, I think you would still be able to view all the normal for sale threads as a non-supporting member, you just wouldn't be able to view the wanted threads. This would help ensure that supporting members who post that they are looking for a piece of gear would only be contacted by other supporting members. But as far as how it concerns you.. you would still be able to view the normal classifieds and buy things off here - you just can't sell stuff (or view the wanted section) without a supporting membership. Correct me if I'm wrong Paul.

I think it's a great idea because I wouldn't buy from someone who doesn't have feedback on here anyways. It does raise the question though..
Is there a way to make it so that people who have been supporting members in the past (and have the feedback from previous sales on TB), but not currently supporting members could still see the wanted section? I ask that because I would buy from someone if they had feedback on here, regardless of whether or not they are currently a suppoting member.

 

[cthomas5200]

I think you may have misunderstood this thread on 2 counts..
1st, it sounds like the people that got scammed were the buyers, not the seller. From what I gather, a bogus (overseas) seller went onto the wanted page, and told members that he has the bass that they posted they were looking for, and took their $$. So your point about waiting until the payment clears (as a seller) is a good valid point, but it doesn't really have anything to do with how these particular folks got scammed since they were the buyers. They paid the money and never recieved the basses (at least that's how it sounds to me).

2nd, I think you would still be able to view all the normal for sale threads as a non-supporting member, you just wouldn't be able to view the wanted threads. This would help ensure that supporting members who post that they are looking for a piece of gear would only be contacted by other supporting members. But as far as how it concerns you.. you would still be able to view the normal classifieds and buy things off here - you just can't sell stuff (or view the wanted section) without a supporting membership. Correct me if I'm wrong Paul.

I think it's a great idea because I wouldn't buy from someone who doesn't have feedback on here anyways. It does raise the question though..
Is there a way to make it so that people who have been supporting members in the past (and have the feedback from previous sales on TB), but not currently supporting members could still see the wanted section? I ask that because I would buy from someone if they had feedback on here, regardless of whether or not they are currently a suppoting member.

I definitely agree with this. First thing I do with any buying or selling is check who I am dealing with. Same thing on the Bay. So, I do agree with any action that adds another hurdle. I do think the supporting membership is a small amount so a determined scammer may not be deterred, but any hurdle to protect the honest TB'ers is worth it.

 

[carl h.]

I definitely agree with this. First thing I do with any buying or selling is check who I am dealing with. Same thing on the Bay. So, I do agree with any action that adds another hurdle. I do think the supporting membership is a small amount so a determined scammer may not be deterred, but any hurdle to protect the honest TB'ers is worth it.

Implication being the non supporting members are dishonest?

 

[cthomas5200]

Implication being the non supporting members are dishonest?

Not at all...but clearly some of them are hence the thread and discussion.

 

[peabody]

I admit, I'm one of the 4 who got duped. Just let me know if you want to hear the story sometime. My first mistake was not looking at the time the respondent had been a member and their feedback score....totally my fault. I do use the Want Ads quite a bit, so I'd hate to see it limited being viewed only by Supporting Members. I do like Dave's idea up above where someone has to be a member for certain amount of time and have a minimum amount of posts. PayPal has assured me that I'm covered and I'll get a refund. You may want to keep this in mind when someone asks you to send money via a PayPal gift so they don't get charged the PP fees. It may sound like a simple thing, but you totally lose any protection PayPal may offer. Despite my bad experience, my GAS will live on.

 

[The Bass Clef]

Implication being the non supporting members are dishonest?

He didn't say "honest supporting members", he said "honest TB'ers". You lookin for an excuse to start a useless argument over nothing? There's enough of that on TB.