41northpole
420
Sales validation
I would imagine it's very difficult to moderate every sales post, but I am sure everyone here does their utmost. I remember in each advert there used to be a panel where previous buyers could show as references for a given seller. This seem to have been lost in the latest website update. I always thought that was a good idea.
As this has becoming more prevalent, for the last few watches I have been looking at, I ask for references and try and marry those up in some way with known people in the website (checking post strings etc.) but it's not infallible. there was a watch I have wanted for some time shown a little while ago, but I left it in the end as the seller was always whatsapp'ing the possible reference before I got any detail back, so a bit tricky to know if some subterfuge was going on. Being in the UK it's even more difficult as most watches listed here are in the USA or Asia so a bit awkward for any redress if things go wrong
Maybe a sub folder in the collectors market for advice and horror stories so anyone can look at what has happened in the past and take note (not that this helps those already robbed of their cash)
The dark belly of the internet unfortunately, very sad indeed
regards
Tim
sales corner concern
Hi all, hope this message is appropriate, otherwise mods pls feel free to delete. The scamming in the global watch market is reaching alarming levels, in terms of volume and techniques. Sadly our forum is not safe from that, I doubt any forum is. Neverthe...
Interesting. I think the most important advice is to buy from well known members.
Finding the good solution to avoid the scammers and cheaters is tough... But I know some of us are thinking about that. Best, Nicolas
I took one off this morning (my time)
Vigilance is required of all of us. We can personally apply a limit "I refuse to consider any seller I haven\'t read 10 posts from, over 3 months" Or we could apply it mechanically and simply block postings. Which probably will impact our visitor counts. ...
I know some forums do have a minimum membership and post count rules...
Not sure it will prevent the problem fully, though.
I don't think the problem can be eliminated.
Nor do I think anyone should try to eliminate it. But I hope it can be contained better. The last month has seen a proliferation of postings from a handful of "sellers" that are practically screaming "fraud" and seemingly drawing interest from some unsusp...
I saw some posts by...
Padk. He is your cousin? Jokes aside, I personally find it wrong when people try and capitalize on others\' names and reputations. On another forum, one seller\'s name impersonates a well-known vintage Rolex dealer...
Clearly a fraudster - good catch, w. I'm deleting all his posts . . .
. . . other than the ones that are listed as 'Sold'. Art
Oh, I've already deleted most of them, and those left . . .
. . . are either marked as 'Sold', or have an edited warning from yours truly and will be removed after my colleagues review of this incident. Thanks for caring, padj. It's folks like yourself that make moderating this site a pleasure. Gratefully, Art
Good question and it caught my attention.
Hello Alex, Dear PuristS I even think that recently the number of scam advertisements has increased. I share the idea of Utopia for our Collectors Market as safe heaven, as not all ads are easily legitimate as from those people that contribute here. Just ...
There is no guaranteed way to keep the forum free from
Scammers. Personally, I only buy from AD and for used watches, from friends\' personal collection. The only way I would buy with another member would be a face to face and having the watch verified at local AD before taking the plunge.
Anytime a seller insists on 'wire transfer only' . . .
. . . as Padk recently demanded in over a dozen listings (that have now been deleted), it's a fair indication of fraud. Ridiculously low prices ($15.5K for a Bumblebee??) are another. Art
All agreed about the golden rules.
Thank you for deleting Padk. Question: is there a master thread listing all these hints for new or less experienced buyers? Or would that even be contradicting as it would tell the scammers what not to do? Are we all free of mistakes in the heat of a mome...
Unusually low price was just one factor; there were . . .
. . . others, starting with Padk's sudden appearance with several listings in a short period of time, without even one community posting. Hijacking other users FS posts (twice!) was another, insistence on wire transfers the tipping point. And appropriatin...
References and Proof
How about a system of references required to send to the mods before posting, along with pictures of the serial number/s? Additionally, like on Chrono24, setting of the watch to a time the mods choose at random.
Did not know of the Chrono 24 requirement.
Interesting - thanks! I think there is a dilemma and a fine balance that has to be sought between safeguards and ease of use...
Only for Private Sellers
The time setting on Chrono24 only applies to private sellers. I definitely think that there is a fine balance between safeguards and ease of use, however, given the dollar value on many of these, I don't see safeguards as being overly cumbersome that it w...
Tough but essential
Having purchased here and through Chrono24, dealing face to face essential. There can be a really big price difference between US and Europe so what can seem low price to one party is fair to another. But at end of the day, onus should be on seller so ......
Escrow...
I too noticed the dodgy postings and hope the team can Coke up with an answer. I can\'t help but think, as I have time and again over the years, that a third-party escrow arrangement of some sort could be the way forward. Surely there\'s a way in this day...
Arbitrage opportunity here?
Be interested to here some more detail - maybe one for a separate post.
I don't think the moderators signed up for that duty.
The moderators put in a lot of effort to keep this place "clean," and it's much appreciated. However, this is a watch site, not a sales site, and I don't think it is reasonable to impose even more market supervision duties on the moderators. Like most of ...
This site has to have been hacked!
The new listings are coming out of the woodwork. There are dozens from the same sellers and then new sellers show up the next day with dozens of listings.
Yes.
It's very annoying... Mods - I gather this issue is under discussion and I hope a solution can be found. The constant scammers do bring down the quality of this great site
Just deleted four more FS ads from Padk . . .
. . . and will check in CM again before leaving home Tuesday afternoon. Art
I'm unable to delete a poster's account . . .
. . . but can alter the text of their listings. Show me who they are, and their 'for sale' ads will be adjusted accordingly. Art
Pertinent post
Excuse the alliteration... I am sorry to see that some other Forum members have recently been caught out. I think the age old point is that you will not fully eliminate fraud in the market. Where it exists face to face it will also exist online and contin...
Some thoughts...
Having to set the hands to a specific time (like at Chrono24) would certainly help weed out the most obvious scammers, who use other people\'s pictures. I guess an appropriate widget could be programmed, so it is automatic and does not require moderator i...
Problem i have seen is fraudsters like to set up multiple accounts and endorse 'each other' as good buyers/sellers
Buyer beware always! However it would be nice to get rid of blatant fraud efforts like many of the ads which have appeared lately!
There is no profit in wasting time policing this
Collectors Marketplace (CM) is an unchecked place so people have a meeting point rather than clog up the discussion forums. It is the responsibility of buyer and seller to convince themselves that they want to interact. We can switch off CM if it is too b...
Makes me lament the loss of the old software...
... in which a seller could list a table of references of other Forum members, and each of those Members had to mutually approve/accept being a reference before they could be included in the table. That was always helpful. That, as well as the ability to ...
Sales validation
I would imagine it's very difficult to moderate every sales post, but I am sure everyone here does their utmost. I remember in each advert there used to be a panel where previous buyers could show as references for a given seller. This seem to have been l...
Hi everyone
I am French and I bought and sold many watches thanks to Chronomania forum (you can write Chronomania CDA in Google and you will find it). It is only for French speakers/writers but I think it is very nice for buyers and sellers. Moderators of this forum ...
There is a drastic solution: Sellers should pay, for posting a " for sale ", be well known and approved by Watchprosite before.
We'll have less ads, from much less scammers