Buyer beware! - Tim Morgan

ttf_crazytrombonist505 · Tue May 23, 2017 7:17 am

Hello fellow trombonists,
I recently posted a classified add here saying that I was looking to buy a Bach 1.25G. I was emailed by an individual named Tim Morgan, and he said that he had a 1.25G he could sell me. He said he was asking $200 plus the moneygram fee for it (shipping included.) Seems very shady as a new 1.25G cost around $75. Also, the fact that he wants me to use moneygram is a warning flag. As he emailed me directly I don't know what his username here on the forum is, but perhaps someone else does? The email address that he emailed with is [url=mailto:[email protected]][email protected][/url]. Has anyone else had any experience with this individual? Seems extremely shady to me...

ttf_greenbean · Post by **ttf_greenbean** » Tue May 23, 2017 7:29 am

He is not a shady forum member. He is a scammer.

ttf_tbathras · Post by **ttf_tbathras** » Tue May 23, 2017 7:31 am

Quote from: crazytrombonist505 on May 23, 2017, 07:17AMAs he emailed me directly I don't know what his username here on the forum is, but perhaps someone else does?

The Forum is public - you don't need an account to read posts here.

ttf_Matt K · Post by **ttf_Matt K** » Tue May 23, 2017 7:35 am

However, your e-mail is hidden unless you are logged in. If you save your e-mail on the forum in your profile and don't put it in the body of your message, only forum members can see it.

ttf_tbathras · Post by **ttf_tbathras** » Tue May 23, 2017 7:53 am

Quote from: Matt K on May 23, 2017, 07:35AMHowever, your e-mail is hidden unless you are logged in. If you save your e-mail on the forum in your profile and don't put it in the body of your message, only forum members can see it.

That's an optional setting - it is possible to expose your email in your profile to the world.

ttf_Matt K · Post by **ttf_Matt K** » Tue May 23, 2017 8:01 am

Quote from: tbathras on May 23, 2017, 07:53AMThat's an optional setting - it is possible to expose your email in your profile to the world.

I see what you're saying; however, it looks like the publicly facing e-mail part was never implemented because no user has their e-mail exposed to the public. (You can verify this with my account, which has it unchecked).

ttf_crazytrombonist505 · Tue May 23, 2017 8:03 am

Quote from: Matt K on May 23, 2017, 07:35AMHowever, your e-mail is hidden unless you are logged in. If you save your e-mail on the forum in your profile and don't put it in the body of your message, only forum members can see it.

That was my mistake, in my add, I asked that people contact me directly by email instead of sending a PM. That's the last time I'll do that...

ttf_tbathras · Post by **ttf_tbathras** » Tue May 23, 2017 8:29 am

Quote from: Matt K on May 23, 2017, 08:01AMI see what you're saying; however, it looks like the publicly facing e-mail part was never implemented because no user has their e-mail exposed to the public. (You can verify this with my account, which has it unchecked).

You'd think I'd be smart enough now to never assume something "works as designed" on the forum

ttf_Matt K · Post by **ttf_Matt K** » Tue May 23, 2017 8:38 am

Quote from: crazytrombonist505 on May 23, 2017, 08:03AMThat was my mistake, in my add, I asked that people contact me directly by email instead of sending a PM. That's the last time I'll do that...

I don't think it was much your fault since many other people do it. Quote from: tbathras on May 23, 2017, 08:29AMYou'd think I'd be smart enough now to never assume something "works as designed" on the forum

--- In response to both of you, I actually didn't notice it myself until a few days ago.

So the lesson for all of those who do the funny things like:

e m a i l at g m a i l dot c o m

or similar, those are trivial for a computer to parse. So I definitely recommend saving your e-mail on this site and telling people to use the e-mail button!

Also, another technique that I've been pointed out recently is to make a free gmail account for the site that you use it for, so for example, [url=mailto:[email protected]][email protected][/url] or even [url=mailto:[email protected]][email protected][/url] or something like that for your other transactions. That way 1) everything trombone related is in the same place and 2) gmail is really quite good at keeping spam out of your inbox.

FWIW!

ttf_John McKevitt · Post by **ttf_John McKevitt** » Sat Jun 03, 2017 11:35 am

Maybe we should have some sort of a Data Base where we collect the scammers name and email. THis way a person selling an item can verify if a buyer is a Potential Scam Artist from others past experience.
Got One Today. Someone answered two 6 week old ads for Shires bells I had for sale.
Refuses to give adrress " Local Shipping co, will pick it up"
Refuses to use Pay Pal " I will send a Money Order. It's as good as Cash"
Shawn Smith [url=mailto:[email protected]][email protected][/url]

BEWARE BEWARE BEWARE

ttf_Matt K · Post by **ttf_Matt K** » Sat Jun 03, 2017 11:42 am

It might be some trouble legally to do that, but it is a good idea. I'd have to investigate that. The problem is that you may unintentionally put someone on that list that doesn't belong but is genuinely naive or something. Or someone putting someone on that list out of spite for a transaction gone wrong, etc. I'm not sure how libel laws work with relation to 3rd parties (ie: is facebook liable when one user posts something about a non-user or other 3rd party). You'd intuitively think not but anymore its something you'd want to make sure all the 'i's are dotted and 't's are crossed.

As far as implementing it, something like that would be trivial to code and so if I look into it and it looks feasible I might be able to come up with a website that can be used in such a capacity.