New Members with 0 posts and feedback wanting to buy

[maulermacall@hotmail.com]

Hi

I've never experienced anything like this on any other forum, I might just be to suspicious and untrusting or am I?

I've posted a watch in the sales section and I recieved a fair number of enquiries, it's a nice piece so that' wasn't so unexpected. What I was suprised about was the number of brand new members with 0 posts wanting to buy it. I've been turning down there offers to buy the asking price as I don't want to run the risk of being scammed.

Have any others experienced this?

PS I'm sorry I've been really bad at replying to all genuine enquiries re my Tudor, I'm moving house this week and it's proving to be more exhausting that i thought!

[whoever]

Don't do it, had the same thing! Better be sure....at least 15 posts is mandatory!!! Glws!

[asciwhite]

I am very sceptical about selling to 0 post members :S

[redwatch]

I generally just delete the PM's and ignore them.  Sorry.  I know I was a noob once too, but I had several posts and was actually involved with the Forum quite a bit prior to my very first purchase from another member.  To me it just seems a little too fishy.  

 

There's a TON of PayPal scams going on lately too, so I am even more wary.

[Nanuq]

Well said Red, people are all over my gen Doxa, and like you said, some with 0 posts and no history here at all.

 

A general point of advice:  if you can, get external references, ideally from people you already know on other boards.  That helps a lot.

[maulermacall@hotmail.com]

It's interesting to hear that others have been approached by new 0 post members wanting to buy watches. It's not as if they introduce themselves in their messeges nor do they provide any references to prove they are genuine.

I don't know what the restrictions currently are on the private sales forum but maybe something like a 50 post limit before you can view could be considered?

Edited January 29, 2013 by Sidney Youngblood

[Big_dane]

As a noob myself I would like to add a few comments to your discussion.

 

First of all, I cincerely understand where you are coming from, nobody wants to be scammed. No doubt scamming over the web via PP etc. has become incredibly easy and some heartless people are probably searching forums like this for new victims to fool for money. It would be easy to set up some 'house-rules' for who can be allowed in the trading area to avoid the majority of these scammers.

 

For me personally it would basically mean the following; as I am not posting a lot, (I simply do not have enough time mostly due to work), I would not be able to have access to the trading area and would have to rely only on the TD's. With all due respect for the TD's it is buying from eachother that, for me -and probably many other noobs- gives this hobby a little extra.

Since I started in this hobby around a year ago I have purchased 10 reps, most of these have been private trades over either RWG or RG,

 

I really believe that there are a lot of well meaning noob's like myself that would be cut off a very important part of the 'club' if we can not access the trading. I visit the site every day and does quite some reading, I unfortunatly do not find the time to sit down and join the discussions at the moment.

 

What other possibilities than closing down a big group of members could be considered? Because obviously if it is an increasing problem it needs to be taken serious, but personally I would like to avoid keeping out a large group of users that would be effected if a post count of 50 needed to visit the trading area was to be implemented.

 

You could of course argue that I should up my posting cadence, but I would rather not post just for the sake of posting

[Legend]

I think one cannot pass absolute judgement on the intentions and integrity of a noob with 0 posts and feedback. 

He has to start somewhere!

 

But I do understand, with the scams happening lately on the forum and on PP, it doesn't hurt to be a lot more cautious with such prospects.

I myself traded with a few total noobs before, and the experiences were alright. I could have been just lucky I know.

 

The number of posts and feedback do affect how we perceive the member to be, in terms of his standing, but I guess that # of posts and feedback nonwithstanding, one must always exercise due caution when being involved in a trade either way. 

[rogerthat]

Across the forums have had many experiences selling to new members and always worked out fine The potential lot of bad apples is small If you are uncomfortable ask privately for tel#, work email for correspondence or PayPal gift payment If the new member is not a scammer and you are a longtime member they should understand