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January 03, 2018, 10:09:46 AM |
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Two ways to stop scammers on their tracks are 1) use a reputable escrow for all transactions, be they high or low value, and 2) use irreversible and recall-proof payment methods.
Another important advisory is to never fall for the increments scam. This is a scammer's plan B when plan A (pay the full amount upfront) doesn't work. The way this works is the scammer asks for a deposit and to make the deal tempting, the victim is enticed or convinced to pay some coins first and the rest of the coins later. There is no later. As soon as the deposit or increment is paid, the scammer disappears and is never to be heard of again.
Case in hand, there are scammers who "sell" phones and laptops and wait for victims to bite the bait. When pm'd they will ask for payment upfront. If the victims resists and refuses to pay, the increments scam is used to try to extract a deposit.
To frustrate scammers, I recommend using a trusted escrow and to insist on using one for the full amount and not just for part of the price of whatever is being sold. If the seller is legit, he will agree and will work with the escrow and buyer to quickly conclude the transaction. To check and detect if the seller or buyer is a scammer, offer to use escrow when transacting with anyone. If this is refused, you have your first major red flag. Proceed with caution.
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