Watch out before buying or selling

[iprayforwaves]

I would like to emphasize that you should not use Zelle to pay for goods/services. We recently had a bad experience with this. Zelle is offered in our bank account as a payment method and my husband sent payments for goods to a vendor. We didn't realize that there is little fraud or consumer protection offered with Zelle payments.

If someone asks you for payment with Zelle, please protect yourself by asking for an alternative method of payment such as a credit card or Paypal, where you can file a dispute. If the entity you are dealing with says no, then it might be prudent to find another to deal with.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I would like to emphasize that you should not use Zelle to pay for goods/services. We recently had a bad experience with this. Zelle is offered in our bank account as a payment method and my husband sent payments for goods to a vendor. We didn't realize that there is little fraud or consumer protection offered with Zelle payments.

If someone asks you for payment with Zelle, please protect yourself by asking for an alternative method of payment such as a credit card or Paypal, where you can file a dispute. If the entity you are dealing with says no, then it might be prudent to find another to deal with.

Thank you for post. Although I have not yet used it, Zelle is included with my bank acct. Guess I wont use it afterall

 

[NashobaTek]

Sadly this is true when dealing with anyone unless you trust them. Even dog breeders ( backyard breeders and puppy mills) have started the scams through zelle and Western Union as well.

 

[MnFish1]

Thank you for post. Although I have not yet used it, Zelle is included with my bank acct. Guess I wont use it afterall

It's actually fine to use with family or someone you know personally (like a friend) - Zelle is not recommended to use as a payment for a sale, etc - to someone you don't know - and there is no 'warranty' if you do buy something (like there is with a credit card or PayPal.

 

[Camaro Show Corals]

Just wanted to give an update and once again stress not to send Friends and Family and only to use and Ask for PayPal per the forum rules. I also recommend Checking out the seller feedback section before buying.

 

[Reefs and Geeks]

Does anyone happen to know if Google Pay is a safe option for purchases as far as buyer protection? I know Paypal has good buyer protection, and venmo and others like it do not as they are intended only for transfers to friends or family. Not sure if google pay is on the "safe" list, or if I should just always push for Paypal as a payment method. Thanks!

 

[evolved]

Does anyone happen to know if Google Pay is a safe option for purchases as far as buyer protection?

It does not offer such for peer-to-peer, therefore it is not permitted to be used on R2R.

 

[Reefs and Geeks]

It does not offer such for peer-to-peer, therefore it is not permitted to be used on R2R.

Thanks! Had someone on a FB group ask me to use google pay to pay for some lights and almost did because I had thought google would be good. But something caused me to think twice before paying and try to look it up. Couldn't find anything definitive with searching online. Probably just saved me from being scammed out of $300

 

[Lovefish77]

What about encountering a member who is just very hard to deal with? He just doesnt answer your texts or messages on this site? It is as if you are being discriminated against
he just doesnt like to transact at the price you agreed to with him!!!!
Is there a way to report such a thing?

 

[Crabs McJones]

What about encountering a member who is just very hard to deal with? He just doesnt answer your texts or messages on this site? It is as if you are being discriminated against
he just doesnt like to transact at the price you agreed to with him!!!!
Is there a way to report such a thing?

The moderation team doesnt get involved with disputes between members unless there is blatant scamming going on. If a member ghosted you there isn't much we can do

 

[Lovefish77]

The moderation team doesnt get involved with disputes between members unless there is blatant scamming going on. If a member ghosted you there isn't much we can do

Got it thanks a lot. Makes sense. I come from MR and for years I dealt with many people ad rarely came across such behavior lol. No updates to threads, no answering calls even after you agreed to a lump sum price...very strange person to deal with!!

 

[vetteguy53081]

Got it thanks a lot. Makes sense. I come from MR and for years I dealt with many people ad rarely came across such behavior lol. No updates to threads, no answering calls even after you agreed to a lump sum price...very strange person to deal with!!

best is to walk away and matbe it was for the best- I wouldnt stress over an individual. I had this happen a while back , and since the person ignored me. . . . . . I ignored them. Click on their name and you will see the box " IGNORE ".

 

[Lovefish77]

best is to walk away and matbe it was for the best- I wouldnt stress over an individual. I had this happen a while back , and since the person ignored me. . . . . . I ignored them. Click on their name and you will see the box " IGNORE ".

Cool, thanks for your feedback. Much appreciated.

 

[reefrider777]

How do you put the "sold" in the prefix?

 

[vetteguy53081]

How do you put the "sold" in the prefix?

If you are a supporter, you can modify the title or ad
If not. On bottom of your ad post comment “SOLD “

 

[kingoftheHiLLpeople]

Wow very worth it to have read! I’ve never used PayPal or any of those sites. (New to all this haha). Good to know! Don’t plan on selling but interested in buying.

 

[beamer281]

A plea to all members before buying and selling:

*Disclaimer: Please keep in mind that all staff members are volunteers and try to do our best to do what is in the best interest of R2R. Typically, we do not get involved in member disputes. Most often there is more than one side of the story. Each side has their own and sometimes the truth is somewhere in the middle. The staff respects that each member can voice their side of the transaction within the feedback forums. Ultimately, the members can choose how to interpret the information. The staff does take action when there is blatant scamming. However, the only action that we can take is to remove the member from the community. We will also monitor to ensure the member is not creating a new name to scam again.*

There are some simple things that members can do to protect themselves when using the selling forums. The following are just a few things that I think people can do to protect themselves:

• Be wary of members that have joined recently or have low post counts. Sometimes the members that are here to scam other members will typically PM members with items to sell, especially in response to a Want to Buy thread. Ask lots of questions and don't be afraid to ask for proof of ownership pics. Ask the member to show you a pic with a code word, that day's date and the item. If the seller does not want to do this, then run away.
• Look at the post history. Does the member just have posts that are simple, like "nice tank"? These members aren't adding value to the community and might just be here to make a quick buck and move on.
• Do not send money as a gift (i.e. PayPal's Friends and Family option, Venmo, or Western Union), EVER!!!! R2R has updated the selling forum rules where members must not ask for the items to be sent as a gift. If you send the money as a gift, you will lose any chance of protection with paypal (or whatever service you are paying with). Also, try to use a credit card as your payment with paypal. If for some reason the transaction goes south and paypal does not side with you, you may have protection from the credit card issuer and you can open a dispute with them.
• Check the feedback forums first before doing business with anyone. The feedback forums are not used as much as they should be. They can be a valuable resource to determine whether someone deserves to get your business. If you do business with a member or vendor (sponsor or not), post up a feedback thread. Let the community know how the transaction went.
• Check the feedback score. This can give you a snapshot of how the person does business.

If you feel that you had a transaction that went south, it is important to start a feedback thread. This way other members can know to stay away from that person. Make sure to keep a copy of all correspondence. You can save a copy of the PM's to your computer. Contact paypal immediately. Also, I would reach out to your local authorities. Fraud via the internet is something that is not taken lightly. Actually, interstate commerce fraud can be considered a felony and bring stiff penalties. Do not be hesitant to contact them. Lastly, please report any PM's, posts, or visitor messages where you suspect the member is scamming other members. The staff looks at each and every reported post. We keep everything anonymous so you do not have to worry about being a snitch.

Btw, if you've never read our forum selling rules, here is the link: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/selling-trading-forum-rules-please-read-before-posting.115471/

Thanks for the great tips

 

[Palytoxin]

Hey uh, I can't find a way to post in the selling forum??
#reefsquad

 

[Saltyreef]

Hey uh, I can't find a way to post in the selling forum??
#reefsquad

I believe there is a minimum 30 days membership requirement as well as posting in meet and greet and # of posts in general.

Weeds out the scammers and people trying to capitalize on the hobby without regard to care in general.

 

[Wavesreef]

Great post!