Bad More Scalpers, for-profit flippers and eBay sellers than ever. Whats with the blind eye?

[EngrSorenson]

Part is definitely removing prices, something that is banned other places.

I've always felt removing prices is a shady practice.
The flipper that convinced people that's a polite thing to do was particularly brilliant.

 

[Blues]

I've always felt removing prices is a shady practice.
The flipper that convinced people that's a polite thing to do was particularly brilliant.

Maybe he didn't want his wife to know how much he didn't share with her.

 

[EngrSorenson]

Maybe he didn't want his wife to know how much he didn't share with her.

If she's reading BF, the jig is already up.

In all seriousness, if I can look up how much someone's house was purchased for, I really feel like a knife isn't that big of a deal.

 

[Lesknife]

It was about 3 years ago since I did anything on the exchange here. I didn’t get scammed but a dealer/member here pulled a fast one after I had preordered a GEC knife and had confirmation, then when they dropped five minutes later they were on ebay at a big markup by the same dealer. I wont drop names but they are a very big dealer starting with a D. I had done a lot of business with them before so it was very shocking they would treat loyal customers like that. They have had many items on the exchange and I’ve seen other complaints about their business tactics.

I decided then if that’s the game they are playing I wont have anything to do with them. That’s the kind of people there are in this forum . It’s a sign of the times we are living in, you just can’t trust people like you could a few years ago.

 

[Blues]

If she's reading BF, the jig is already up.

In all seriousness, if I can look up how much someone's house was purchased for, I really feel like a knife isn't that big of a deal.

People worry too much about something that should be a fun avocation.

On the other hand, you can't convince them it's worth 83 cents a month to protect themselves from being swindled.

Go figure. I'm gonna have a beer.

 

[Boru13]

Well this one was pretty obvious…

You stated this was pretty obvious but this feedback score is somewhat misleading.

His current feedback score is 71, what your post fails to show is that 37 of those feedback's are for where he was either buying or trading... not selling.

Granted, his only participation is in the Exchange but taken as a whole it's kind hard to label him a flipper or a dealer.

 

[Boru13]

My mindset has changed a bit over the years towards this dilemma. On one hand, I can commiserate with the frustration that is brought by flippers/scalpers/predators to the community. On the other, I'm pretty certain that it's endemic of our present society overall. FOMO and the need for instant gratification make taking advantage of collectors quite the enterprise - I don't know that there is much to be done about it. You see it in many collectible commodities; knives, pens, trinkets, watches, bourbon, and so much more.

Until buyers stop enabling the flippers by paying the ridiculous markup, there's nothing to be done about it.

On a separate note, I do think the mod team here is overworked and understaffed. We certainly do not have the same level of active mods that we did when I first started here. If membership has increased and behavior that runs counter to the values here is running rampant, it might be prudent to look at bringing on some extra help and hopefully assist in finding solutions to curb some of the poor behavioral trends.

Currently there are 4 active Supers and while I have no objection to additional help I'm not seeing how that solves any problems.

The current scamming issue... myself and Blues more so have posted in numerous threads across the forums about how members should and could protect themselves from the scammers, Spark created a banner warning members about the scammers and how best to protect themselves and yet everyday there's another member posting that they were scammed despite all the warnings posted and of course that's followed by the "I should have known better" blah, blah, blah story... no amount of moderators can fix stupid.

 

[Blues]

Boru13 deserves more credit than he claims for himself. I'll leave it at that. I'm proud to have him as a friend and colleague.

 

[Pàdruig]

Until buyers stop enabling the flippers by paying the ridiculous markup, there's nothing to be done about it.

I did allude to that later in my post. I agree 100%.

Currently there are 4 active Supers and while I have no objection to additional help I'm not seeing how that solves any problems.

The current scamming issue... myself and Blues more so have posted in numerous threads across the forums about how members should and could protect themselves from the scammers, Spark created a banner warning members about the scammers and how best to protect themselves and yet everyday there's another member posting that they were scammed despite all the warnings posted and of course that's followed by the "I should have known better" blah, blah, blah story... no amount of moderators can fix stupid.

Just to be clear - I wasn't suggesting that more moderation help would fix the myriad of issues that lead to folks getting played. Also 100% agree - you can't force someone to read best practices, follow established norms, or even apply an inkling of common sense. I think you fellas have done all you could and then some - the rest is up to us all.

I was thinking out loud mostly - if the perceptions displayed in this thread are that certain encroaching behaviors (not the criminal, more the unsavory) are harmful to our community here, and with all the crap that is keeping the Supers otherwise occupied, it seems like some help might be welcomed. If memory serves, when I started here, there were 6 or 7 pretty active Supers. I could be mistaken though and I don't know how the ratios have been skewed with membership growth since then.

I might not be presenting my point well. I am not being critical of you guys - it just seems you all are getting run through the wringer as of late.

 

[Anderdale]

I sold a knife a few days ago to someone I know will put it back on eBay instantly for way more than I sold it for… however, it had been sitting for half a day with no takers. Needing the money I took it. Did I like knowing I sold it to someone who will make instant profit? No… however, I was happy to get the knife sold.

Kettleman would you care to share your flipper list, it can be via PM. I personally would certainly give first dibs to non flippers if that occasion arose.

 

[Kettleman]

I sold a knife a few days ago to someone I know will put it back on eBay instantly for way more than I sold it for… however, it had been sitting for half a day with no takers. Needing the money I took it. Did I like knowing I sold it to someone who will make instant profit? No… however, I was happy to get the knife sold.

Kettleman would you care to share your flipper list, it can be via PM. I personally would certainly give first dibs to non flippers if that occasion arose.

I will send a PM this evening or tomorrow. Also check you WTB

 

[Boru13]

I might not be presenting my point well.

Your point was just fine, my bedside manner can be lacking at times especially with my frustration over this scamming issue... my apologies if I came across as an ass.

I am not being critical of you guys

FWIW, I never thought you were.

it just seems you all are getting run through the wringer as of late.

Besides the daily "I got scammed" posts, we receive PM's with complaints from members about being scammed... here's a snippet from one conversation recently.

"I knew I couldn’t count on you guys for a damn thing. You may be ok getting ripped off but I’m not, how do you have a forum like this with no manner of help or recourse except don’t get mad about it."

 

[Boru13]

Boru13 deserves more credit than he claims for himself. I'll leave it at that. I'm proud to have him as a friend and colleague.

Hush, you're gonna make me blush

 

[Pàdruig]

Besides the daily "I got scammed" posts, we receive PM's with complaints from members about being scammed... here's a snippet from one conversation recently.

"I knew I couldn’t count on you guys for a damn thing. You may be ok getting ripped off but I’m not, how do you have a forum like this with no manner of help or recourse except don’t get mad about it."

What... what do they expect you to do? Provide compensation? Make arrests? Reach through the screen and throttle a guy? Sheesh.

 

[Blues]

Hush, you're gonna make me blush

Alright, let me take some liberties with someone else's irrational rant to make you feel more at home...

"I knew I couldn’t count on you for a damn thing."

 

[trevitrace]

What... what do they expect you to do? Provide compensation? Make arrests? Reach through the screen and throttle a guy? Sheesh.

^ Like.

For starters they could maybe, I dunno, put some sort of announcement at the top of certain forum areas dealing with buying or selling? Or maybe even start a thread pertaining to not being a DF and sticky it ? People would surely take note then, right?

 

[Kettleman]

^ Like.

For starters they could maybe, I dunno, put some sort of announcement at the top of certain forum areas dealing with buying or selling? Or maybe even start a thread pertaining to not being a DF and sticky it ? People would surely take note then, right?

I see what you did there

 

[ooitzoo]

Besides the daily "I got scammed" posts, we receive PM's with complaints from members about being scammed... here's a snippet from one conversation recently.

"I knew I couldn’t count on you guys for a damn thing. You may be ok getting ripped off but I’m not, how do you have a forum like this with no manner of help or recourse except don’t get mad about it."

Was this followed with "Yeah, I knew I wasn't supposed to use PPFF but did anyway...YOUR FAULT!!"?

 

[RoyalHolic]

^ Like.

For starters they could maybe, I dunno, put some sort of announcement at the top of certain forum areas dealing with buying or selling? Or maybe even start a thread pertaining to not being a DF and sticky it ? People would surely take note then, right?

Nah they want moderators to check every single sale thread and go full blown

Hey why didn't you guys hack my brain and see that I was going to be scammed~! What kind of place is this?

 

[JJ_Colt45]

I wish there were an easy/simple solution to this issue and more so the scammers that have taken many members here. And I wish I would win the lottery and could pay our admin for all they put up with and do behind the scenes. If I've not said it before ... Thank you!

I've not sold much compared to many, but I try to check out buyers history on BF before agreeing to sell to them and I try to not deal with any who only posts in the exchange. That's just been my personal preference to try to give back in some way for members that have helped me aquire a knife I'd been trying to find with no luck at a fair price.

I've more than once had someone cuss me for politely turning a sale down. And I have (as someone posted earlier) sold a knife to someone I knew would most likely resell it that had been listed for a few days with no buyers. But I try to deal with members that contribute in areas outside the exchange. And generally have asked for paying members if I post an ad.

I'm not sure anything except buyers just refusing to pay a crazy price could change much. I completely agree the "instant gratification" bug and "FOMO" seem to rule the day.