Community Note on PMs and Scams

So, I'm not going to call any one out. I'll just say that upfront.

But I've been increasingly receiving private messages for trades the longer I'm on the site. Sometimes there might be a legitimate reason for contacting the seller in private. Maybe a question about the trade that you don't want to clutter up the post with, as an example.

But sending a private message with trade offers is generally a sign of bad faith in my opinion. It's often done by someone looking to low-ball you on a trade or scam you. That's why they don't want to make the trade in the open.

I have had people PM me after a trade with someone else has been accepted and I made the trade with them instead. This is kind of a gray area. Due to schedules and time zones, sometimes a trade is accepted but I end up waiting around forever for the trade. Even when I play half of the day, in several hour chunks and at different times of the day. It happens. It's unavoidable. Depending on the trade, I will try to give people a chance, but in the end I will go with the trade that is better and more convenient. Also, if you PM me about a trade after an offer was accepted, I will still list you as the trade partner if you are a site member. So you might as well post in the trade thread instead of PMs anyways. People will still see your name.

I'm not sure if I should say much more so as to not give away too much information... so instead, a little more ranting:

• If you low ball me, you will be squelched and lose all ability to trade with me. Especially if it's obvious what you're doing. Just don't do it.
• Read my Signature. If you're going to offer something, give an amount. Don't waste my time making me reply back and forth. It will just aggravate me and make me more likely to squelch you.
• Just don't make trade offers via PM. Post in the trade thread. That's what it's for.

People not listing their Bnet account on the profile is also very sus.

Yep. Someone sent me a low offer for a trade via PM recently. It seemed weird, but I thought they anticipated some haggling and didn't want to clutter the trade.

Particularly weird when they asked me "how much for [something else]?" when the price is in the trade itself.

Xanhast70 wrote: 3 weeks ago

People not listing their Bnet account on the profile is also very sus.

Yeah, I was trying not to give away any hints. Let them out themselves in any way they want lol. I'm just letting people know, so they can be aware, and double check on the person to see if they're being legit before even continuing. But also just telling people not to do trades via PM.

Yep. Someone sent me a low offer for a trade via PM recently. It seemed weird, but I thought they anticipated some haggling and didn't want to clutter the trade.

Particularly weird when they asked me "how much for [something else]?" when the price is in the trade itself.

They should just make their offers in the trade thread. If they don't know what you'll accept, just have the items listed in their stash on this website, and point you towards the items you might be interested in (like "hey, I got some druid gear on my profile, would you accept any of those?").

As long as they can easily search what you have, you can put the onus on them to do a quick look. That's what make this website such a powerful tool.

But yeah, that's weird. I honestly don't know if people don't read, or what...

I had several times newcomers reaching me out from PM. Always went fine for me so I definitely don't prevent that even if the best practice for sure is in thread.

Xanhast70 wrote: 3 weeks ago

People not listing their Bnet account on the profile is also very sus.

I don't list my Bnet account as I have been scammed enough in real life I don't need my escape also threatened.

davme_mcreg wrote: 3 weeks ago

Xanhast70 wrote: 3 weeks ago

People not listing their Bnet account on the profile is also very sus.

I don't list my Bnet account as I have been scammed enough in real life I don't need my escape also threatened.

Sure I cant know the specific motives behind why any particular user chooses not to, but it does have a bad initial optic that's all I intended to say.

Necrarch wrote: 3 weeks ago

I had several times newcomers reaching me out from PM. Always went fine for me so I definitely don't prevent that even if the best practice for sure is in thread.

Same here. It can be innocent, that's why I haven't just turned private messages off. I'll always hear a person out first. If it's a legit trade I'll just say "okay, but post it in the trade thread" (and I'll link to it if they didn't reply through the trade thread already).

I'm more referring to people who are likely scamming or being dishonest. I can't say more because I don't want them to know how I know.

Again, I just want to let people know, you shouldn't do trades through PM. Be public about it. There's very little reason to need to PM someone a trade offer. That's how we keep people honest as a community.

I'm not at the level of Necrarch or Xanhast, but I do a fair bit a trading. 99% of my trade related PMs are from new players or forum user who just don't quite understand how to put in a trade offer the right way. The remaining 1% have been people wanting to batch-buy items and are trying to simplify the trade.

On the other-hand maybe its because the stuff I have for sale isn't worth the time or effort to low-ball or scam me haahaa

Yeah, my stuff is mostly trash. But if I have something that might be of value to someone, and I see you only deal in those types of items and you offer me a nickel... yeah, get outta here lol.

But again, it still begs the question. What is the reason for the PM? And no, these weren't new people. Like I said, I know how to to deal with the new people. I'm not THAT dumb.

I was not implying you were dumb, at all. I was just sharing my experience. Good buddy of mine on here has said he also gets the low-ball and scam PMs. They do unfortunately happen. I just haven't seen it, and it's weird considering the number of trades I've done.

I dont accept nor respond to trade offers from PM. when they do come, I believe 3 or 4 times in the past total, I would ask them to leave their offers on the original trade post.

Having said that, I do have a reverse experience. One time, I left an offer for item x1, the item owner PM ask if I want to take x3, and I said yes. We traded. emm, also weird, why PM? I guess it is their known or preferred way of communication.

For me personally, I wish every trade negotiation is under trade post, not PM.