Time to run this thread again.

The question comes up often as more and more scam sites are created. Here's a test that you can apply. I don't do business if they raise any red flags. Since questions about business legitimacy come up often, I thought I'd start a thread on it for future reference.

Phone Number: Is there a phone number prominently displayed on their home page. Red Flag if there is not.

Address: Do they have a physical address posted? If not Red Flag. If they do have an address, what does it look like on Google street view or satellite map? Red Flag if it doesn't look like a business.

Inventory: Do they have a lot of hard to find stuff or too good to be true pricing? Red Flag if they do.

Business History: When you Google the business name with the words review and complaint, what do you find? Little footprint or a lot of negative reviews or BBB complaints is a red flag.

Payment Method: Crypto, Venmo, Pay Pal friends and family only? Red Flag.

Site Language: Do you notice language errors or irregularities? Red Flag if there are errors and oddities.

Assume the worst until you can prove otherwise. All good ideas PB.

Adam's apple and hints of duct tape adhesives,probably a scam

Broken engrish if you happen to talk to someone..

Half the ads on Amazon are obviously written by non-native speakers. Some get pretty hard to decipher. Whether you like the way Amazon does business or not, they do stand behind their products.

Paul, I been burned a few time in my 63 years learn from experience is what I do. I use ebay a lot I like the money back guarantee same with paypal never a problem getting my money refunded. Shop Amazon some too.

If you’re contacted by the deposed King of Nigeria or his Princess daughter do NOT, I repeat, DO NOT send them money without first checking with the Nigerian embassy! If you need help getting through just send me the money first via Zelle or a certified bank check and I’ll forward it to them….we’ve become pretty close after all that I’ve done for them.

Let em get ripped off. Try to tell people to have some sense about them. Nope
Too scared or fuggin DUMB to use the search and type keywords about complaints, forums, discussions, BBB score of said company. Too DUMB to question payment sources like Zelle or other.
Oh and likely half of the mfking PUSSIES prob have ya on Ignore so they won’t see the advice anyway.
Piss on em

If someone is trying to give you something for free or an unbelievable discount then ignore them.

Yesterday my wife got a very real looking email from the post office saying we owed .30 on a package that was not delivered because it had no address. On this one they were trying for both a CC number and an address. It was actually very believable. The only real giveaway was the email address - a really weird non-word and a .com instead of a .gov.

A smart guy like you Slummy, and you missed the biggest reason for being a scam victim.




Greed!

It applies more to person to person scams, but applies to Paul’s post too.



Scams succeed by offering something too cheap or almost impossible to get. Fostering greed.

They usually have a time factor, to encourage purchase NOW.

They also often involve a bit of conspiracy or less than honest conditions.

“The boss loaded too many speakers on the truck for our jobs today. We will sell them cheap, you get speakers worth $XXXX for$xx”
Is a common one.

They ask you to be involved in the crime, that makes you compatriots and inspired CONfidence. Also helps to bolster the “getting something for little to nothing”



Ironic, but it’s much easier to con greedy, unscrupulous folks than it is to con honest people.

A friend got burned by that exact scam last month. She gave them BOTH of her credit card numbers before a light finally went on in her head. Then she had the joy of getting two new cards!

Not sure about this one, seems any customer service call I make is outsourced (to India?), or English second/third person.

I started moving everything over to our local credit union, just because, when I call the number, the phone rings right in the credit union, and the person who answers is not in Mumbai. GD

It makes my day to read about guys getting ripped off.

I love it.

If the guy you're dealing with wears spandex and rides a bicycle- - - - -RUN- - - - -do not walk away!

The FBI supposedly just sent out such a letter to those on the airplane that lost it's door in flight, claiming a 'criminal investigation" is underway and stay tuned. contact phone, PIN...

"Scam" was my first thought. Either way....

A few days ago my wife got an e-mail claiming to be from USPS about a "damaged/undeliverable pkg" yada yada. with "contact info" requested.

Hell, you can't get things resolved in person, at the counter; most times. Dead giveaway! Plus, we hadn't any pkgs in the mail.

"Site Language: Do you notice language errors or irregularities? Red Flag if there are errors and oddities."

Virtually every post of mine. You calling me illegitimate, Paul? .

If the phone rings and it's a non-familiar number, it's a scam.

I pretty much refuse to do business if I didn't originate the call.


Got a robot all supposedly from my cpap supplier.
Wanting me to provide credit card info!🤣🤣🤣

Called that a scam immediately and hung up.
Got to thinking I'd be pissed if someone was using my company to scam, so I called them. Took forever on hold, but she came back and ask if I was c-pap customer.
Said that might be why they robocalled.

I about lost it.
"Who in the hell thought robocalls asking for credit card info was a good idea?
And were they stupid, or looking for people dumb enough to pony it up.
So they could be scammed later?"

Who was it said; "you cannot cheat an honest man"?

As a Ruger guy, I always buy guns in person anyway just to see if they function. Costs some money but saves the hassle of returning to Ruger due to their lack of quality control. Also prevents scams.