Replying to What to do if you are scammed, Should read

I have recently noticed that people do not know what to do when get scammed so i put this together



•• how to handle the situation:

• Do not blame NS it's not their fault and their is not much they can do.

• Do not threaten other user's or have someone visit them. Handle this in a mature fashion. Contact their parents. Contact the authorities. Do NOT contact some kid who says he's going to pay him a visit with a golf club. Even if it isn't intended to be violent, it can easily become so, and im sure New Schoolers wants no part in it. Do not do it.

• In general, be mature and level headed. Not everyone is a scammer. There are always two sides of the story.


•• Prevention Tips:

• First off, be smart. Most of the time, if the deal seems to awesome for you, it just may be. Common sense prevails.

• When trading, deal with someone over the age of 18 and get their phone number. If they are under 18, talk to their parents and make sure it is ok with them and they know he is trading his equipment.

• Don't rush into things. Alot of times scammers will want you to rush into a deal or ship next-day air. Take time to get all their info and finalize a deal you are both happy with.

• Ask for lots of pics. This may seem obvious, but many times people see one pic and that is enough for them. Not only does this help prevent someone from taking the picture from another source, but it also helps to make sure everything is in a condition described.

NOTE:(this site does not have a good feedback system but should)
• The person with the least amount of feedback should ship first. Check feedback and make sure it's legit. If all their feedback comes from people with one post and they all registered the same month, it's probably fake. Also, having friends leave them feedback is fraud also. If they are all from the same town, it could possibly be fake.

• If your skis has a serial number, write it down. Take pictures of it. Also make note of every distinguishing mark you skis have. This only aids in the return of you skis if it is stolen.

• When at a moutain, make sure you keep an eye on your stuff. Even use the ski check even if it is 5 bux its well worth it trust me. It's way too easy for someone to grab and run. I've worked as security in retail, and it only takes a fraction of a second for someone to shove something in a coat.

• When shipping, always use Delivery Confirmation from USPS or Tracking from UPS, FedEx, or DHL. Pack everything nicely to prevent damage, and make sure you tape the openings to prevent tampering.

• Third Party Trades! Your best bet in the prevention of scamming. Contact your local friendly moderator here on New Schoolers, im sure they would be more than happy to help even if they charge a small fee, again its well worth it. Try to avoid people doing third party trades through their local store. They may be legit, but it's best to be safe.

• Keep all your contact logs with the person. NS PMs, AIM logs, and emails will help with any deals being disputed. Be careful though, as they can easily be faked.

• Do NOT send cash. EVER. Most of the time, it will never make it to it's destination if you send cash in an envelope. And to my knowledge, it's illegal.


•• Information If You Are Scammed:

• Most importantly, be calm and rational. The first thing you should do is call the person or their parents. See if there is a rational explanation as to why you haven't received your end of the deal.

• If there is no reply from personal calls, contact their local authorities. Their local police will be happy to pay a visit to their home, assuming they gave you a legitimate address.

• If you used paypal, you can file a claim through paypal or stop the transfer of funds. If you use a personal check or money order, you can cancel it. Same with a credit card.

Just be smart and calm trust me it may take a little work but you will get them