Couple tips for all you NOObs and overly trusting people like myself out there. Hopefully learn from my mistakes and if anyone has anything to add feel free. Just want to remind everyone to be skeptical and smart around the holidays. If a deal seems to good to be true it probably is. The con artists like to attack WTB threads and throw insane deals at you so you will buy the item and they never intend to ship/sell you anything. Happened to me about a year ago. My point is....

Never send payment via paypal as a gift. Yeah the fees suck but being assed out of $100, $200, $300, etc is even worse. If you send as a gift they will not refund you.
Ask for multiple and specific pics. The guy who conned me was pulling pics of the parts I wanted from the internet and sending them as his own. I later compared them and saw how obvious it was that they were not all the same.
If the seller says its shipped but makes up an excuse for not having tracking that should be a huge red flag.
When he/she says its shipped make them prove it ASAP.
There are many other things to watch out for but this should get it started.
MODS if this has been covered before or Im creating a multiple thread go ahead and lock this up.

 

^what he said

 

You're a good man Olddohc

 

Always ask for feedback from other users who have deal with the seller your trying to purchase items.

 

Nice tips olddohc...

If you're meeting in person, of course follow the usual common sense guidelines: don't bring them to your home, meet in a public, well lit place, etc.

But if you're selling high dollar items, bring a counterfeit detection pen with you. They're a couple of bucks and you can pick them up at your local office supply store. I've seen people scammed out of hundreds of dollars worth of merch with funny money. By the time you realize it, it will be too late.

 

Thanks odddohc