Avoiding Future Issues

Unfortunately, it would be wishful thinking that something like this, in any hobby community, could never happen again after this kind of exposure. But there were some angles worked in this scam which show weaknesses in collecting hobbies that some might not be aware of, and now they can be addressed. Online searches for scam and fraud prevention generally return sites that focus on identity theft and phishing, which are not relevant to this situation. Offered here are some tips on how to avoid this situation. To some, the following suggestions are already common knowledge and standard practice, but to others who have not yet had this type of experience, they may be invaluable.

First, lift the veil on purchase secrecy. In hobbies like video game and pinball collecting, the generally accepted rule is don't announce anything until the item is in your possession. Hobbies that are based on collectibles available in limited quantities can be cutthroat and buyers may fear that if the item they are after is made public, someone else may come along and offer the seller more money. Well, the alternative to that is what happened in this scam. Few buyers publicly stated what they had purchased prior to Steven's "fire" announcement. This allowed Steven to double sell games and sell games that, if it had been made public, people with knowledge of Steven's collection could have stepped in and offered they were unaware he had that game. So, one must weigh the option of which is more preferable, possibly losing out on a game and still having the money, or losing both the money and the game.

Second, accepting someone's word at face value is not enough. It is unfortunate that one of the essential ways to verify a seller, hearing directly from others who have done business with them, failed in this situation. To clarify, no blame is being put on those who chimed in that they had good business dealings with Steven; they were not lying and there was no way they knew this was going to occur. In fact, two members who had vouched for Steven after previously selling to him ended up as victims in this scam. To avoid issues in future sales, it is recommended that every buyer get comfortable with asking follow up questions to those who vouch for sellers. If the person does not answer the questions honestly or to the buyers satisfaction, that is a clear sign. On the opposite side, those who vouch or leave feedback for others should also be comfortable being clear about the transaction and should expect that their statement has weight.

Third, request and verify evidence of ownership. If a seller isn't forthcoming with photos or videos of an item, it does not necessarily mean they are untrustworthy or the sale is a scam. However, if they refuse to offer anything, claiming they have 100's of items for sale and can't find the time to do so (as Steven did for some of the games he sold but did not own), take that as a warning. Even if they truly have the item, what does that say about their customer service? The seller may take their time shipping the item or may pack it poorly. It might not be as they described it or could be damaged in transit. Is that the kind of seller that would be approachable and reasonable if something goes wrong?

When evidence is received, verification then falls on the buyer. Did the seller steal the photo or description from somewhere on the internet? Although reverse image searches will not return every stolen photo (specifically photos shared in private or the photos of Kris' games that Steven sent as his own), they are a simple way to keep a seller honest. In this situation, searches after the fact showed Steven had stolen some photos from the internet, which did not do a whole lot of good.

Fourth is, after the other three, never send more money than can afford to be lost. A majority of sellers are honest people, if they were not, they would easily be outed (economies would crumble, chaos ensue, descent of man... all that jazz). That is how Steven Salmon knows he can never sell anything under his own name again and is using Kris Donohoo. But before sending that money, take note of the possibility that the sale may not go as planned. Also, never use a wire transfer or cashier's check unless it is fully understood there is no way to recall it. A seller could be 100% honest and for whatever reason (injury, death, etc.) be unable to complete a sale. These types of payments cannot be reversed. If a seller does not want to use an online payment system that offers protection due to fees, offer to pay the fees. If they don't want to because of tax/income implications, offer to send a personal check. The seller can hold the check until they verified it has cleared the bank and then send the item. If the seller refuses all of these suggested forms of payment, make a trip with cash. If that is not an option, re-read the first sentence of this paragraph.

True criminals will always find a new way to separate goods and cash from honest people, so sometimes it will happen. But a buyer must always do their best to avoid it. Also, listen to your mother, get at least 8 hours of sleep, work smarter not harder.