[PSA] Useful links and tips for scam avoidance.

[View the wiki index for more guides]

Safe Trading Index

• Blacklist - Check that a user / paypal email is not banned.
• New Traders Guide - Everything you need to know about conducting your first safe trade.
• Identifying scammers on reddit - linked from r/GameTrade.
• Common types of scams and how to prevent them - Learn what to look for and how to defend yourself against potential scams.
• Why are there scam investigators? - Learn what a Scam Investigator will and will not do in their position.
• Adding trade security using a middleman service - See what a middleman service can do for you. (Note: Specific middlemen are not endorsed by this subreddit, however we recommend using one to add safety). Most store owners, brokers and traders with significant positive feedback will be willing to middleman for you, or direct you to someone who is.

Stay safe by trading smart!

Additional links & guides found below.

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• You are trading here at your own risk. While we work proactively to prevent scams some do slip through. Be mindful that Paypal invoices (and your RSI billing information) contains your private information. It is your responsibility to ensure that your trading partner is legitimate. This can be done relatively reliably by following the suggested practices for safe trading.

• The rules are in place to protect you. 9, 11 & 12 are scam specific rules.

  9. Merchants must be willing to provide a payment invoice if requested. Friends and family reduces fees (by 2.5-5%) but you waive your right to buyer/seller protection through Paypal. We do not encourage the use of F&F in any trade as it violates Paypal's TOS. If you choose to ignore this advice, only use F&F with a very trusted trader. If you ask for an invoice and it is refused, let us know and the user will be banned until they conform with the rule.

  11. Engage trades in public. Ask users to post their intent in your thread. Banned users cannot post in your thread and you cannot see someone's flair through a PM. We often tag users with [concern] or [trade restriction] if they are under investigation (but not banned). It's your right to see that information. 9/10 of scams here are done entirely through PM's which bypass our safety features.

  12. Engage trades with RSI confirmed users. Paste the user's flair at the end of robertsspaceindustries.com/citizens/. Brand new account? Civilian pledge level? Something doesn't add up regarding the user's story or ships offered (timeline seems off?). Contact us and halt the trade. While users can bypass flair by using the [other] tag, be weary of new reddit accounts who do not use RSI flair. If a user's flair redirects to a 404 error (handle no longer exists) or links to an obvious fluff account (created yesterday, for example) alert the moderators so the user can be locked down until the requirement is satisfied.

• If you are still concerned with trade safety you can mitigate risk by asking a long-standing community member with substantial trading history (a middleman) to facilitate the exchange. Often these escrow services are free of charge. Read this guide on how to find and use a middleman.

• Get the money first! Sending a ship will lock it permanently and CIG will not revert a trade for any reason. In the past they had been more lenient however current internal policy has caused them to tighten up and no longer make exceptions for traders who have been scammed. Funds sent by Paypal are easier to get back if you are scammed, so it's wise to make sure any money is always exchanged before a ship or item.

• Consider having a verified paypal account as a stipulation of your trade. Read more on Paypal accounts here and verify your own account here. You can confirm a user is verified by checking the invoice for confirmation.

• Star Citizen items being sold that are under 60 days old still qualify for credit card and Paypal disputes, so keep in mind that those items do carry a higher risk when trading. If the deal seems to good to be true, ask the seller for a screenshot of the item and check the creation date.

• If you have any questions, please ask! Everyone was a new trader once, anyone will be happy to answer. Message the mods or create a [Discussion] post to get answers for your question.

#####"Legal stuff" - Terms of Use

• This subreddit is organized to facilitate the exchange of goods and currency between informed, consenting parties. This subreddit and its moderators do not handle any transactions and assume no responsibility in the event of a scam or perceived financial loss. Moderators are unpaid volunteers from the reddit community and not representatives of reddit itself.

• Abide by rule 8: Traders are responsible for complying with laws, including paying taxes, applicable to their trades (this includes submitting VAT).