Please be careful. Yesterday we had someone (multiple IP addresses from Morocco; hijacked RFF username is from Oregon) who posted a classified for an M10-R.
He had hijacked an account that hasn't been active here in about ten years.
@coelacanth messaged us about it (thank you!) including sending a transcript of direct messages.
This "member" referenced an ebay account (not his, of course) in the transcript, and also attempted to change their RFF member name to match yet another ebay username.
The scammer sent a paypal invoice and was pressuring for payment, he also used photos for an item that was sold on another forum back in February. Google image search can sometimes help find if images of gear have been used elsewhere.
When conducting online transactions, it’s important to avoid uninsured payment methods such as PayPal Family & Friends, Venmo, Zelle, or any other similar options. While these methods may help you bypass taxes or fees, they do not offer any insurance if a problem arises. Financial institutions impose these fees for a reason, viewing them as a form of protection.
The forum does not guarantee transactions, and it is the responsibility of both buyers and sellers to safeguard their interests. We provide a platform for members to list their items, but the choice of payment method ultimately lies with the parties involved.
To ensure safe transactions, we strongly recommend using insured credit cards or standard PayPal. We advise against using payment methods like bank transfers, money orders, "money owed" payments, PayPal Gift (Family and Friends), Venmo, Zelle, or any other uninsured options. Additionally, members should be cautious with transactions initiated through Want to Buy (WTB) threads and should always check references before making purchases.
Please use caution. Scammers may impersonate sellers and reach out to members via email, outside the RFF message system. Each member is ultimately responsible for their own safety when buying gear online.
He had hijacked an account that hasn't been active here in about ten years.
@coelacanth messaged us about it (thank you!) including sending a transcript of direct messages.
This "member" referenced an ebay account (not his, of course) in the transcript, and also attempted to change their RFF member name to match yet another ebay username.
The scammer sent a paypal invoice and was pressuring for payment, he also used photos for an item that was sold on another forum back in February. Google image search can sometimes help find if images of gear have been used elsewhere.
When conducting online transactions, it’s important to avoid uninsured payment methods such as PayPal Family & Friends, Venmo, Zelle, or any other similar options. While these methods may help you bypass taxes or fees, they do not offer any insurance if a problem arises. Financial institutions impose these fees for a reason, viewing them as a form of protection.
The forum does not guarantee transactions, and it is the responsibility of both buyers and sellers to safeguard their interests. We provide a platform for members to list their items, but the choice of payment method ultimately lies with the parties involved.
To ensure safe transactions, we strongly recommend using insured credit cards or standard PayPal. We advise against using payment methods like bank transfers, money orders, "money owed" payments, PayPal Gift (Family and Friends), Venmo, Zelle, or any other uninsured options. Additionally, members should be cautious with transactions initiated through Want to Buy (WTB) threads and should always check references before making purchases.
Please use caution. Scammers may impersonate sellers and reach out to members via email, outside the RFF message system. Each member is ultimately responsible for their own safety when buying gear online.
raid
Dad Photographer
WOW! Thanks for your warning.
jaredangle
Photojournalist
Thanks for the warning! It might be a good idea to lock accounts that go dormant for X amount of time, and when users log back in after a long hiatus, they would have to verify with an RFF administrator before the account is unlocked.
That's a good idea, there is a paid utility for the forum software that will do this.
jaredangle
Photojournalist
I’d be willing to donate if we need it
It's part of a huge suite of utilities that would be helpful for all sorts of useful things
coelacanth
Ride, dive, shoot.
It started off ok, but there were signs popping up all over with this guy as the conversation progressed. By the end, he went all the way to "I can't cancel the PayPal invoice so if you can send the payment I'll refund it right back" 
I mean...
I'm glad I did my diligence. Stay safe everyone.
I mean...I'm glad I did my diligence. Stay safe everyone.
