Just wanted to make a thread specifically to give tips and tricks to identify a possible scammer, avoid being scammed, and what to do if someone is trying to or did scam you. This is very crucial nowadays, because MnF will officially NOT compensate you for being scammed by an unapproved seller. So read this to avoid arguing with a mod or a dev about losing a lot of money to a scammer. Any other tips/tricks are greatly appreciated, because this is for the community. Hopefully people will realize that these are very soundproof ways to avoid getting scammed and they become common practice.
FOR BUYERS:
Identifying a possible scammer:
1. THEY CONTACT YOU FIRST: Most them will tell you that they are “selling codes” and ask if you want one. Of course this is a generalization, but assuming they have very desirable prices for their codes, people should be going to them not the other way around.
2. THEY ARE UNAPPROVED: This is crucial, most reputable sellers are approved thoroughly by Kumori, and have to show him their codes every time now. Unapproved sellers are not vetted, and there is no insurance if you get scammed, so avoid MOST (not all) of the time. *Also some unapproved sellers think they are smart by putting “Approved” on their bio even if they are not, so check the list of approved sellers before continuing business!*
3. CODES ARE “TOO LOW” IN PRICES: These scammers know that people will take high risks if the reward is good enough, so they will vastly deflate the price of a code to entice you to take the bait. Unless you know the seller to be honest and cheap, codes should have around a 50k deviation from the average price.
Avoid being scammed:
After being told how much the code is by the seller...
1. SEND THEM A LINK: with a whole picture of your avatar (Most recent picture, with current clothes,hair style, color, bio, and money available).
2. TELL THEM YOU SENT YOUR PROOF: of purchasing ability, your money, to them and that now they should send you the code, because your the one at risk, NOT them. If they are argue with you and are adamant that “money first” they are most likely scamming you. It’s YOUR money, unapproved sellers have no say in the matter, either they become approved or deal with having to send the code first, as your the one taking the risk with your money. They should accommodate you, not the other way around. *THIS STEP IS NOT FOR APPROVED SELLERS*.
3. ASK A MOD TO MEDIATE: the transaction (wait for one if you can’t find one), if they don’t approve of that, they are VERY HIGH RISK and most likely a scammer. This will scare away fake scammers, because they will get banned right on the spot if caught, but also the mod will check the code before hand before you send the money.
4. USE THE BANK AT ALL TIMES: If your premium, use the bank, don’t be stubborn, or else your asking to be scammed! If your nonpremium, ask a close premium friend to transfer the money for you, so that they use the bank. Send the money to him/her via pole, then let them transfer it to the seller by bank, so that there is a record of purchase, and the money is traceable. *IF YOU CANT FIND A PREMIUM FRIEND TO HELP YOU, I AM MORE THAN HAPPY TO HELP, BUT ASK ME FOR MY CONSENT FIRST BEFORE ASSUMING AND STARTING YOUR BUSINESS*
5. LET THEM KNOW THE PM’S WILL BE ON THE FORUM: This should scare away any fake sellers that are stubborn themselves. Just pm them nicely that your going to post your convo on this thread so other people and mods can see that they are high risk and possible scammers. This is important and the main reason for this thread, to call out scammers and to avoid them. If they choose not to sell to you because you were being cautious with your money, POST the PM’s on this thread! Think about the community too. *SO DONT BE AFRAID TO POST YOUR CONVO WITH THE PIC OF THE AVATAR AND NAME OF THE SELLER*
What to do if you get scammed:
1. PM A MOD OR THE SUPPORT TEAM IMMEDIATELY: Get that person banned as soon as possible, so they can trace that money to the new avatar. You might even get lucky and get your money back...
2. WARN THE COMMUNITY: Put your convo on here so others can see that you were scammed and show the whole convo, from start to finish...None of that fishy business...
3. GO ON WITH YOUR LIFE: It’s not the end of the world, your probably not going to get your money back, and that’s very painful, but that just means you gotta follow my rules/tips/tricks more carefully.
I have BOUGHT over 10 premium codes (I lost count), NONE which have been with an approved seller, because like youselves, I want a reasonable deal for when purchasing codes for my friends and I. So trusting this processing can be very benefiting, as long as you use your brain. Especially now since the T.O.S has changed.
FOR SELLERS: If your approved, then nothing to see here. Unapproved sellers should strive to be approved sellers as soon as possible. Nevertheless, If your afraid that someone is trying to scam you, ask them for multiple screenshots (give the buyer a 100/200 bucks to change their hairstyle/hair color to one of your choosing and ask for a new screenshot immediately) of their avatar to see their purchasing ability. Also asking for a mod to mediate the transaction should be good enough, if they refuse to participate in that, then don’t sell to buyer. And if you can’t wait for the mod and aren’t satisfied by the first tip, well too bad... most of the uncertainty is from you, and you gotta take responsibility of the situation or just become an approved seller.
As an occasional nonapproved seller myself, I have sold plenty of codes this way and have NEVER gotten scammed, so you should have no problem too, if you have faith in this method! But of course be safe, have insurance and our trust, and become an approved seller!
Below is a pic of a conversation I had with a scammer, this the ideal way to have a convo if your buying a code from a nonapproved seller. Feel free to add pic yourself so we can see all the scammers on mnf and get people to avoid them as well!
FOR BUYERS:
Identifying a possible scammer:
1. THEY CONTACT YOU FIRST: Most them will tell you that they are “selling codes” and ask if you want one. Of course this is a generalization, but assuming they have very desirable prices for their codes, people should be going to them not the other way around.
2. THEY ARE UNAPPROVED: This is crucial, most reputable sellers are approved thoroughly by Kumori, and have to show him their codes every time now. Unapproved sellers are not vetted, and there is no insurance if you get scammed, so avoid MOST (not all) of the time. *Also some unapproved sellers think they are smart by putting “Approved” on their bio even if they are not, so check the list of approved sellers before continuing business!*
3. CODES ARE “TOO LOW” IN PRICES: These scammers know that people will take high risks if the reward is good enough, so they will vastly deflate the price of a code to entice you to take the bait. Unless you know the seller to be honest and cheap, codes should have around a 50k deviation from the average price.
Avoid being scammed:
After being told how much the code is by the seller...
1. SEND THEM A LINK: with a whole picture of your avatar (Most recent picture, with current clothes,hair style, color, bio, and money available).
2. TELL THEM YOU SENT YOUR PROOF: of purchasing ability, your money, to them and that now they should send you the code, because your the one at risk, NOT them. If they are argue with you and are adamant that “money first” they are most likely scamming you. It’s YOUR money, unapproved sellers have no say in the matter, either they become approved or deal with having to send the code first, as your the one taking the risk with your money. They should accommodate you, not the other way around. *THIS STEP IS NOT FOR APPROVED SELLERS*.
3. ASK A MOD TO MEDIATE: the transaction (wait for one if you can’t find one), if they don’t approve of that, they are VERY HIGH RISK and most likely a scammer. This will scare away fake scammers, because they will get banned right on the spot if caught, but also the mod will check the code before hand before you send the money.
4. USE THE BANK AT ALL TIMES: If your premium, use the bank, don’t be stubborn, or else your asking to be scammed! If your nonpremium, ask a close premium friend to transfer the money for you, so that they use the bank. Send the money to him/her via pole, then let them transfer it to the seller by bank, so that there is a record of purchase, and the money is traceable. *IF YOU CANT FIND A PREMIUM FRIEND TO HELP YOU, I AM MORE THAN HAPPY TO HELP, BUT ASK ME FOR MY CONSENT FIRST BEFORE ASSUMING AND STARTING YOUR BUSINESS*
5. LET THEM KNOW THE PM’S WILL BE ON THE FORUM: This should scare away any fake sellers that are stubborn themselves. Just pm them nicely that your going to post your convo on this thread so other people and mods can see that they are high risk and possible scammers. This is important and the main reason for this thread, to call out scammers and to avoid them. If they choose not to sell to you because you were being cautious with your money, POST the PM’s on this thread! Think about the community too. *SO DONT BE AFRAID TO POST YOUR CONVO WITH THE PIC OF THE AVATAR AND NAME OF THE SELLER*
What to do if you get scammed:
1. PM A MOD OR THE SUPPORT TEAM IMMEDIATELY: Get that person banned as soon as possible, so they can trace that money to the new avatar. You might even get lucky and get your money back...
2. WARN THE COMMUNITY: Put your convo on here so others can see that you were scammed and show the whole convo, from start to finish...None of that fishy business...
3. GO ON WITH YOUR LIFE: It’s not the end of the world, your probably not going to get your money back, and that’s very painful, but that just means you gotta follow my rules/tips/tricks more carefully.
I have BOUGHT over 10 premium codes (I lost count), NONE which have been with an approved seller, because like youselves, I want a reasonable deal for when purchasing codes for my friends and I. So trusting this processing can be very benefiting, as long as you use your brain. Especially now since the T.O.S has changed.
FOR SELLERS: If your approved, then nothing to see here. Unapproved sellers should strive to be approved sellers as soon as possible. Nevertheless, If your afraid that someone is trying to scam you, ask them for multiple screenshots (give the buyer a 100/200 bucks to change their hairstyle/hair color to one of your choosing and ask for a new screenshot immediately) of their avatar to see their purchasing ability. Also asking for a mod to mediate the transaction should be good enough, if they refuse to participate in that, then don’t sell to buyer. And if you can’t wait for the mod and aren’t satisfied by the first tip, well too bad... most of the uncertainty is from you, and you gotta take responsibility of the situation or just become an approved seller.
As an occasional nonapproved seller myself, I have sold plenty of codes this way and have NEVER gotten scammed, so you should have no problem too, if you have faith in this method! But of course be safe, have insurance and our trust, and become an approved seller!
Below is a pic of a conversation I had with a scammer, this the ideal way to have a convo if your buying a code from a nonapproved seller. Feel free to add pic yourself so we can see all the scammers on mnf and get people to avoid them as well!