Since I do not see this information documented as a sticky on this forum, please use this as a way to keep yourself protected when buying or selling rares (or any items for that matter):
1. Do not buy/sell/trade any items of value in Felluca:
Period. There is no reason or excuse why you should have to do a trade of any sort in Felluca. If the buyer/seller asks you to do a trade in Felluca for any reason, decline the transaction unless they are able to do the trade in Trammel Ruleset.
2. For any items UNDER 100 Million Gold, use a vendor.
An effective way to ensure that both parties will recieve the item/gold. Much easier then counting individual checks --- you may either miss some checks, or there could be some 100,000 checks as opposed to 1,000,000.
3. For any items OVER 100 Million Gold, use a REPUTABLE broker.
This forum is a great place to ask about specific brokers or finding a reputable broker. DVI, SupSoc, Manticore and Mr Nice have earned a great reputation and respect around here and can be trusted. Make sure that both parties involved agree mutually on a reputable broker. Do not use someone that you are not familiar with, as it is more than likely a faux broker.
4. Be careful about your guild allignment or joining a guild prior to a trade.
Popular among Trammel thieves; they will try to persuade you into joining a guild, or become and ally of a guild, thus making you an available target for thievary (using the skill) or murder. No matter how persusaive, there is no need under any circumstances to join a guild/ally a guild prior to a trade. Do it afterwards.
5. Know what you are buying or selling.
Make sure you know about the items you are dealing with, and if you don't have an understanding of the value or quantity, I'm sure someone on this form can assist.
_____________
Known Scams:
1. Etheral Clothing: Yes, they look impressive when you want to buy them, but when you put this "etheral cloak" on after buying it from a vendor or a player that looks like a jet black cloak, and it is IN FACT a jet black cloak when you put it on, it leaves a bitter taste in your mouth.
For those who do not know: Etheral Clothing appears to be etheral hued when equipped, but will appear as jet black on your paperdoll and in your backpack.
Prevention: Most people are unaware, but if a person is wearing something on the paper doll (such as an etheral cloak) and you prompt a secure trade, items can be moved directly from the paper doll to the secure trade. There is NO WAY you can remove it from your paper doll and into another container. If the person wishes to use a secure trade, make sure he is wearing the etheral cloak, prompt a secure trade while it is still on, and watch his character and paperdoll when he removes the clothing and puts the items into the trade window.
For those that use vendors, as long as the item is on the vendor character as opposed to in the backpack, there should be no worries. NEVER buy what is claimed to be "etheral clothing" that is just dyed jet black off of a vendor unless it is being warn.
2. Personal Bless Deeds Items: This can be avoided if you stay out of Felluca, but there can always be pesky guilded thieves that will attempt to deploy this tactic. It is a form of persuasion that will require you to take your Personal Bless Deed (PBD) item off of something (which requires you to move to your backpack) creating the opportunity to steal the item, or kill you quickly.
Prevention: Go to a safe location where you are secluded if you need to remove a PBD from an item so you can insure it immediately.
3. Vendor Scams: More commonly used in Felluca, but it is a known fact that items need to be uninsured when putting them on a vendor. Be wary of any scenario, whether Felluca or Trammel ruleset, when putting any item on a vendor.
Prevention: Do not do any trades in Felluca ruleset. If in Trammel, use a form of hiding, invisibility (spell or potion). You cannot be revealed.
4. "I wish to release this" House Stealthers: Stealthers that will wait inside a house, hoping that you will unlock an item so they can immediately pick them up off the ground. This will come from people that will see valuable items within your house and then try to mark a rune, or run off screen quick to do so, with the intent of coming back on a stealth character; waiting for you to unlock and item for pick up.
Prevention: Detect Hidden will always show anyone hiding within a house. Use it before you unlock ANYTHING just as a precaution.
These are the most common scams out there to date. This could be a good place to also make note of other scams out there to make sure the community is aware of them if they come across these scenarios.
1. Do not buy/sell/trade any items of value in Felluca:
Period. There is no reason or excuse why you should have to do a trade of any sort in Felluca. If the buyer/seller asks you to do a trade in Felluca for any reason, decline the transaction unless they are able to do the trade in Trammel Ruleset.
2. For any items UNDER 100 Million Gold, use a vendor.
An effective way to ensure that both parties will recieve the item/gold. Much easier then counting individual checks --- you may either miss some checks, or there could be some 100,000 checks as opposed to 1,000,000.
3. For any items OVER 100 Million Gold, use a REPUTABLE broker.
This forum is a great place to ask about specific brokers or finding a reputable broker. DVI, SupSoc, Manticore and Mr Nice have earned a great reputation and respect around here and can be trusted. Make sure that both parties involved agree mutually on a reputable broker. Do not use someone that you are not familiar with, as it is more than likely a faux broker.
4. Be careful about your guild allignment or joining a guild prior to a trade.
Popular among Trammel thieves; they will try to persuade you into joining a guild, or become and ally of a guild, thus making you an available target for thievary (using the skill) or murder. No matter how persusaive, there is no need under any circumstances to join a guild/ally a guild prior to a trade. Do it afterwards.
5. Know what you are buying or selling.
Make sure you know about the items you are dealing with, and if you don't have an understanding of the value or quantity, I'm sure someone on this form can assist.
_____________
Known Scams:
1. Etheral Clothing: Yes, they look impressive when you want to buy them, but when you put this "etheral cloak" on after buying it from a vendor or a player that looks like a jet black cloak, and it is IN FACT a jet black cloak when you put it on, it leaves a bitter taste in your mouth.
For those who do not know: Etheral Clothing appears to be etheral hued when equipped, but will appear as jet black on your paperdoll and in your backpack.
Prevention: Most people are unaware, but if a person is wearing something on the paper doll (such as an etheral cloak) and you prompt a secure trade, items can be moved directly from the paper doll to the secure trade. There is NO WAY you can remove it from your paper doll and into another container. If the person wishes to use a secure trade, make sure he is wearing the etheral cloak, prompt a secure trade while it is still on, and watch his character and paperdoll when he removes the clothing and puts the items into the trade window.
For those that use vendors, as long as the item is on the vendor character as opposed to in the backpack, there should be no worries. NEVER buy what is claimed to be "etheral clothing" that is just dyed jet black off of a vendor unless it is being warn.
2. Personal Bless Deeds Items: This can be avoided if you stay out of Felluca, but there can always be pesky guilded thieves that will attempt to deploy this tactic. It is a form of persuasion that will require you to take your Personal Bless Deed (PBD) item off of something (which requires you to move to your backpack) creating the opportunity to steal the item, or kill you quickly.
Prevention: Go to a safe location where you are secluded if you need to remove a PBD from an item so you can insure it immediately.
3. Vendor Scams: More commonly used in Felluca, but it is a known fact that items need to be uninsured when putting them on a vendor. Be wary of any scenario, whether Felluca or Trammel ruleset, when putting any item on a vendor.
Prevention: Do not do any trades in Felluca ruleset. If in Trammel, use a form of hiding, invisibility (spell or potion). You cannot be revealed.
4. "I wish to release this" House Stealthers: Stealthers that will wait inside a house, hoping that you will unlock an item so they can immediately pick them up off the ground. This will come from people that will see valuable items within your house and then try to mark a rune, or run off screen quick to do so, with the intent of coming back on a stealth character; waiting for you to unlock and item for pick up.
Prevention: Detect Hidden will always show anyone hiding within a house. Use it before you unlock ANYTHING just as a precaution.
These are the most common scams out there to date. This could be a good place to also make note of other scams out there to make sure the community is aware of them if they come across these scenarios.