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+--- Thread: [DISCUSSION] Guide to avoid scammers REV 01 (/Thread-DISCUSSION-Guide-to-avoid-scammers-REV-01)
Guide to avoid scammers REV 01 - gkh1997 - Dec 17, 2019
CHAPTER 0: INTRODUCTION
Hello everyone!!!! This is an update from what I have written two and a half years ago. As Pokemon communities grew larger, there will be more good people, and bad people, which are scammers. I have been in many Pokemon communities, ranging from large ones to small ones, and scamming has always been a problem especially in larger communities.
CHAPTER I: PRIVATE MESSAGES
The most common type of scams, Private Messages. Based on my 2 years experience in multiple Pokemon Trading Forums, 9 out 10 Private Messages turned out to be scammers. The one person probably is just too shy to interact too many people at a time. You must be wondering, "why do scammers send PMs". The answer is to avoid evidence for the moderation team and the rest of the community to prove that he is a scammer.
Oh no! I received a Private Message!
1) To be safe, you can screenshot the Private Message and ask in the Trading in the Discord Channel to check if the person is reliable, there are a lot of nice people in the Discord Channel.
2) Don't give your Pokemon too quickly, ask about his FC, IGN, etc.
3) Trade only when the trader is considered safe.
CHAPTER II: RESEARCH
Check his/her account age, activity, history. Most new users are not scammers, but most scammers I have seen are new users. Check his activity and history for any scamming cases. But the most important thing to do is google their FC. Most scammers have scammed in other Pokemon communities. You must be wondering, why FC, not IGN or username? Scammers can change their username easily. IGN can be changed by resetting their game. But for FC, if they really wanted to change their FC, they will lose everything which is a huge loss for them.
Oh no! I googled the FC and found it in another Pokemon Trading Forums Blacklist! :o
1) Contact the moderator of the another Pokemon Trading Forums how he got banned.
2) If he is a scammer, decline it immediately. If not, be cautious, ask around in the Trading in the Discord Channel to check it.
If you are in Gen 8, the only method is to check his account history, since there are no FCs required for trading in Sword and Shield.
CHAPTER III: TRADEBACKS
The most common type of tradebacks are editing/cloning services or need to complete Pokedex. If you see Editing/Cloning Services, check out for suspicious lines such as "Shinies/Events only", "send a PM to me", if you see these lines, ask them in the thread, what hacking software are you using and ask them to give a screenshot of proof.
NOTE: There is a big scamming case in GameFAQs Trading Forums when a scammer went around to PM event/shiny traders to provide cloning services that gives no collateral, dozens of traders have been scammed.
The most important thing to do in tradebacks is asking for collateral. All scammers give a junkmon such as a collateral. If they are using shiny as collateral, it is safe. Most scammers like to use non-shiny Pokemons and claim it to be battle-ready, but when you checked their natures and IVs, they are trash. So check the whole summary of the collateral before trading.
To check their IVs, use this: http://www.serebii.net/games/iv-calcsm.shtml
CHAPTER IV: TRADING BATTLE READY POKEMONS
There are many cases of scamming when traders lied that their Pokemons are battle ready. Before accepting the trade request, ask the person for the full details of the battle ready Pokemon. During the trade, check the summary if it really is battle ready. Most scammers usually give one with trash nature and IVs.
Oh no! The Pokemon he is trading is trash!
Check with the other party if he selects the correct Pokemon. Some people always clicks the wrong Pokemon by accident. If he said he chose the correct Pokemon. Screenshot the Pokemon summary and sent it to the moderation team regarding this scamming issue.
CHAPTER V: LEGITIMATE/LEGAL POKEMONS
Use Serebii, check if the Pokemon is a legal combination. Some bankball combination might sound legal. They might trade for your legal Pokemon with their illegal Pokemon. For bankball combinations, use this: http://www.serebii.net/games/pokeball.shtml
THIS PART IS FOR PEOPLE WHO WANTS TO PLAY LEGITIMATELY ONLY, IF YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT HACK/CLONES, IGNORE THIS PART TO THE CONCLUSION
I respect some people's opinion that they want to collect legitimate Pokemons, for this issue, always asked for proofs that the Pokemon is legitimate, no Wonder Trade or "trade from a friend", as most of them could be hacked. And also ask for OT and TID, they could be distributed in a hacked/cloned giveaway.
CHAPTER VI: CONCLUSION
If you got scammed, message the moderation team immediately. And you have anymore suggestions, leave it in the comments section. You can also share your personal experiences with scammers in the comments. I hope that this guide will prevent scamming from happening in Pokemon Forever Trading Forums.
Pokemon Forever Discord Channel: https://discordapp.com/invite/nmH9dTn?utm_source=Discord%20Widget&utm_medium=Connect
Changelog:
Beldums and the 4 Alola guardians can be caught in Heavy Ball since USUM.
Updated for Sword and Shield as FC is not required for trading in Sword and Shield.
RE: Guide to avoid scammers REV 01 - Hatonacat - Dec 18, 2019
Another type of scam I have been seeing lately is 2 for one trades. If someone ever offers you two pokemon for your one assume its a scam.