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Member
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Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: Washington DC
Posts: 932
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Member
Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: Washington DC
Posts: 932
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Buying stuff sight unseen is dangerous as it is. Buying on platforms like Facebook/Craigslist/Gumtree etc. is a real crapshoot.Buy the seller, not the product is something that has served me well in the past.
This is where forums like this one come in as they are somewhat self-policing.
If you see a product advertised by a frequent poster who actually contributes (whether you agree with them or not), then there is a good chance that the product exists and they won't run off with your money. I'd be very leery of the new poster who immediately advertises stuff as soon as they are able to, or the poster who has lots of posts that consist of "looks great", "cool" and the like.
Of course, you need to pay in a way that is traceable - PayPal is probably the most common and make sure that you clearly identify the item you are purchasing as in "This $1.25 is for your pedal commander that you will send out via trackable mail on Monday. Please provide tracking information to me as soon as it is sent" If the item being purchased has a model number and serial number, then include that as well and link to the advert.
That way yo have a bit more leverage if the seller goes silent or sends you something else.
Take a screenshot of the advertisement and include that in the comments as well.
The above will improve your chances of getting your money back if things go south.
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When in trouble - obfuscate
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