User blog:Skyblaze103/Skyblaze103's Advice on How to Not Get Scammed

Oh man I've been scammed a lot. Too many times for me to count. It’s probably because sometimes im too trusting of strangers, and that ends us as my downfall. I am creating this blog as inspired be Comet's How to Not Get Scammed blog, but with some more tips from my own experience. Much additional information on this can be found on the Avoiding Scams page. This is just some methods and things I have to offer from my experience. This article also basically includes information on how scammers work.

"Scamming a prevalent issue in Lumber Tycoon 2 since its creation. This is due to the loose (and for the most part, unintentional) ability of trade in the game. -Avoiding Scams"

"Comet's Definition: Scamming, also known as stealing, is one of the most hated things in Lumber Tycoon 2. Scamming, for example, is when someone tries to sell you something, and they take your money, items, wood, or other items, thus stealing. -CometReindeer"

"swindle." -Google

As one may see, there are many different definitions of the word scam, which leads to my definition;

-When someone (or maybe something) unfairly takes your stuff when you don't want them to.

For a scammer, not actually knowing someone makes it so much easier for them to scam you. They don't got much to lose. Please, to all who don't know this yet, be advised that Roblox reporting doesn't really do much. This all leads to, never do anything that gives the player.
 * DONT TRUST ANYONE that you don't really know

Sometimes, for strange reasons, some people don't plan on scamming you over something, but if they find someone weak, probably a n00b that doesn't know anything, and really easy to scam, they will take the opportunity. The opposite can probably work too, if they plan on scamming you, but you appear strong, smart, and you know a lot of people, they might just change their mind.
 * Don’t appear weak or give them opportunities.

Watch their location what their doing, and how they're acting at all times. When buying, make sure that they are bringing the items correctly to your property, and not putting themselves in a position where they could easily escape and scam you. When selling, ALWAYS watch them. Too many people just keep their eyes in the chat, and DON'T EVEN NOTICE as the other sneaks over to your shop while whitelisted and stealing all your axes and things.
 * Keep an eye on them…

This isn't as much of a tip as it is a story of my own experience. Also doesn't have much to do with scamming, except that I could have, but I was trustworthy, and it even worked out better for me. Once, I met this kind of n00b that had a shop and actually sold me a lump of coal for $75. Best deal of my life. Then, I asked if I could buy some more stuff. When I was looking through his shop, I noticed that I was still White listed!?. Of course I could have just run around and get all of his axes for free, but NO! I am not that type of person. I haven't scammed a single person in my entire lumber life :) After agreeing to buy some more stuff and he brought them to my property, he noticed that I was still White listed. “YOU’RE A FRICKING LEGEND” he told me, and he gave me a free boxed fire axe with my purchase. Be a good person, and your lumber life will be so much better.
 * Be trustworthy

This is the method that Comet explained, and can be one of the most effective. This one is suggested for you when Buying loose items from a player. My advice on this method though is to only use it when you have plenty of time to play lumber, or it may backfire on you. In this method, as Comet also describes, one must agree to purchase some items from a player for some money. Then, you must make them drive the car of items or just place the items on your property (If driving, ALWAYS make sure that they leave their car first and walk away before Blacklisting. If not, the car will be teleported to their base along with the player, commonly flinging items everywhere.). You must instruct them to leave the items on your property and that you will Blacklist them. If you fail to do this step, the seller my be alarmed, and un white list you and call of the deal thinking that you were trying to scam them.
 * Black Listing

Another method, also it, of course like all of the methods, is not foolproof. This method is relatively simple. When buying things, especially in large orders where you can't afford to be scammed, inform the seller that you will pay half of the price first, then pay half after the deal is done. This method is relatively one of the most fair, and commonly works well.
 * Pay half now, half after.

Simple as the title.
 * Simply get them to do the transaction first.

With this method, I mean mostly for selling things. Make a nice sign out of wires or something in your shop that says something like “All Customers must Pay First”. Then if they disagree with you, just tell them that they just shouldn't buy then. You got better things to do than get scammed by some guy that just waltzes into your shop. When you tell them this, this will make all the difference, and you have to be aware of that. If they agree to still do the transaction, your good. If they still disagree or leave, then they were definitely planning on scamming you.
 * Pre-set the order (Sign).

A nice method, but hopefully won't backfire on you if they have to leave. Pretty simple, if you plan on buying a lot of stuff from someone, buy something(s) small first, just to test if they may actually be a scammer. This worked multiple times for me, and it should for you too. Scammers are strange, and for some reason they, if given the opportunity, will even scam you over small things. And so with this one, maybe pretend to be weak, and easy to scam, and if they still dont, they should be trustworthy. You can inform them that you were testing them if they were actually a scammer, and that you’d actually like to make a big order.
 * For big orders, buy something small first.

Many players (including me a month ago) are confused or even clueless on how saving works in Lumber Tycoon 2. What most people do know, is “reload your base”. Yes this will save your base and everything on it. This is obviously one of the best methods for trading, as you can see and make sure if the items you have just purchased have saved to your base. Also many will also know (hopefully) that, any other players items, at any time at all, when using a saving method, will only save to your base (meaning they are fully yours) only while you are Whitelisted when you do this. If not, the items will not save to your plot and not appear on your base when reloading or loading in another server. Now, for other methods of this. Many, if not most players (Including me a month ago) are unaware that when sending money, will also cause an auto save to ones base, and any items on it (Others if you are whitelisted of course). That is why, one method of saving, can even be sending $0 money to someone. Also, your base will naturally autosave every once in a while. This is not common, but it is one way your base will save. Finally, just leaving the game, will automatically still save your base the moment you left. It is just like reloading.
 * Saving

I mean, this isn't really a method for trading, but one that will help you out during trading. If things are acting suspicious, you can warn them that you will put them on the notable scammers list, and report them everywhere, and they will forever be known as a scammer, if they scam you. Sure this doesn't always work, and for some people it just blows over their heads. Although, for some kids, who have a high opinion of themselves (even if they scam for some reason), may change what they think. The reason why I say this is cause it sort of worked from me. Some kid scammed me of a giant spook log and sinister log because he wanted even more money for it, but when threatening them with reporting him everywhere and him forever being known as a scammer, he was like “FINE COME AND GET IT THEN” xD. Worked out for me, might for you too.
 * Warn them