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Many online communities choose to include a classifieds section in their platform, and it’s easy to see why. There are some great benefits, including increased user engagement, new monetization avenues, and generally adding overall value to the community. But as with all good things, there are those who like to take advantage: scammers. These users hack accounts, steal from honest users, and hurt the credibility of the community as a whole. Nothing can cause a classifieds section to flatline faster than losing confidence in trading with users on the platform.
The good news is that, with some proper strategies and defenses in place, you can keep the majority of would-be scammers in check. In this article, we’ve put together a quick list of tips that you can use to help keep your classifieds safe.
Do: Make the Rules & Guidelines Clear and Visible
Everything that you do to help mitigate scammers will rely on requiring users to follow a specific set of rules, so clearly defining the rules will make it easier for everyone to use the site. At the end of the day, users are going to have to do some common sense scam protection for themselves, but that’s okay, because we can lay the groundwork to keep them as safe as possible. Here are the quick things you can do to set yourself up for success right from the start.
1. Create a separate page for classifieds rules
These rules are important, and shouldn’t be lost somewhere on a long page with the rest of the site’s rules. The rules should be clear and concise, so that users can read and understand them quickly.
2. Create a classifieds best practices page
This is where you can tell your users about the things they can do to keep themselves safe. Things like “Please stop sending money using “Friends & Family”. But also things to look out for, such as a seller’s rating (if applicable), whether the account is new or not, and any other general tell-tale signs.
3. Add a call to action to read the rules
At the top of the page, add some copy that tells users to make sure they stay safe when trading online and to read the rules and guidelines. Make sure to provide the links, it’s unlikely they’ll go searching for those links on their own.
4. Require them to read the rules
If your platform supports it, adding a checkbox that says “I have read the Classifieds rules” can really drive the point home. Bonus points if you can limit their ability to use the classifieds until after they’ve checked that box.
Don’t: Allow Friends & Family
Sellers often request a user pay using a “Friends & Family” payment method (such as provided by PayPal) to avoid paying a fee. In reality, this is the #1 way that scams happen. This one could be a guideline, but in our opinion it is so important that it should be a rule.
Unfortunately, you cannot stop users from agreeing to use it, but you can ban users from requesting it. Tell your users that they should never be asked to use Friends & family, and to report it to a moderator if it happens.
Do: Require Two-Factor Authentication
The reason for this is simple: A lot of scams don’t come from new accounts, they come from hacked accounts that have high credibility in your community. So keeping accounts safe and secure is a pretty high priority.
This one may be an off-putting change to users, so make sure to communicate with your members before making this change. If your platform allows it, you could consider requiring 2 Factor Authentication on their account to add an extra layer of security besides a simple password.
Don’t: Allow “Want to Buy” Ads
This is another common scam tactic. With “Want to Buy” ads, you are telling the community exactly what it is you want. So really, you’re just making the scammer’s job a bit easier. They’ll look for these opportunities and then reach out in a private message saying “I have the item you’d like for sale!” They will then likely pair that message with a request for payment using Friends & Family and the money will be gone, all for an item that never existed in the first place.
Do: Use a User Rating System
A buyer/seller rating system will allow the community to moderate itself. But you can take it a step further and make that credibility matter. Give users some account swag to show off that they are a “Trusted Seller.” This motivates sellers to trade in good faith and with respect and it tells buyers immediately whether or not someone is trustworthy to trade with. Win/win scenario!
Depending on your platform, implementing this may be difficult (or not possible at all). If that is the case, I would still encourage you to try and use the tools you do have to at least point out the most trustworthy of your buyers and sellers in whatever way that you can.
Don’t: Let Hacked Accounts go Untriaged
This one requires vigilance. Oftentimes when an account is hacked, there are some warning signs. The original user may reach out to a site administrator via email. The new account may post a new classified ad at a much lower cost than market value. Users are also pretty good at pointing out when someone is being fishy (and may do so with your reporting tools). The important thing here is this: Let your moderation team know, if you get a whiff of this, shut it down quickly. Time is sensitive, because the scammer knows they have a limited time to pull off a scam before they are caught. Banning the account right away will allow you to slow down and determine whether an account was hacked without risking a user losing their hard earned cash.
Do: Limit Access to the Classifieds
Don’t let just any random user that registered this morning jump in and start posting ads. Classifieds are a privilege, not a right, and users should earn a bit of trust before getting access. This does not have to be a time-consuming or laborious process. Here are some common ways you could limit users before using the classifieds.
- Require new users to be a member for at least one week
- Require new users to have their first 3-5 posts approved by a moderator
- Requires users to pay a fee or subscription to access the classifieds
Our strongest recommendation is #3. And not just because it is a great offering that you can be monetizing. Rather, because it is the best thing you can do to secure your classifieds. Scammers are here to make money quickly. Having to pay a fee (no matter how small) will immediately deter them.
Do: Use Escrow to Protect Transactions
Using escrow to protect transactions in forum classifieds is a good practice because it ensures the seller is paid what they’re owed and the buyer receives the item promised. By holding the funds in a neutral third-party account until both parties fulfill their obligations, escrow provides a layer of trust, especially in high-value or long-distance transactions. This system prevents scams where a buyer might send payment and never receive the item or where a seller might ship a product without getting paid. Escrow services also encourage fair dispute resolution, as they can verify transaction details before releasing funds, ultimately creating a safer and more reliable marketplace within the forum community.
Conclusion
And that’s it! As we mentioned, classifieds add huge value to your community, so it is definitely worth the work. Following these tips and tricks to stop classifieds scams will get you and your community set up for success long term and keep your users protected while they’re buying and selling on your site.
