Lately we have seen elevated numbers of scammers trying to join and scam members here. The way it typically works is someone joins offering to buy an item that is for sale, or sell an item (usually for a 'good deal'). We have various preventative tools that we use, but one of them is a limit on who can and cannot send private messages (PMs) to users.
Currently, a user must have greater than 1 post on the forum to send PMs. With this requirement, if someone wants to join solely to buy/sell an item they have to make a post on the board (typically an introduction thread or a direct reply to the WTS/WTB ad). After they make their post, they are free to PM other forum users at will.
What we see happening is that they are joining, making an introduction thread, and then PMing users trying to buy/sell stuff and get the user to contact them via email...mostly so it's easier for them to reply and so it's harder for us to prevent them from conversing. They then go down the path of trying to scam people.
Anyway, now that there is a bit of context, I'll get to what I am considering. Right now you need one post to send a PM. I'm considering raising the number.
Pros: Harder for scammers to scam.
Cons: Harder for someone coming here solely to buy/sell something to privately get in touch with buyer/sellers.
What are your thoughts? Is it worth making it a bit harder for honest new-users to buy/sell things on here to make it harder for scammers to have access to PMs?
Another consideration is that some scammers play a long-game and make accounts, make a few posts, and then come back in a year +. Then they have accounts that look more legitimate because they aren't brand new. We can't really prevent that, but we can still make the burden a bit harder to send PMs by raising the minimum post count.
Currently, a user must have greater than 1 post on the forum to send PMs. With this requirement, if someone wants to join solely to buy/sell an item they have to make a post on the board (typically an introduction thread or a direct reply to the WTS/WTB ad). After they make their post, they are free to PM other forum users at will.
What we see happening is that they are joining, making an introduction thread, and then PMing users trying to buy/sell stuff and get the user to contact them via email...mostly so it's easier for them to reply and so it's harder for us to prevent them from conversing. They then go down the path of trying to scam people.
Anyway, now that there is a bit of context, I'll get to what I am considering. Right now you need one post to send a PM. I'm considering raising the number.
Pros: Harder for scammers to scam.
Cons: Harder for someone coming here solely to buy/sell something to privately get in touch with buyer/sellers.
What are your thoughts? Is it worth making it a bit harder for honest new-users to buy/sell things on here to make it harder for scammers to have access to PMs?
Another consideration is that some scammers play a long-game and make accounts, make a few posts, and then come back in a year +. Then they have accounts that look more legitimate because they aren't brand new. We can't really prevent that, but we can still make the burden a bit harder to send PMs by raising the minimum post count.