Full name requirement in the classifieds section.

I agree that a full name should be provided. It would at the least be a starting point if the transaction went bad. I for one would not purchase anything from an unnamed individual.

Sounds like more work and headache for you and the mods just as your starting breeding season. As has been pointed out there is really no reasonable way for you to ensure the names being used are in fact the names of the individuals running the ads~ and lets face it.......you can't save every fool from himself/herself. If someone feels comfortable enough to buy from someone with no name~ well.......there is a fool born every minute.

Sounds like it would be a total pain to have to deal with and enforce.

I think there are two issues here.

The first is the idea of creating a BOI thread without the subject's name or DBA. I've seen inquiries that use a message board login or an email address... rarely seen a good or bad guy thread that didn't have a name or DBA though, since few people are going to send money to someone without it. A good guy thread for User Number XXXXX is weird and pretty sketchy but it's also very obviously weird and pretty sketchy, so I don't think there's a lot of weight to the post.

The second about requiring a name for the classifieds is a little iffy. Some people do use a business name as a login. Some of them don't use the BOI. Some of them might want an employee to throw up some ads while the owner is busy. Given that a long standing puzzle has been finding ways to increase the use of the classifieds sections, I'm not sure having users jump through hoops or adding extra requirements is the way to go.

All the tools are on-site for buyers and sellers to protect themselves, I don't think that the reward is worth the effort of enforcing a name rule for the classifieds. Might be a good thing to suggest or strongly encourage on the part of people posting ads but that's a little different than enforcing it.

I don't see how this would prevent people from sending money to people they don't know the names of.
I mean, c'mon. If you are dumb enough to send money to someone across the country without even knowing their name (real or otherwise) than there really is no way this requirement would help these people.
I saw that thread and all I can say is that buyer let what I would think is common sense go right out the window. They are just lucky this anonymous person didn't rip them off.
Sometimes people are just too dumb to help.

I'm a little torn on this one.
For one I am a firm believer in letting people know up front who they are dealing with to the point I use my real name on every site I join. I really dislike the use of pseudonyms with no real identifiers like you see on most sites.
I realize that some people might create false identities but if they were regular sellers it is quite probable that someone would quickly expose them based on email communications containing contradictory information.
It would function similar to the BOI where full names are required but seldom verified.

On the other hand, instituting this rule would make more work for the mods. Unless someone were to report a violation the mods would have to take on the added responsibility of checking every ad every day for violations of the rule. And if a violation were spotted what then, delete the ad?

Also if this were to become a rule I would think that a company name would not be acceptable any more than it would be on the BOI. A good example of this would be Chris Sulwer aka Memnoch1790 who when exposed as being questionable resorted to killerfroggs. Rather than attach his name he made up a company name which got a post deleted from the BOI for a violation of the full name rule.

Here is the thing however... If people actually have a legal business name ie... LLc or Inc, why wouldnt their "Legal business name" be more than enough. For example, when I go to my local McDonalds, they don't list the owner by name but rather by their LLc or Inc on the door as stated by law. When dealing with an LLc or Inc, should they list the total board of directors in the classified ads to see all who may or may not be legally responsible? I think in regards to individual persons names, we put too much on it. Just my opinion

Originally Posted by Seamus Haley

I think there are two issues here.

The first is the idea of creating a BOI thread without the subject's name or DBA. I've seen inquiries that use a message board login or an email address... rarely seen a good or bad guy thread that didn't have a name or DBA though, since few people are going to send money to someone without it. A good guy thread for User Number XXXXX is weird and pretty sketchy but it's also very obviously weird and pretty sketchy, so I don't think there's a lot of weight to the post.

The second about requiring a name for the classifieds is a little iffy. Some people do use a business name as a login. Some of them don't use the BOI. Some of them might want an employee to throw up some ads while the owner is busy. Given that a long standing puzzle has been finding ways to increase the use of the classifieds sections, I'm not sure having users jump through hoops or adding extra requirements is the way to go.

All the tools are on-site for buyers and sellers to protect themselves, I don't think that the reward is worth the effort of enforcing a name rule for the classifieds. Might be a good thing to suggest or strongly encourage on the part of people posting ads but that's a little different than enforcing it.

Well, after a lot of thought on this issue (well, not a LOT, but some....), I think the points made in this post (and others) make a lot of sense to me. I guess this would be another one of those mistakes where I am trying to rubber baby buggy bumper this site, and all it would do is get people pissed, cause more work and headaches for everyone, and probably not accomplish anything near it's intended goal. If someone is willing to send their money to someone who is basically anonymous here, then who am I to stand in their way? If someone wants to try to do BUSINESS in this manner, then more power to them, I guess. That is between the buyer and the seller without me or the mods sticking our noses into their business.

Sorry gang, but old habits die hard with me.... But I'm working on it.

I guess you have made your decision already Rich, and I think it was the right one. For whatever reason "Marcy" does not want to include her name in her ads is her business. I guess using her zip code as her ID lets people be able to know where she is located, and get shipping quotes.

I am going to be purchasing a Helix and a 1.2 trio of Blizzard Leopard Gecko's from her this weekend.

Obviously a red flag went up because she has no name in her ads. Another one went up after I sent her a PM asking her to call me to discuss a purchase, and she replied to me saying that she did not like using the telephone and would prefer to haggle via email, and PM's.
She did call me after I made another request, and introduced herself as Marcy. Maybe she is paranoid to put her name and telephone out on the web, and in todays world who can blame her.

I am going to be driving to Orlando to make the purchase. Honestly, I am not comfortable sending money to unknown people, and avoid shipping/receiving animals if at all possible.

She is a contributing member here, and so far has only positive feedback in her "good guy" thread. Why don't you take the time to send her a PM explaining to her that being an anonymous seller sends up a red flag and that she should consider putting at least her first name in her ads.

Originally Posted by RJK890

Why don't you take the time to send her a PM explaining to her that being an anonymous seller sends up a red flag and that she should consider putting at least her first name in her ads.

Why should that be Rich's responsibility??
There is a BOI thread with her username, she might have noticed it...and the comments on that subject. Besides, you're already communicating with her, and will be face to face with her in the near future - if you think such an explanation would benefit her, go for it.

Interesting, though, that she would be Marcy to you...and Mandy to the person that posted the thread on the BOI.