• Posted 12/19/2024.
    =====================

    I am still waiting on my developer to finish up on the Classifieds Control Panel so I can use it to encourage members into becoming paying members. Google Adsense has become a real burden on the viewing of this site, but honestly it is the ONLY source of income now that keeps it afloat. I tried offering disabling the ads being viewed by paying members, but apparently that is not enough incentive. Quite frankly, Google Adsense has dropped down to where it barely brings in enough daily to match even a single paid member per day. But it still gets the bills paid. But at what cost?

    So even without the classifieds control panel being complete, I believe I am going to have to disable those Google ads completely and likely disable some options here that have been free since going to the new platform. Like classified ad bumping, member name changes, and anything else I can use to encourage this site to be supported by the members instead of the Google Adsense ads.

    But there is risk involved. I will not pay out of pocket for very long during this last ditch experimental effort. If I find that the membership does not want to support this site with memberships, then I cannot support your being able to post your classified ads here for free. No, I am not intending to start charging for your posting ads here. I will just shut the site down and that will be it. I will be done with FaunaClassifieds. I certainly don't need this, and can live the rest of my life just fine without it. If I see that no one else really wants it to survive neither, then so be it. It goes away and you all can just go elsewhere to advertise your animals and merchandise.

    Not sure when this will take place, and I don't intend to give any further warning concerning the disabling of the Google Adsense. Just as there probably won't be any warning if I decide to close down this site. You will just come here and there will be some sort of message that the site is gone, and you have a nice day.

    I have been trying to make a go of this site for a very long time. And quite frankly, I am just tired of trying. I had hoped that enough people would be willing to help me help you all have a free outlet to offer your stuff for sale. But every year I see less and less people coming to this site, much less supporting it financially. That is fine. I tried. I retired the SerpenCo business about 14 years ago, so retiring out of this business completely is not that big if a step for me, nor will it be especially painful to do. When I was in Thailand, I did not check in here for three weeks. I didn't miss it even a little bit. So if you all want it to remain, it will be in your hands. I really don't care either way.

    =====================
    Some people have indicated that finding the method to contribute is rather difficult. And I have to admit, that it is not all that obvious. So to help, here is a thread to help as a quide. How to become a contributing member of FaunaClassifieds.

    And for the record, I will be shutting down the Google Adsense ads on January 1, 2025.
  • Responding to email notices you receive.
    **************************************************
    In short, DON'T! Email notices are to ONLY alert you of a reply to your private message or your ad on this site. Replying to the email just wastes your time as it goes NOWHERE, and probably pisses off the person you thought you replied to when they think you just ignored them. So instead of complaining to me about your messages not being replied to from this site via email, please READ that email notice that plainly states what you need to do in order to reply to who you are trying to converse with.

Reporting fraudulent accounts/scammers?

snowgyre

snowgyre

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So I know the BOI isn't a thing anymore, but I've been contacted by the same user who is now on his fourth account trying to scam me (you guys have banned the first two or three accounts already). I thought there used to be a "report this user" button in the user profile or near the user's icon in private messages, but I can't find it anymore.

Do we just email an admin now? Or can we get that report functionality now that the BOI isn't a thing?

Thanks for the help, this has been a real nuisance.
 
Ah, okay, so there's a report button for a user's post, but this user isn't posting, they're just private messaging me. In the private message there is no report button, just the dot that shows if a user is online or offline.

I doubt I'm the only person this user has been contacting considering they've had previous accounts banned already. They're using different phone numbers every time too but the content (and grammar) is always the same: they ask for my asking price on an animal, give a cell phone message, and then in the next reply ask if you'll take a certified bank check and ship after the check clears. It's a classic scammer move.

For users who are PMing only, is there a report function we can use (or that can be added) to the user's profile page?
 
You can just forward the PM to admins/moderators.
 
I got four messages from the scammer in question. I second the request for a report button, though am happy to forward scammy PMs to a mod if that's the best way.
 
Nine times out of ten a new member engaging in this sort of thing registers using a VPN or anonymous proxy server. When I find them, or find out about them, I normally terminate the account and block that IP address from future new registrations using it. I do scan all new registrations several times a day, but unless something pretty obvious catches my attention, I don't audit all of them for the above.

Honestly the mods put a lot more effort into ferreting out scammers than I do, as I use my time lately with more backend tasks related to running this site. Since they are still in the business of buying and selling, they spend a LOT mor time perusing the classifieds than I do.
 
As for a "Report a Post" function in private messages, I guess the software developers felt that wasn't necessary since the post itself could not be verified and audited by the moderators since they could not access the original text in the private message.

So I suppose just forwarding such post(s) to a moderator would be the best bet. They may or may not want to have the IP address banned, since leaving it be often trips up scammers who aren't internet savy enough to try to cover their tracks that way. Most scammers are found by context anyway, but still, IP matching does still sometimes surprisingly work now and again. It does help to catch the stupid ones.
 
One was just forwarded to me by one of my project partners, so I was able to take care of it quickly. Sometimes these accounts even contact me directly and that is rather convenient of them to reveal themselves.

As mentioned, if anybody gets one of these and wants it investigated, please forward the message and the profile to one or more of the moderators and we can check it out. If I have enough for my burden of proof right away, I can act right away. If there is not enough at first, it might take me a day or two (assuming I have the time, as I do this in my spare time).

PM is fine for me. Email also works for me. The latter is easier if there is an image you want to include like a screenshot or what have you.

Thank you all for looking out for yourselves and each other. I place value in that sort of community cohesion.
 
OracleOnes (now banned) is a scammer. Sent a check via certified mail for way more than what I was charging. Wanted me to deposit the entire amount and send him the balance. Got suspicious and went to my bank to present the check. Teller said check was counterfeit and confiscated it.

OracleOnes PM to me:

07-25-2022, 03:22 AM
oracleones
Banned

Join Date: Jul 2022
Location: Miami FL
Age: 45
Posts: 0
Name : Oracle Ones
oracleones is an unknown quantity at this point
Trader Rating: (0)
2.2 2022 Kankakee Bullsnakes

Still available for sale ? Plz let me know your asking price. text me ‪ (765) 279-0186 ‬ . I don't check messages here very frequently
 
He's now going by the user name of Desmondunion.
https://www.faunaclassifieds.com/for...r.php?u=225285

Desmondunion
Registered User

Join Date: Aug 2022
Location: Warren RI
Posts: 0
Name : Des Uni
Desmondunion is an unknown quantity at this point
Trader Rating: (0)
2.2 2022 Kankakee Bullsnakes

Still available for sale ? Plz let me know your asking price. text me ‪ (765) 279-0186
‬ . I don't check messages here very freq
 
Kevin, it has been asked that info on these things gets PMed to a moderator. Check the post right above yours.
 
Handled it. PMs are preferable for this specific issue, dear readers, but I jump on what I can when I can.
 
Scammers selling Unicolor cribo

Patricia.m
Dididarion2
Demian Marion
Troy Pope

All names used are scammers.

Currently selling Unicolor cribos.

Beware.
 
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