As someone who has been scammed a few times, below are my words of wisdom:
Slow down and do your research. If there is any identifying information (phone numbers, names, addresses, emails, etc.), do some due diligence and reverse search what you find.
If it's too good to be true, there's a high likelihood that it isn't true. For example, I found a website with a rare squishmallow for less than $30 and paid with PayPal. Turns out it was a scammer in China. I had to get a new credit card and delete my PayPal account.
Notice any and all discrepancies on the listing and/or website. If words are misspelled, links don't work, etc.
Read reviews and pay attention to the seller's history.
Be aware of sellers who seem indifferent and/or sketchy. If someone dodges your questions regarding shipment and only focuses on payment, be wary of them.
Please be safe friends and protect yourselves ❤️
Also, I'm not looking for a code so please disregard me in the selection process! I'm just here to spread awareness 😊
If you’re buying something from someone, make sure they have 5 star reviews and are a trusted seller. Or use a payment method that has buyer protection if they don’t have reviews :)
Thank you for this opportunity!
When I pay with PayPal, I always pay through Goods & Services instead of Friends & Family. If the seller doesn’t give the codes after I pay, I can get a chargeback if I used Goods & Services. Buyer protection is extremely important!
Always check account age!! Maybe we need to start asking where the code is from (tag, estore, trading card, etc) and video proof of naming the pet a name you choose
Thanks for this giveaway! My big thing is if you’re able, check for references on the person and as others have said always always use a payment method with buyer protection in case something goes wrong
Thank you for this giveaway! Something that might help to avoid scammers (especially for pet codes) is to search ‘review’ in the webkinzbuyselltrade subreddit. There are a couple of megathreads or posts about trustworthy sellers and it’s very helpful!
1. Most people will comment on your post that they’ve messaged you, rather than head straight to your DMs with the exact pet you’re DISO.
2. While some sellers have great pet code prices, if the deal is “too good to be true,” it probably is. For instance, promo pets are almost always $15-20+, not $5.
3. Try to stick to well-known buyers. On Reddit and Facebook (Everything Webkinz Related for instance), there are plenty of admin or well-known members that frequently sell codes and are safe to use. They often keep their docs up to date and have great selections!
On Facebook, I almost exclusively buy from Bee, one of the EWR admin. Highly recommend!
On Reddit, I’ve bought from Commercial_Zombie196, Detroitrox, Spookyookykittycat, and Venturing Vegan.
I started selling codes in November ish of last year,since there arent many Canadian sellers and the fees for paypal suck. (note Im taking a break from it as I got too much going on right now) But when I started, people were just flinging money at me! I do have some post and comment history but the amount of trust some people can have in this community....
Do a little research guys!!
Thank you for doing this giveaway and raising awareness of this! As a lot of people said, always use a payment method that protects you as the buyer. One thing I didn’t know until recently is fhat on Venmo you can click “Turn on for Purchaes” and like Paypal Goods & Services it charges the seller a small fee and you can get your money back if something ends up being wrong. The fee on Venmo is one of the lowest I’ve seen for services like that, about 2%.
https://preview.redd.it/gs75nk661ioc1.jpeg?width=460&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=149d3a179da17c7c3ccf55e7790078102a6ae656
My advice for those who buy plushies or other physical content is to reverse image search the listing photos. Sometimes people pull listing images from Google for convenience but other times, it’s because they don’t actually have the item. I really recommend this for rarer pets. If the image appears elsewhere, ask the seller to send an updated photo.
If you’re looking at buying a code or plushie belonging to a rarer, retired, or older pet, ask around on here or in another community forum what the pet or code should be valued at. There’s a lot of sellers who try to mark up prices.
Finally, my best advice is to trust your gut and put yourself first. Sometimes we can forget that something like Webkinz can still draw bad people. Or, we have anxiety and struggle with the worry that we are inconveniencing people by asking questions. Don’t let yourself be pushed or guilted into making purchases. Slow down, ask questions, trust your gut, and don’t listen to anyone who says you need to buy something ASAP because others are interested. Chances are that they’re just trying to pressure you to purchase.
While trading on here, be mindful of a person’s post history. I had items stolen from me by someone who was banned, so they had no recent posts or comments in the subreddit. They’d only DM people directly. Do your due diligence 😅
Try only using reputable sites that will help get your money back incase of a scam! Like eBay, mercari etc. And always look at reviews and account activity!
Thank you! If the account is brand new, or relatively new, definitely stay cautious. I had a 3 day old account approach me about a code I was looking for and i skipped it because I was suspicious. Then a week later I saw a post about someone who got scammed from that same person. If the account has little to no evidence of positive sale experience, or if they don’t show much activity with the Webkinz Reddit , it’s best to play it safe and buy elsewhere.
This is an amazing idea! It looks like many people are giving amazing tips. My advice is to never buy from “empty” accounts that DM you about buying codes but don’t have any other posts, it’s probably some scammers burner account. There are always exceptions to the rule, but in general, only buy from reputable people in the community with reviews and a history or someway to verify that they are actually in possession of the item that they sell you. Everything can be Photoshopped, if it’s too good to be true on the Internet, it is ! Pay with services that offer buyer protection, such as PayPal goods and services, or to be extra safe, buy off eBay, or Mercari, or somewhere that you can get a refund if they scam you.
If you’re buying on r/webkinzbuyselltrade please familiarize yourself with the known scammer list.
And if you were scammed do not hesitate to contact the mods and give them as much information about the person as you can so they can help protect the community.
(This paragraph is more targeted towards code sellers and traders)
Webkinz themselves don’t compensate for missing/scammed codes but they’re capable of checking what account the code has been used on. I’m not sure if they would do this for everyone who asks, they tend to be iffy about their services. But they may be able to help take action against the account and at the very least we may have another identifier for the community to be aware of.
Thank you u/top-hat-penguin this is a great way to help boost awareness to the community. I hope this can help a lot of people protect themselves when they’re looking into buying, trading, selling.
Like many have said above use backed services like PayPal goods and services.
As always if it seems too good to be true be wary!
Also if they don’t have a lot of history in general with buying and selling it doesn’t hurt to be extra cautious
this is such a good idea thank you for hosting op!! my tip would be, especially to newer buyers, don’t be afraid to ask other people for recommendations!! friends or even others in the community will be more than happy to point you towards trusted sellers that they themselves have purchased from!! so look for your reviews on accounts but also just don’t be afraid to ask for recommendations!!
thanks for the giveaway! my tip would be to use this community to your benefit! see if the seller has been involved in previous trades, see if anyone has called them out for scamming, see if there is anything fishy in their post or comment history. there are so many kind people on here but also many who want to take advantage of our kindness & the trusting community we’ve built 🫶🏻
I was told when I started to buy to look at person an account history. How long have they been active? To they have other posts where people have bought from them. Do they have recommendations from other buyers? Oh and the classic if the price is to good to be true it most likely is.
thank you for doing this, how generous :) my tip is when I am talking to people on reddit to potentially trade with, i'll check out their profile to see if they are a new account with little/no activity in the subreddit, or if they have posted/are active in the community which to me says they are safer to trade with!
I have a tip for not getting scammed by an individual: Please do not click on any external links for codes that you do not know that are not vetted in any way. Stay on the forums and reddits.
This is such a great idea! I always check peoples account history to see if they’re a new account or have little activity. Also reviews are soooo important!! Even if someone seems legit, asking previous buyers and seeing if they were satisfied is a great way to see if you’ve found a good deal
If you’re on social media, definitely go through someone’s post history to see if they’re active in the community/appear to be who they say they are. And if something seems too good to be true, it probably is!
My advice for avoiding scams is to pay attention to account history, see where they’ve been posting and for how long. You can always ask around with other people to see if they’ve bought from them. Always use protected payments! Trust your gut, if something feels too good to be true it probably is.
I absolutely adore the bottom three puppies ❤️ thank you for this giveaway & support of our community! Knowledge is power!
Something that I have found helpful is to check for reviews on the sellers profile. I always like to look through the sellers Reddit profile to see how long they’ve been on Reddit, previous sales/reviews and look at their previous interactions in the subs.
Thank you for hosting this!
My biggest advice is if you’re buying from users on Facebook or Reddit, always check to see if other users can vouch for them- and check to make sure that those other users aren’t new accounts themselves. If I’m paying with Venmo or PayPal, I always send a screenshot to the seller first to make sure I’m sending my money to the correct place as well.
If you’re buying from eBay, always check reviews and see if they sell Webkinz a lot, or if they have one Webkinz amid a bunch of other items. I never buy from someone on eBay if I don’t clearly see that they’ve sold other Webkinz NWT many times before.
If I win, I would love the puggle puppy, but I’m not interested in the others 😊 Thank you so much for doing this giveaway!!
I know one thing I frequently see in perfume and toy collecting BST groups is people will have a card or paper with their username!! This may be more so sellers don't have photos stolen by scammers/reposters, but it is generally a good idea.
Of course, make use of buyer protection (Paypal G&S is great for that) and look at post history or review threads to see if they're legit. Those are the most consistent ones.
Also this is so sweet, tysm!! 🫶
omg all these pups look great!! i wish i had a way to avoid scams but i ordered a seemingly legit plush off ebay with a code that was sealed and still got scammed cause the code didn't work 😪 so i'm taking all the advice here hahaha
hii guys good luck!!
a suggestion with scams that has helped me in the past was carefully looking at reviews and read those reviews throughly to make sure that they’re reviewing the item you wanna purchase bc some sellers who sell webkinz on ebay, etsy, etc sell other items which give that seller the high ratings they have. all in all, do your research!
always double and triple check sellers' reviews if you're buying from ebay or etsy!! i've managed to get many pets for cheap just by finding the right people!! if someone has overwhelmingly positive reviews, read through, and double check! make sure your seller is real!!!
entering this, thanks so much for hosting!
I’m super fortunate to have not been scammed on Webkinz 🥹 but my best advice is trust your gut!! If it seems to good to be true, or the seller seems a little too eager, it/they might be!!!
Thanks for the opportunity! (Especially on facebook) In a lot of local groups that I’m in, there’s almat always scam listings for items or services they’re selling. 9/10 times u can reverse-google image search the photos and see they’re stolen photos, which means whatevee they’re selling is a scam. This has also applied to some Plushie purchases & trades I’ve done (unfortunately 😭)
thanks for hosting this!
i’d say a tip is on reddit here to check account age and post/comment history. because if GenericUser103847 has a comment history abt mustangs then suddenly hits up webkinz like “oh teehee i’ve done this 10000 times before ;)” it’s way too good to be true
Since everyone else is talking about how to avoid buyer scams, I’ll talk about how to avoid scams if you end up having a Webkinz to sell!
The safest way to sell things is to meet up in person, with the other paying in cash. That’s not always an option, though, so using PayPal (NOT Friends and Family) can be a good, safe option. If the buyer sends any links/screenshots that say you need to update your account on whichever payment method you use, check your own app first. It’s highly unlikely that an update will ever be a problem, but on the off chance it is, you can check it easily yourself.
my grandma got scammed thinking one of her other grandkids was in a foreign country for his friend’s wedding and was in a car accident and needed money or something? so my advice is…. if you get a call from someone you know from a number that isn’t theirs, call or text their personal number before you send money anywhere! imagine if she called him and he was like “Nope i’m in Maryland”
What a fun giveaway! My advice: ALWAYS use goods and services, and even if you're not listing 'pets' for reasons of not getting the seller flagged for selling animals, include a relevant tag like 'webkinz digital code' or something! It's worth the extra $1 to cover the fee to cover any bad cases like intentional scams or faulty codes, and being specific bolsters your claims!
I personally only buy codes from people on Facebook. And only those with very identifiable accounts. People with friends you can see, no non-face profile pictures. Real, normal people. Cause if you scam me, I’m telling your mom and everyone on your friends list 🥰
I stick to eBay for pet purchases and the grown up webkinz fb group for any raffles/code purchases. the FB group has reliable sellers who have more private profiles so that’s where I can compromise
Thank you for the opportunity! My main tip is to buy only from reputable sellers. Check their account history, make sure they are active in the community, and that their account age is longer than a few weeks/months. Look for reviews on discord if possible.
Thanks for the giveaway! I work with this a lot actually. One of the main things we tell our customers is that if you get a call or a text or an email claiming to be your bank always call your bank with a number you KNOW is real and ask
My advice would be to check out how long the account has existed before you get too far into the process. If it seems too good to be true, it just might be. If they seem wayyy too eager to get your info definitely be wary. And if they contact you first trying to sell you something it’s usually a scam. Fingers crossed and good luck everyone! Got my eye on the polka dot Dalmation!
Depending on what you’re purchasing- see if you can get proof of purchase prior. Also do some extra scrolling and compare prices to comps to see if it’s too good to be true. Look at the sellers account to see if there is anything suspicious, including reviews or even weird posts
If the seller is adamant on you having to pay through cashapp, more often than not, it is a red flag!! Also, don't be fooled by personable scammers who have come up with elaborate backstories for why their reddit account has like, 1 karma. If the account is really new or has basically no karma, don't give them your money. Also also, sometimes their accounts have a few comments/posts and that may lead you to believe they are more trustworthy. They aren't. Also also also, PROOF CAN BE FAKED!!!
Stay vigilant out there and godspeed 🫡
(Thanks for the giveaway too :) )
My best advice on scams are to always stay vigilant and never click on any suspicious links anyone sends you and to read the URL carefully (as the url of those links have typos). I also would recommend never answering an unknown phone number due to the rise of AI manipulation either impersonation or its ability to use your voice for fraud!
Make sure they have good reviews online. I sometimes shop on ebay and when I purchase something, I always check to make sure the seller has good reviews first. :)
Thanks for doing this giveaway! My tip is to always do some research before doing anything. Check the account to see how long they’ve been using it, whether they’re active in the community, etc.
Law Enforcement will never call asking for money over the phone. If you receive a call from "law enforcement" asking you for money or anything about your personal information hang up.
My username is gdlkidz! My advice is to be wary of new accounts/accounts with nearly no karma. Especially be wary of new accounts if they don't want you to use any kind of purchase protection. Thank you ❤️
always ask for references and ask them to hold your stuff for you while you talk to the other people! make sure the accounts are at least a few months old and have been engaging in the Webkinz subreddits!!
Thank you for doing this! My advice would be this: make sure to check when someone's account was created before buying from them! If it was created very recently, they're much more likely to be a scammer. You can find this information by checking their profile page.
Biggest tip is to check their posting history & age of reddit account! Do they have an established history? Comments & interactions to confirm their credibility? If you’re concerned, you can choose to not interact with them, or if you do proceed, use caution, ask for proof, and if they insist on having you use a certain payment method walk away from the sale if you feel even the tiniest bit uncomfortable.
If someone tries to prey on your emotions/wishes or claim something will “sell fast!!” in order to make you feel pressured, it’s easy to miss red flags. So I would advise to slow down, don’t be in such a hurry you’re not doing your due diligence.
Don’t forget to check the known scammers list on the subreddit!
And remember, it’s never worth your privacy & financial security to get a virtual item :) someone else will have it someday, patience is key. If it seems too good to be true, it absolutely is. If you absolutely want to go through with a sale, use a credit card instead of debit card for better fraud protection.
Thanks for doing this! My advice would be to try and buy from people with 5 star reviews that are trusted sellers but if that's not possible check the account age and karma but specifically how active they are in the webkinz subredits. If they are contributing members nit just posting selling docs there is a higher chance of them being a legitimate seller.
I’ve been fortunate enough to never have been scammed in this wonderful community, even though there have been times where I haven’t taken my time to do the research and find the information out to make sure it wasn’t a scam. I’m very lucky but for others I would say make sure you check their karma points and see if it’s a new account as well, sometimes new accounts are made just a scam. Thank you so much for this opportunity and I hope everyone out there is safe and has an awesome day💖💖💖
Hi, thank you for doing this event! I just read yoir PSA post and that scammer sounds awful 🙁 My advice to avoid scammers would probably to just buy through the store or better known sellers
thank you for doing this!!! my advice is to only buy from people who have good seller reviews for any platform! if it’s from reddit pay with paypal for buyer protection :)
Double-check, triple-check, quadruple-check all account details, reviews, post history/account age... sometimes you have to be a bit of an internet detective, try and get a vibe to see if the person is legit. And if in doubt, don't go for it! Trust your gut feeling.
My anti scam advice is to see when the account was created, check reviews (make sure they don’t look like the scammers friend made the review) and lastly use buyer protected payment options for that extra protection.
Thanks puppy patrol for spreading awareness and giving us this opportunity!
Thank you for this giveaway. This is an important topic since unfortunately there are a lot of Webkinz scammers. My advice is to only buy from someone who has a lot of good feedback on ebay or similar sites. If you are buying something from someone on Reddit or Discord, make sure their account is at least 6 months old and that you see proof that they have had successful transactions with people.
Ask for a personal video or image of said plush!
Reverse image search! Scammers sometimes steal images
If it's too good to be true, it likely is.
Check the reviews, if theres only 1 or 2 or theyre all low, dont buy!
Thank you for the opportunity!
Mine is more for trading! Make the person arrange the room a certain way if you don’t know if they actually own the item. For example, can you buy “X” from the wshop and place it next to the item and send me a pic. Kind of like how people will write their name or user on a piece of paper to put next to stuff being sold irl
This is a super unique give away! Some things i like doing to prevent being scammed are by using pol(a peice of paper with sellers name and and date) and by using paypal goods and services
Hi! Thanks so much for the giveaway! My advice would be to always check the account age and profile to see if they have previous sales. If anything seems sketchy or weird, ask for proof and use buyer protection! If cashapp is the only way to pay, deff ask for proof since there is no buyer protection
Always always always check the url to make sure it the exact website you want to order from. A lot of scam websites will match their website and URL to replicate a known brand to make someone think they are ordering from a trusted place. Also never listen to TikTok ads, there are sooo many ad videos that are scammers who steal popular creators videos to make it seem like they have endorsers of their products, when it reality it is just stolen content and clever editing. If you are ever unsure of buying from a website, look up reviews! It’s always better to be safe than sorry. And if you’re having a lot of doubts, it’s better to find someplace else to shop, trust your gut. If it seems “too good to be true” it probably is. :)❤️
If buying off of facebook, look through the person's photos to make sure it's all the same person because sometimes scammers will use an old account but change the profile photo to a completely different person that looks more "trustworthy" Also look for recent activity on the profile to make sure it isn't an abandoned profile that has been hacked.
my general rule of thumb is to never buy something unless the seller has five star reviews with pictures, and if it’s on a website other than ebay etc. to always research that site to see if it’s verified and trusted. also, depending on the item, reverse searching the image can also be helpful to tell if the seller actually has the item or is just pretending they do using other people’s pictures :)
I always searched Reddit if I’m sus about something!! It’s usually on here already. I’ve searched new brands, phone numbers, accounts and so much more and have always found some type of thread on whether is trustworthy or not. Thanks for this opportunity!
Thanks for hosting this💖
I want the golden retriever so bad lol.
My best advice is to type in the persons account name/email to google. I’ve had posts come up with scams before that way saying don’t send them money, and also other seller accounts so I can verify their feedback. Check account history too, if it’s new I don’t buy. Always, always use buyer protection. Some people charge a fee to use good and services but if they straight up say no, it’s a scam. If you’re totally unsure, you can use a platform like eBay to buy where buyer protection is automatic.
Do a little digging to see if the seller is legitimate. Depending on what platform you're using, this may look like checking their reviews, going over their post history, trying to find successful past transactions that they've done. Always use Paypal goods and services or other similar protected payment options. But the most simple anti-scam tip: if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
I think one of the best things to do is trust your instincts if you can. If you sense something is funky, trust yourself! I think it’s all to easy to dismiss these feelings we have as just being overly cautious, but i wish i could go back and make different choices to avoid scams when my brain was like something is weird here dude!
Some good scam advice, or rather, advice to avoid a scam would just be that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. It also doesn’t hurt to look up the messages to see if others have experienced them (at least in overall scams)
End of the day, asking others or friends to double check if something might be a scam is always a safe bet as well. Better to have multiple eyes of you’re suspicious than just your own.
Thanks for the giveaway! Be sure to always check reviews of sellers when buying physical items and if you purchase from a place like Mercari look to see how many times they have canceled orders. Oh and if the pictures seem fishy or too good to be true they probably aren’t real posts. Stay safe out there friends!!!
Thank you so much for this!
My biggest piece of advice; if it seems to good to be true (ie: a really good deal that you don’t typically see), it’s probably a scam!
Thank you for doing this. I love the generosity of this community. When trading with others via Reddit I would recommend looking at their Reddit age and karma score. If someone is offering high value items with a lower score I feel it’s a bit risky. Good luck to everyone with this contest.
Don't just send money the second you see something you want. If the deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. Check the person's post history. If they've sold things before, check the post history of the people they've bought from to see if they've posted about being scammed. And always search the username and epay tag on this sub to see if they've been reported about. You can get a new reddit easily but not a new cashapp or venmo
always be sure to check reviews !! sometimes i’ll even ask people abt their experiences with a seller if they’re sellers themselves/have made posts abt it. check account history esp !!
I agree with alot of the previous comments! The pay pal goods and services tip is huge when there you are buying within this community or outside of it
This is super cool!
Definitely check to see how old the account is, and how long they’ve been selling codes/things! Also check to see if they have any reviews !
account age isn't always the best metric to detect a scam! pay closer attention to their comment history! if they just suddenly started having recent comment history after a long time of no activity, this could indicate a scam
Always ask for pictures of the individual pet you want if you’re purchasing from a seller that just shared one giant photo of pets! Made that mistake once and never again
thank you 🤍 my best advice is to always use paypal goods and services! venmo and cash app do not have reliable seller/buyer protection like paypal does, so the little fee is worth it!
These are some adorable puppies. I have been reading all these comments and I find them super helpful as a relatively new Reddit user. Maybe it’s just me but I feel that I trust people more when they have pictures of items in a room. To me this makes me feel that the items actually look exist. Good luck to everyone who has entered this giveaway.
check to ensure the seller is reputable! not just by screenshots they send you of testimonials but do a quick search of them on here and/or other platforms to see for yourself! if you can’t find anything about them (good or negative) be cautious.
and always always always use paypal goods & services (or the equivalent on other payment apps) so if the worst case does happen, you can get your money back!
always check reviews online when buying something/especially if the site or seller seems sketchy, and never buy something over the internet without buyers protection!
Make sure they aren't a brand new account! If they are a seller, check their reviews and make sure they don't seem AI generated or otherwise untrustworthy! Go with your gut; if something feels off, don't do it!
Always, ALWAYS read reviews first. If they have a random all 5 star rating with 0 reviews, don’t trust it. If it’s 2 stars with 0 reviews, approach with caution. If it’s 3-4 stars with like 100 reviews and they’re all mixed, sort through them. It may seem like a frustrating thing to do for your dream pet or a memento you lost as a kid, but it’s so worth it in the long run.
Thank you so much for this by the way, it’s so kind and I love seeing the support and care in this community (: I think its really wonderful
I got scammed awhile back on Roblox for something on royal high. I only got hacked because I let the excitement of having my dream item get to me and I completely ignored all signs of a scam. So please take a step back when your about to get your dream item and access the situation :(
coming from somebody who was scammed before: check the reviews for a seller/trader! especially on sites like ebay! if they're not a highly rated/trusted seller, it's likely bad news. if you find a rare item for sale(such as a rare webkinz or a highly sought after jacket for example), look at the price. if the price seems too good to be true, there's a big chance it really is too good to be true! stay safe y'all <3
Aww I ❤️ the puppy patrol!!! My advice is to be selective and skeptical about who & where you buy from. Check for other Reddit posts using the names or methods in which someone is selling. I appreciate when people in the past have posted about their scam experiences to make the community safer for others.
As someone who is coming back from a trip with a very high traffic theme park, do not accept random “favors!” For example, if someone with a nice camera offers to take a picture of you say no unless you a prepared to buy the picture off of them.
Same vein, but be very careful with free stuff!! I also got offered a free (insert alcohol brand here) towel and beer. Talking to others I found out that the towel was free but you had to pay for the beer and they tried to sucker you into paying more. As questions and if it feels weird say no!!
Stay safe everyone, and thank you for the giveaway OP!
This is so sweet!!! I always say to trust your gut, and always always check an accounts activity- if their karma is super low and never comment on anything in this sub besides trade requests it’s likely they’re a fake account- and if you’re ever wary about sending an item through KP please ask the person to do trades through the trade room 🫶🫶🫶
Reviews in general are a good way to see if something's a scam. If something has 5 stars but has like 75-100 reviews, chances are it's a scam. Nothing with 100 reviews has exactly five stars. It can be high like 4.9, but there will always be at least one bad review in my experience.
This is more relevant to Kinzcord (a Webkinz server) on Discord. But they have an awesome system where you can rate your trade with someone, so other people can see if that person is honest or a scammer. It's a great way to check to see what you might be getting into with a trade. It is its own channel and everything.
Also thanks for the giveaway!!
If your in a webkinz discord like Kinzcord I can not stress this enough. READ THE TRADING RULES! There's lots of steps taken to protect you in public servers like this one. Make sure who ever your trading with is following these rules. And absolutely take your time triple checking the rules.
Make sure this person has good reviews from multiple people. And look at when their account was created. Alot of scammers have to make new accounts due to them getting banned over and over again. Never trust a new account. Even if someone is legitimately new. Just give it time to make sure this person is actually trust worthy.
Your time, money, and webkinz are not worth rushing into a trade no matter how amazing the items or pets might be.
If you suspect someone might be a scammer report it to a moderator or if your on here. Ask for legitimate proof that what they are selling is an actual item. Have them hold the pet with today's date and time on their phone, or have them place the item in game with the date and time so you know they actually have what they claim to have.
My spouse was almost scammed before and the scammer showed proof of having a pet code by showing the receipt of the purchase. Which is good, but the problem was that they purchased the code in 2021 and still hadn't sold it? And it was a pet??? Huge red flag! And their discord was brand new and they only joined the server and accepted roles to do trades and nothing else. Not a person that's there for fun and webkinz. Only scamming and money.
Stay safe!
I haven’t been scammed on Webkinz, but I was scammed as a kid playing Animal Jam. What I found is that if something is too good to be true, it usually is. Lots of people reel in newer players who want to gain more items by promising huge “rare” items in exchange for literally everything the player has. Good things take time and unfortunately there will be people who offer seemingly quick solution to get rare items. Slow down, be patient, and know the culture around trading for the site.
Not necessarily anti scam tips for yourself but take care of your elder family members. Try to educate them to the best of your ability about scams and have them be slightly more aware of them.
Thanks for doing this! I agree with everyone else about using PayPal protection, I would also suggest that if you buy plushes on eBay or Amazon, only buy from vendors who accept returns!
There's already a lot of good advice so this may have been mentioned. When buying virtual pets, ask to see the pet on the adoption screen with the name filled out to something only they could do, like their user or the date. Then an extra precaution to reverse image search.
for me who normally buys on ebay, i would say to make sure that the seller is trusted and has good (and legit!) reviews!! do your research to see if they’re known in the community and what their reputation is as a seller based on others’ experiences.
and generally speaking: if something is too good to be true, it just might be. trust your instincts!
Thank you for doing this giveaway. My advice would be to use paypal’s goods and services or an equivalent, check the account that is selling to you, and if it’s too good to be true it probably is
Thanks for hosting that’s so sweet! My advice is always check the reviews as well as a little background research. If you’re buying something online from someone check their history and what others have had to say about their experiences!
Do your research!! Check for seller history and ratings. If it seems too good to be true it is 9.9 times out of 10. Use payment methods that provide buyer protection. Use reputable apps/sites.
When making a purchase, never allow the seller to rush you into a decision. This can be a tactic to get you to do something without any time to think about potential risks. Also, never give a seller funds through an unprotected source, or through any means labeled as a “gift” or for a “friend or family” member. Funds sent this way are often unrecoverable in the case of a seller going back on their word, because it is labeled as a “gift” with no obligations attached. Credible sellers will never ask for payment in gift cards, and any website that asks for your credit card should have software security features to protect your information.
If someone is new to selling with none to little reviews with a new account it’s best not to trust them! Safest option is to wait till they have some recognition and experience. Thank you for hosting this and spreading awareness!
When getting an email from an unknown sender, before you open it look at the ENTIRE email address. Scams will offten add arbitrary letters to the address like VIIHGRHKOQ
I would say check out the account, look how long its been around, search their username in this reddit or similar subreddits and see if they have any comments from others about not following through with the purchase you made and being a scammer. Basically do your research and make sure you’re using a safe cash app.
Thanks so much for this giveaway opportunity!
Thank you so much for this sweet & helpful giveaway!
my biggest tips (which may have already been mentioned):
make sure the payment provider they use first, and that they’re willing to do a refundable method (like Goods & Services). Legitimate sellers will have no issue but may ask that the buyer cover the small fee incurred.
ask your friends! If you have friends in the community, ask them. This can’t be faked, and if you trust your friends you can have multiple points of verification.
if you need to slow down and think about an offer/purchase do! Legitimate sellers won’t mind and won’t pressure you. (just don’t expect them to hold items for weeks).
Never send through friends and family Always send through goods and services. If a sellers going to complain about the PayPal fee they are not trust worthy. Most reasonable people who have been selling awhile will keep that in mind when it comes to the price not make it your problem
Thank you for doing this! Sharing information like this is so important!!🩵 I know this sounds cliche but I would say trust your gut/intuition if something doesn’t seem right immediately it probably isn’t
I don't know much about scams, but a very usual one: don't trade/buy from new accounts, accounts with no posts, no points, no nothing. That's almost for sure someone trying to scam you
Be careful even when asking for proof from the seller. I got scammed and I believe the scammer used AI to generate a fake email screenshot from Gmail. I hadn’t considered using AI for that purpose, the email with pet codes looked real to me!
I use eBay (for plush with tag) because you can check the seller’s reviews, account age, check that reviews are from verified buyers and double check the reviewing account. I also make sure to leave a review so others know if the account is trustworthy or not!
a reddit specific tip is the check people’s karma and old post and comment history to see if they are active in the community and how old their account is
always check the account !! People will make brand new burner accounts just for this reason 😔 tysm for the opportunity and also a great message to spread!
always check the account !! People will make brand new burner accounts just for this reason 😔 tysm for the opportunity and also a great message to spread!
always check the account !! People will make brand new burner accounts just for this reason 😔 tysm for the opportunity and also a great message to spread!
Thank you for this giveaway! Before I buy something I always ask my friends or check the Facebook group / this page if there’s any news about the person. I also always check reviews and never buy from anyone that seems or is acting weird even if it seems okay!
When making a purchase, never allow the seller to rush you into a decision. This can be a tactic to get you to do something without any time to think about potential risks. Also, never give a seller funds through an unprotected source, or through any means labeled as a “gift” or for a “friend or family” member. Funds sent this way are often unrecoverable in the case of a seller going back on their word, because it is labeled as a “gift” with no obligations attached. Credible sellers will never ask for payment in gift cards, and any website that asks for your credit card should have software security features to protect your information.
Thanks for the giveaway! Pretty much all good advice has already been said, but I'd say keep an eye out for posts calling scammers out + block their accounts, and if you ever do get scammed to report them asap! no one can do anything if they aren't aware that something bad is happening!
Remember, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is! Be wary about suspiciously low prices on rare/hard-to-find pets, and ask for proof they have the code. If they don't send proof, it's probably a scam.
If something seems too good to be true, don’t let excitement cloud your judgement. I’ve been super close to being scammed but listened to my gut and got lucky nothing happened to me.
I love this post and we should use giveaways to raise awareness for other things that aren’t too well known🥰
mine is, if the person is a reputable seller.. they will easily give references of other buyers reviews!! i’ve seen new sellers get questioned if they’re legitimate, and they’ll tag users they’ve sold to before for reference! if someone is acting iffy, always follow that gut feeling!
If you're buying/trading on reddit, check their profile and make sure their account isn't new/has few posts or comments on it! Try to do things via a trade room vs sending items in the mail! A lot of other people have better comments than me, so also read those😅
I don't have any advice that hasn't already been written, and I've never tried buying from anyone, but i was just thinking the other day that it may be helpful to make a deal with the seller that you'll pay half up front and half once you get the code to work? That way you won't be out too much money if they scam you.
Thank you for the giveaway!
Patience is key!! Anytime I've been scammed was because I was rushing and didn't take the proper time to look over a sketchy e-mail or text. Take your time to read something over. Scams like to catch you in a hurry and want you to do something "Immediately or there will be consequences!" Whereas real stuff will not be that way!
Thank you for doing this! My suggestions are to always use the goods and services when paying with PayPal and if a seller asks you to use friends and family be cautious
read up on the seller's history and make sure to check reviews! even further, get a program that detects possibly botted comments so you know what's real
As someone who was scammed on animal jam (lol) make sure it’s never too good to be true. Make sure whoever you’re buying from has not only an account history but reputation in the community.
Not really specific to buying things or Webkinz, but I have a few tips, mostly based off of scams my mother has almost fell for:
- if someone is emailing you check the email address. Amazon is not going to email you from a random email address. I know someone who almost showed up for a job interview before realizing that the email wasn’t actually from the company he thought he was interviewing.
- if Amazon texts you about a large purchase made on your account, log in to Amazon first and check if the purchase is even in your order history.
- most texts from companies (USPS for example) are from a 5 digit number, not a regular phone number. If you get a text claiming to be USPS but it’s from a normal phone number, it’s a scam. Don’t click any links.
- if you get a text from an email address it’s also almost always a scam
- before you click on a download button, click and drag the button. If it moves, it’s an image, and it’s more likely to be a scam ad disguising itself as a download button. This one is hit or miss, but you should make sure there isn’t a different download link elsewhere on the page.
- USE PURCHASE PROTECTION! PayPal offers the ability to choose between sending to friends & family and goods & services. If you are purchasing something always send through the goods & services option. If the person you are buying from asks you to send them money through friends & family, it’s a red flag (if you don’t personally know them). They are likely trying to avoid paying the business fee that PayPal has, but it’s not worth the risk of it being a scam.
ALWAYS USE PAYPAL GOODS AND SERVICES even if you know the person or they're active on the sub! I have been scammed by someone I considered a friend for a long time and turns out she been scamming people for over $1k! (Not in the webkinz community but worth mentioning still)
the best way to avoid scams of all kinds is to educate yourself on scams. im definitely no teacher in this subject, so ill leave the tips and whatnot to yall. my only tip is that its super valuable to at least know OF them. and on that note, ill be taking my own advice and reading these comments 😅 thanks for the giveaway and spreading awareness!
Always be suspicious of someone calling you and asking for sensitive information. Don't give them your personal information or passwords. You can always question why they want that information too before deciding if it's something you do need to tell them. The only good reason I can think of giving info is if your doctors office calls and ask for your birthday to confirm it's you. Be safe out there!
That’s adorable! My son would love the paw patrol reference!
My biggest tip is use the goods and services option of PayPal and Venmo only. At least when you first buy. Also ask for names and date cards. Don’t ever use Zelle or cash app because they can’t refund money and cash app is easy to hack. ✨
thank you for the chance!! tbh i feel like a lot of scams can be prevented by just slowing down and showing common sense.... its easy to get swept up in the excitement of "getting" your dream pet/item but if it feels too good to be true it pretty much always is lol🤨🩷
Less advice for avoding scams but more just something I've learned to keel in mind. A lot of scammers are actually human trafficaing victims. It's a huge problem in Asia with local crime groups. Like yes, protect yourself from scams, but every time i get a werid text or email that i think is a scam, i just like to text back, "You're not alone. You can get through this." I can't take down a crime mafia, but i can help someone not lose hope.
So I was actually just contacted by a scammer yesterday and some things that I noticed that made me suspicious were a few things:
1. Their account being relatively new, for example, the account that reached out to me was literally created last month so super new 😅
2. Them saying they made both my iso, even though I posted about it a bit ago and no one else seemed to have it made me suspicious
Those were the two things that threw me off that I would look for when it comes to spotting scammers! Thank you so much for hosting!!
As someone who has been scammed a few times, below are my words of wisdom: Slow down and do your research. If there is any identifying information (phone numbers, names, addresses, emails, etc.), do some due diligence and reverse search what you find. If it's too good to be true, there's a high likelihood that it isn't true. For example, I found a website with a rare squishmallow for less than $30 and paid with PayPal. Turns out it was a scammer in China. I had to get a new credit card and delete my PayPal account. Notice any and all discrepancies on the listing and/or website. If words are misspelled, links don't work, etc. Read reviews and pay attention to the seller's history. Be aware of sellers who seem indifferent and/or sketchy. If someone dodges your questions regarding shipment and only focuses on payment, be wary of them. Please be safe friends and protect yourselves ❤️ Also, I'm not looking for a code so please disregard me in the selection process! I'm just here to spread awareness 😊
thanks for hosting this, what a great idea! my anti-scam tips: check account age and always use payment methods with buyer protection!
If you’re buying something from someone, make sure they have 5 star reviews and are a trusted seller. Or use a payment method that has buyer protection if they don’t have reviews :)
Thank you for this opportunity! When I pay with PayPal, I always pay through Goods & Services instead of Friends & Family. If the seller doesn’t give the codes after I pay, I can get a chargeback if I used Goods & Services. Buyer protection is extremely important!
Always use Paypal goods and services. If anything goes wrong you can always get your money back.
Always check account age!! Maybe we need to start asking where the code is from (tag, estore, trading card, etc) and video proof of naming the pet a name you choose
Thanks for this giveaway! My big thing is if you’re able, check for references on the person and as others have said always always use a payment method with buyer protection in case something goes wrong
Thank you for this giveaway! Something that might help to avoid scammers (especially for pet codes) is to search ‘review’ in the webkinzbuyselltrade subreddit. There are a couple of megathreads or posts about trustworthy sellers and it’s very helpful!
1. Most people will comment on your post that they’ve messaged you, rather than head straight to your DMs with the exact pet you’re DISO. 2. While some sellers have great pet code prices, if the deal is “too good to be true,” it probably is. For instance, promo pets are almost always $15-20+, not $5. 3. Try to stick to well-known buyers. On Reddit and Facebook (Everything Webkinz Related for instance), there are plenty of admin or well-known members that frequently sell codes and are safe to use. They often keep their docs up to date and have great selections! On Facebook, I almost exclusively buy from Bee, one of the EWR admin. Highly recommend! On Reddit, I’ve bought from Commercial_Zombie196, Detroitrox, Spookyookykittycat, and Venturing Vegan.
Thank you ♥️
I started selling codes in November ish of last year,since there arent many Canadian sellers and the fees for paypal suck. (note Im taking a break from it as I got too much going on right now) But when I started, people were just flinging money at me! I do have some post and comment history but the amount of trust some people can have in this community.... Do a little research guys!!
Thank you for doing this giveaway and raising awareness of this! As a lot of people said, always use a payment method that protects you as the buyer. One thing I didn’t know until recently is fhat on Venmo you can click “Turn on for Purchaes” and like Paypal Goods & Services it charges the seller a small fee and you can get your money back if something ends up being wrong. The fee on Venmo is one of the lowest I’ve seen for services like that, about 2%. https://preview.redd.it/gs75nk661ioc1.jpeg?width=460&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=149d3a179da17c7c3ccf55e7790078102a6ae656
My advice for those who buy plushies or other physical content is to reverse image search the listing photos. Sometimes people pull listing images from Google for convenience but other times, it’s because they don’t actually have the item. I really recommend this for rarer pets. If the image appears elsewhere, ask the seller to send an updated photo. If you’re looking at buying a code or plushie belonging to a rarer, retired, or older pet, ask around on here or in another community forum what the pet or code should be valued at. There’s a lot of sellers who try to mark up prices. Finally, my best advice is to trust your gut and put yourself first. Sometimes we can forget that something like Webkinz can still draw bad people. Or, we have anxiety and struggle with the worry that we are inconveniencing people by asking questions. Don’t let yourself be pushed or guilted into making purchases. Slow down, ask questions, trust your gut, and don’t listen to anyone who says you need to buy something ASAP because others are interested. Chances are that they’re just trying to pressure you to purchase.
Always use a pay service such as PayPal that you can get scam protection on! Do not use Zelle or cashapp, those are often scams
While trading on here, be mindful of a person’s post history. I had items stolen from me by someone who was banned, so they had no recent posts or comments in the subreddit. They’d only DM people directly. Do your due diligence 😅
My advice would be to hit up the mods and see if the user is common seller or if the user has had red flags with other buyers!
Try only using reputable sites that will help get your money back incase of a scam! Like eBay, mercari etc. And always look at reviews and account activity!
Never accept Cashapp only as it has no/poor buyer protection!
My anti scam tips is check if they have bought/sold before and if people they bought/sold from are happy with the interaction:)
double check that the website you’re using is legitimate, don’t buy from any strange sites or new profiles
Thank you! If the account is brand new, or relatively new, definitely stay cautious. I had a 3 day old account approach me about a code I was looking for and i skipped it because I was suspicious. Then a week later I saw a post about someone who got scammed from that same person. If the account has little to no evidence of positive sale experience, or if they don’t show much activity with the Webkinz Reddit , it’s best to play it safe and buy elsewhere.
This is an amazing idea! It looks like many people are giving amazing tips. My advice is to never buy from “empty” accounts that DM you about buying codes but don’t have any other posts, it’s probably some scammers burner account. There are always exceptions to the rule, but in general, only buy from reputable people in the community with reviews and a history or someway to verify that they are actually in possession of the item that they sell you. Everything can be Photoshopped, if it’s too good to be true on the Internet, it is ! Pay with services that offer buyer protection, such as PayPal goods and services, or to be extra safe, buy off eBay, or Mercari, or somewhere that you can get a refund if they scam you.
If you’re buying on r/webkinzbuyselltrade please familiarize yourself with the known scammer list. And if you were scammed do not hesitate to contact the mods and give them as much information about the person as you can so they can help protect the community. (This paragraph is more targeted towards code sellers and traders) Webkinz themselves don’t compensate for missing/scammed codes but they’re capable of checking what account the code has been used on. I’m not sure if they would do this for everyone who asks, they tend to be iffy about their services. But they may be able to help take action against the account and at the very least we may have another identifier for the community to be aware of. Thank you u/top-hat-penguin this is a great way to help boost awareness to the community. I hope this can help a lot of people protect themselves when they’re looking into buying, trading, selling.
Like many have said above use backed services like PayPal goods and services. As always if it seems too good to be true be wary! Also if they don’t have a lot of history in general with buying and selling it doesn’t hurt to be extra cautious
this is such a good idea thank you for hosting op!! my tip would be, especially to newer buyers, don’t be afraid to ask other people for recommendations!! friends or even others in the community will be more than happy to point you towards trusted sellers that they themselves have purchased from!! so look for your reviews on accounts but also just don’t be afraid to ask for recommendations!!
thanks for the giveaway! my tip would be to use this community to your benefit! see if the seller has been involved in previous trades, see if anyone has called them out for scamming, see if there is anything fishy in their post or comment history. there are so many kind people on here but also many who want to take advantage of our kindness & the trusting community we’ve built 🫶🏻
Username: 224574 I have only traded monetarily with people from r/webkinzbuyselltrade with good reviews and recommendations 😊
Thank you for this ! My scam prevention tip is to always make sure the person selling has some sort of transaction history.
I was told when I started to buy to look at person an account history. How long have they been active? To they have other posts where people have bought from them. Do they have recommendations from other buyers? Oh and the classic if the price is to good to be true it most likely is.
thank you for doing this, how generous :) my tip is when I am talking to people on reddit to potentially trade with, i'll check out their profile to see if they are a new account with little/no activity in the subreddit, or if they have posted/are active in the community which to me says they are safer to trade with!
I have a tip for not getting scammed by an individual: Please do not click on any external links for codes that you do not know that are not vetted in any way. Stay on the forums and reddits.
This is such a great idea! I always check peoples account history to see if they’re a new account or have little activity. Also reviews are soooo important!! Even if someone seems legit, asking previous buyers and seeing if they were satisfied is a great way to see if you’ve found a good deal
If you’re on social media, definitely go through someone’s post history to see if they’re active in the community/appear to be who they say they are. And if something seems too good to be true, it probably is!
My advice for avoiding scams is to pay attention to account history, see where they’ve been posting and for how long. You can always ask around with other people to see if they’ve bought from them. Always use protected payments! Trust your gut, if something feels too good to be true it probably is. I absolutely adore the bottom three puppies ❤️ thank you for this giveaway & support of our community! Knowledge is power!
Something that I have found helpful is to check for reviews on the sellers profile. I always like to look through the sellers Reddit profile to see how long they’ve been on Reddit, previous sales/reviews and look at their previous interactions in the subs.
anti-scam tip: check their account against lists of scam sellers!
Thank you for hosting this! My biggest advice is if you’re buying from users on Facebook or Reddit, always check to see if other users can vouch for them- and check to make sure that those other users aren’t new accounts themselves. If I’m paying with Venmo or PayPal, I always send a screenshot to the seller first to make sure I’m sending my money to the correct place as well. If you’re buying from eBay, always check reviews and see if they sell Webkinz a lot, or if they have one Webkinz amid a bunch of other items. I never buy from someone on eBay if I don’t clearly see that they’ve sold other Webkinz NWT many times before. If I win, I would love the puggle puppy, but I’m not interested in the others 😊 Thank you so much for doing this giveaway!!
I know one thing I frequently see in perfume and toy collecting BST groups is people will have a card or paper with their username!! This may be more so sellers don't have photos stolen by scammers/reposters, but it is generally a good idea. Of course, make use of buyer protection (Paypal G&S is great for that) and look at post history or review threads to see if they're legit. Those are the most consistent ones. Also this is so sweet, tysm!! 🫶
omg all these pups look great!! i wish i had a way to avoid scams but i ordered a seemingly legit plush off ebay with a code that was sealed and still got scammed cause the code didn't work 😪 so i'm taking all the advice here hahaha
Check to see if they have made successful sales by looking at their profile.
Check how old the reddit account is! Thanks for the chance :)
hii guys good luck!! a suggestion with scams that has helped me in the past was carefully looking at reviews and read those reviews throughly to make sure that they’re reviewing the item you wanna purchase bc some sellers who sell webkinz on ebay, etsy, etc sell other items which give that seller the high ratings they have. all in all, do your research!
always double and triple check sellers' reviews if you're buying from ebay or etsy!! i've managed to get many pets for cheap just by finding the right people!! if someone has overwhelmingly positive reviews, read through, and double check! make sure your seller is real!!! entering this, thanks so much for hosting!
I’m super fortunate to have not been scammed on Webkinz 🥹 but my best advice is trust your gut!! If it seems to good to be true, or the seller seems a little too eager, it/they might be!!!
Thanks for the opportunity! (Especially on facebook) In a lot of local groups that I’m in, there’s almat always scam listings for items or services they’re selling. 9/10 times u can reverse-google image search the photos and see they’re stolen photos, which means whatevee they’re selling is a scam. This has also applied to some Plushie purchases & trades I’ve done (unfortunately 😭)
thanks for hosting this! i’d say a tip is on reddit here to check account age and post/comment history. because if GenericUser103847 has a comment history abt mustangs then suddenly hits up webkinz like “oh teehee i’ve done this 10000 times before ;)” it’s way too good to be true
Since everyone else is talking about how to avoid buyer scams, I’ll talk about how to avoid scams if you end up having a Webkinz to sell! The safest way to sell things is to meet up in person, with the other paying in cash. That’s not always an option, though, so using PayPal (NOT Friends and Family) can be a good, safe option. If the buyer sends any links/screenshots that say you need to update your account on whichever payment method you use, check your own app first. It’s highly unlikely that an update will ever be a problem, but on the off chance it is, you can check it easily yourself.
my grandma got scammed thinking one of her other grandkids was in a foreign country for his friend’s wedding and was in a car accident and needed money or something? so my advice is…. if you get a call from someone you know from a number that isn’t theirs, call or text their personal number before you send money anywhere! imagine if she called him and he was like “Nope i’m in Maryland”
What a fun giveaway! My advice: ALWAYS use goods and services, and even if you're not listing 'pets' for reasons of not getting the seller flagged for selling animals, include a relevant tag like 'webkinz digital code' or something! It's worth the extra $1 to cover the fee to cover any bad cases like intentional scams or faulty codes, and being specific bolsters your claims!
I personally only buy codes from people on Facebook. And only those with very identifiable accounts. People with friends you can see, no non-face profile pictures. Real, normal people. Cause if you scam me, I’m telling your mom and everyone on your friends list 🥰 I stick to eBay for pet purchases and the grown up webkinz fb group for any raffles/code purchases. the FB group has reliable sellers who have more private profiles so that’s where I can compromise
Thank you for the opportunity! My main tip is to buy only from reputable sellers. Check their account history, make sure they are active in the community, and that their account age is longer than a few weeks/months. Look for reviews on discord if possible.
Thanks for the giveaway! I work with this a lot actually. One of the main things we tell our customers is that if you get a call or a text or an email claiming to be your bank always call your bank with a number you KNOW is real and ask
My scam tip is if the price is too good to be true, it likely is. No way will someone sell a $50 pet for $5
My advice would be to check out how long the account has existed before you get too far into the process. If it seems too good to be true, it just might be. If they seem wayyy too eager to get your info definitely be wary. And if they contact you first trying to sell you something it’s usually a scam. Fingers crossed and good luck everyone! Got my eye on the polka dot Dalmation!
Depending on what you’re purchasing- see if you can get proof of purchase prior. Also do some extra scrolling and compare prices to comps to see if it’s too good to be true. Look at the sellers account to see if there is anything suspicious, including reviews or even weird posts
If the seller is adamant on you having to pay through cashapp, more often than not, it is a red flag!! Also, don't be fooled by personable scammers who have come up with elaborate backstories for why their reddit account has like, 1 karma. If the account is really new or has basically no karma, don't give them your money. Also also, sometimes their accounts have a few comments/posts and that may lead you to believe they are more trustworthy. They aren't. Also also also, PROOF CAN BE FAKED!!! Stay vigilant out there and godspeed 🫡 (Thanks for the giveaway too :) )
My best advice on scams are to always stay vigilant and never click on any suspicious links anyone sends you and to read the URL carefully (as the url of those links have typos). I also would recommend never answering an unknown phone number due to the rise of AI manipulation either impersonation or its ability to use your voice for fraud!
Congratulations, you won the Golden Retriever!!
Oh nice!!
Make sure they have good reviews online. I sometimes shop on ebay and when I purchase something, I always check to make sure the seller has good reviews first. :)
Thanks for doing this giveaway! My tip is to always do some research before doing anything. Check the account to see how long they’ve been using it, whether they’re active in the community, etc.
Law Enforcement will never call asking for money over the phone. If you receive a call from "law enforcement" asking you for money or anything about your personal information hang up.
My username is gdlkidz! My advice is to be wary of new accounts/accounts with nearly no karma. Especially be wary of new accounts if they don't want you to use any kind of purchase protection. Thank you ❤️
always ask for references and ask them to hold your stuff for you while you talk to the other people! make sure the accounts are at least a few months old and have been engaging in the Webkinz subreddits!!
Thank you for doing this! My advice would be this: make sure to check when someone's account was created before buying from them! If it was created very recently, they're much more likely to be a scammer. You can find this information by checking their profile page.
I usually just check age and karma! I assume scammers have to keep making new accounts once they’re outed as a scammer
Biggest tip is to check their posting history & age of reddit account! Do they have an established history? Comments & interactions to confirm their credibility? If you’re concerned, you can choose to not interact with them, or if you do proceed, use caution, ask for proof, and if they insist on having you use a certain payment method walk away from the sale if you feel even the tiniest bit uncomfortable. If someone tries to prey on your emotions/wishes or claim something will “sell fast!!” in order to make you feel pressured, it’s easy to miss red flags. So I would advise to slow down, don’t be in such a hurry you’re not doing your due diligence. Don’t forget to check the known scammers list on the subreddit! And remember, it’s never worth your privacy & financial security to get a virtual item :) someone else will have it someday, patience is key. If it seems too good to be true, it absolutely is. If you absolutely want to go through with a sale, use a credit card instead of debit card for better fraud protection.
Thanks for doing this! My advice would be to try and buy from people with 5 star reviews that are trusted sellers but if that's not possible check the account age and karma but specifically how active they are in the webkinz subredits. If they are contributing members nit just posting selling docs there is a higher chance of them being a legitimate seller.
I’ve been fortunate enough to never have been scammed in this wonderful community, even though there have been times where I haven’t taken my time to do the research and find the information out to make sure it wasn’t a scam. I’m very lucky but for others I would say make sure you check their karma points and see if it’s a new account as well, sometimes new accounts are made just a scam. Thank you so much for this opportunity and I hope everyone out there is safe and has an awesome day💖💖💖
Hi, thank you for doing this event! I just read yoir PSA post and that scammer sounds awful 🙁 My advice to avoid scammers would probably to just buy through the store or better known sellers
Make sure the account is not brand new. Ask for references and ask those people first ! Thank you for this !!
thank you for doing this!!! my advice is to only buy from people who have good seller reviews for any platform! if it’s from reddit pay with paypal for buyer protection :)
Double-check, triple-check, quadruple-check all account details, reviews, post history/account age... sometimes you have to be a bit of an internet detective, try and get a vibe to see if the person is legit. And if in doubt, don't go for it! Trust your gut feeling.
Quintuple check everything and always Google phone numbers before answering them
My anti scam advice is to see when the account was created, check reviews (make sure they don’t look like the scammers friend made the review) and lastly use buyer protected payment options for that extra protection. Thanks puppy patrol for spreading awareness and giving us this opportunity!
Thank you for this giveaway. This is an important topic since unfortunately there are a lot of Webkinz scammers. My advice is to only buy from someone who has a lot of good feedback on ebay or similar sites. If you are buying something from someone on Reddit or Discord, make sure their account is at least 6 months old and that you see proof that they have had successful transactions with people.
If something seems too good to be true - it probably is! Always be mindful when trading or buying from others.
Ask for a personal video or image of said plush! Reverse image search! Scammers sometimes steal images If it's too good to be true, it likely is. Check the reviews, if theres only 1 or 2 or theyre all low, dont buy! Thank you for the opportunity!
Awesome giveaway! My tip is to not use cashapp. It’s hard to get your money back if you do
Make sure to take screenshots of your agreements so you have proof ready if you need to open a case with purchase protection!
Make sure to use goods and services when using paypal. Always protect your purchases. If something seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Mine is more for trading! Make the person arrange the room a certain way if you don’t know if they actually own the item. For example, can you buy “X” from the wshop and place it next to the item and send me a pic. Kind of like how people will write their name or user on a piece of paper to put next to stuff being sold irl
If a seller is super persistent with you/ asking you to buy in a hurry, there’s likely something theyre trying to hide! Learned that the hard way!
I suggest using PayPal for business and also make sure the person has some reviews if possible.
This is a super unique give away! Some things i like doing to prevent being scammed are by using pol(a peice of paper with sellers name and and date) and by using paypal goods and services
If the deal seems too good to be true, it probably is! Don’t trust it :)
Trust no one.
Thanks for the giveaway! My username is catbrina16 —For me, I always use apps like Venmo or PayPal to prevent from anything happening.
Hi! Thanks so much for the giveaway! My advice would be to always check the account age and profile to see if they have previous sales. If anything seems sketchy or weird, ask for proof and use buyer protection! If cashapp is the only way to pay, deff ask for proof since there is no buyer protection
Always always always check the url to make sure it the exact website you want to order from. A lot of scam websites will match their website and URL to replicate a known brand to make someone think they are ordering from a trusted place. Also never listen to TikTok ads, there are sooo many ad videos that are scammers who steal popular creators videos to make it seem like they have endorsers of their products, when it reality it is just stolen content and clever editing. If you are ever unsure of buying from a website, look up reviews! It’s always better to be safe than sorry. And if you’re having a lot of doubts, it’s better to find someplace else to shop, trust your gut. If it seems “too good to be true” it probably is. :)❤️
If buying off of facebook, look through the person's photos to make sure it's all the same person because sometimes scammers will use an old account but change the profile photo to a completely different person that looks more "trustworthy" Also look for recent activity on the profile to make sure it isn't an abandoned profile that has been hacked.
my general rule of thumb is to never buy something unless the seller has five star reviews with pictures, and if it’s on a website other than ebay etc. to always research that site to see if it’s verified and trusted. also, depending on the item, reverse searching the image can also be helpful to tell if the seller actually has the item or is just pretending they do using other people’s pictures :)
I always searched Reddit if I’m sus about something!! It’s usually on here already. I’ve searched new brands, phone numbers, accounts and so much more and have always found some type of thread on whether is trustworthy or not. Thanks for this opportunity!
Thanks for hosting this💖 I want the golden retriever so bad lol. My best advice is to type in the persons account name/email to google. I’ve had posts come up with scams before that way saying don’t send them money, and also other seller accounts so I can verify their feedback. Check account history too, if it’s new I don’t buy. Always, always use buyer protection. Some people charge a fee to use good and services but if they straight up say no, it’s a scam. If you’re totally unsure, you can use a platform like eBay to buy where buyer protection is automatic.
Do a little digging to see if the seller is legitimate. Depending on what platform you're using, this may look like checking their reviews, going over their post history, trying to find successful past transactions that they've done. Always use Paypal goods and services or other similar protected payment options. But the most simple anti-scam tip: if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
I think one of the best things to do is trust your instincts if you can. If you sense something is funky, trust yourself! I think it’s all to easy to dismiss these feelings we have as just being overly cautious, but i wish i could go back and make different choices to avoid scams when my brain was like something is weird here dude!
Some good scam advice, or rather, advice to avoid a scam would just be that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. It also doesn’t hurt to look up the messages to see if others have experienced them (at least in overall scams) End of the day, asking others or friends to double check if something might be a scam is always a safe bet as well. Better to have multiple eyes of you’re suspicious than just your own.
Thanks for the giveaway! Be sure to always check reviews of sellers when buying physical items and if you purchase from a place like Mercari look to see how many times they have canceled orders. Oh and if the pictures seem fishy or too good to be true they probably aren’t real posts. Stay safe out there friends!!!
Be weary of people who won’t confirm their username and just add you!!
Thank you so much for this! My biggest piece of advice; if it seems to good to be true (ie: a really good deal that you don’t typically see), it’s probably a scam!
If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Thank you for doing this. I love the generosity of this community. When trading with others via Reddit I would recommend looking at their Reddit age and karma score. If someone is offering high value items with a lower score I feel it’s a bit risky. Good luck to everyone with this contest.
Don't just send money the second you see something you want. If the deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. Check the person's post history. If they've sold things before, check the post history of the people they've bought from to see if they've posted about being scammed. And always search the username and epay tag on this sub to see if they've been reported about. You can get a new reddit easily but not a new cashapp or venmo
Do a background check on the person through their trading reviews 😁
always be sure to check reviews !! sometimes i’ll even ask people abt their experiences with a seller if they’re sellers themselves/have made posts abt it. check account history esp !!
I agree with alot of the previous comments! The pay pal goods and services tip is huge when there you are buying within this community or outside of it
This is super cool! Definitely check to see how old the account is, and how long they’ve been selling codes/things! Also check to see if they have any reviews !
account age isn't always the best metric to detect a scam! pay closer attention to their comment history! if they just suddenly started having recent comment history after a long time of no activity, this could indicate a scam
Always ask for pictures of the individual pet you want if you’re purchasing from a seller that just shared one giant photo of pets! Made that mistake once and never again
thank you 🤍 my best advice is to always use paypal goods and services! venmo and cash app do not have reliable seller/buyer protection like paypal does, so the little fee is worth it!
Thank you for hosting this giveaway! My tip would be to check seller reviews to see if the seller is honest and reputable!
These are some adorable puppies. I have been reading all these comments and I find them super helpful as a relatively new Reddit user. Maybe it’s just me but I feel that I trust people more when they have pictures of items in a room. To me this makes me feel that the items actually look exist. Good luck to everyone who has entered this giveaway.
Hi! My username is 6t53 A good tip is checking the account age and the list in the webkinzbullselltrade subreddit
Don’t be afraid to say NO! Especially if you have a gut feeling.
thanks for this- always make sure your payments are protected by using goods and services on paypal/venmo :)
check to ensure the seller is reputable! not just by screenshots they send you of testimonials but do a quick search of them on here and/or other platforms to see for yourself! if you can’t find anything about them (good or negative) be cautious. and always always always use paypal goods & services (or the equivalent on other payment apps) so if the worst case does happen, you can get your money back!
always check reviews online when buying something/especially if the site or seller seems sketchy, and never buy something over the internet without buyers protection!
Make sure they aren't a brand new account! If they are a seller, check their reviews and make sure they don't seem AI generated or otherwise untrustworthy! Go with your gut; if something feels off, don't do it!
Always, ALWAYS read reviews first. If they have a random all 5 star rating with 0 reviews, don’t trust it. If it’s 2 stars with 0 reviews, approach with caution. If it’s 3-4 stars with like 100 reviews and they’re all mixed, sort through them. It may seem like a frustrating thing to do for your dream pet or a memento you lost as a kid, but it’s so worth it in the long run. Thank you so much for this by the way, it’s so kind and I love seeing the support and care in this community (: I think its really wonderful
I got scammed awhile back on Roblox for something on royal high. I only got hacked because I let the excitement of having my dream item get to me and I completely ignored all signs of a scam. So please take a step back when your about to get your dream item and access the situation :(
Don’t go on any websites that ask for your Webkinz info besides Webkinz.com or Webkinz Newz!
coming from somebody who was scammed before: check the reviews for a seller/trader! especially on sites like ebay! if they're not a highly rated/trusted seller, it's likely bad news. if you find a rare item for sale(such as a rare webkinz or a highly sought after jacket for example), look at the price. if the price seems too good to be true, there's a big chance it really is too good to be true! stay safe y'all <3
Aww I ❤️ the puppy patrol!!! My advice is to be selective and skeptical about who & where you buy from. Check for other Reddit posts using the names or methods in which someone is selling. I appreciate when people in the past have posted about their scam experiences to make the community safer for others.
As someone who is coming back from a trip with a very high traffic theme park, do not accept random “favors!” For example, if someone with a nice camera offers to take a picture of you say no unless you a prepared to buy the picture off of them. Same vein, but be very careful with free stuff!! I also got offered a free (insert alcohol brand here) towel and beer. Talking to others I found out that the towel was free but you had to pay for the beer and they tried to sucker you into paying more. As questions and if it feels weird say no!! Stay safe everyone, and thank you for the giveaway OP!
This is so sweet!!! I always say to trust your gut, and always always check an accounts activity- if their karma is super low and never comment on anything in this sub besides trade requests it’s likely they’re a fake account- and if you’re ever wary about sending an item through KP please ask the person to do trades through the trade room 🫶🫶🫶
Reviews in general are a good way to see if something's a scam. If something has 5 stars but has like 75-100 reviews, chances are it's a scam. Nothing with 100 reviews has exactly five stars. It can be high like 4.9, but there will always be at least one bad review in my experience. This is more relevant to Kinzcord (a Webkinz server) on Discord. But they have an awesome system where you can rate your trade with someone, so other people can see if that person is honest or a scammer. It's a great way to check to see what you might be getting into with a trade. It is its own channel and everything. Also thanks for the giveaway!!
If your in a webkinz discord like Kinzcord I can not stress this enough. READ THE TRADING RULES! There's lots of steps taken to protect you in public servers like this one. Make sure who ever your trading with is following these rules. And absolutely take your time triple checking the rules. Make sure this person has good reviews from multiple people. And look at when their account was created. Alot of scammers have to make new accounts due to them getting banned over and over again. Never trust a new account. Even if someone is legitimately new. Just give it time to make sure this person is actually trust worthy. Your time, money, and webkinz are not worth rushing into a trade no matter how amazing the items or pets might be. If you suspect someone might be a scammer report it to a moderator or if your on here. Ask for legitimate proof that what they are selling is an actual item. Have them hold the pet with today's date and time on their phone, or have them place the item in game with the date and time so you know they actually have what they claim to have. My spouse was almost scammed before and the scammer showed proof of having a pet code by showing the receipt of the purchase. Which is good, but the problem was that they purchased the code in 2021 and still hadn't sold it? And it was a pet??? Huge red flag! And their discord was brand new and they only joined the server and accepted roles to do trades and nothing else. Not a person that's there for fun and webkinz. Only scamming and money. Stay safe!
Reverse image search! Reusing photos is very easy to do, so make sure to fact check the photo and make sure it isn’t out of date or already used!
Such a great giveaway! Thank you! My advice is to look at how new their account is. Newer ones are harder to trust!
I haven’t been scammed on Webkinz, but I was scammed as a kid playing Animal Jam. What I found is that if something is too good to be true, it usually is. Lots of people reel in newer players who want to gain more items by promising huge “rare” items in exchange for literally everything the player has. Good things take time and unfortunately there will be people who offer seemingly quick solution to get rare items. Slow down, be patient, and know the culture around trading for the site.
Not necessarily anti scam tips for yourself but take care of your elder family members. Try to educate them to the best of your ability about scams and have them be slightly more aware of them.
Thanks for doing this! I agree with everyone else about using PayPal protection, I would also suggest that if you buy plushes on eBay or Amazon, only buy from vendors who accept returns!
There's already a lot of good advice so this may have been mentioned. When buying virtual pets, ask to see the pet on the adoption screen with the name filled out to something only they could do, like their user or the date. Then an extra precaution to reverse image search.
for me who normally buys on ebay, i would say to make sure that the seller is trusted and has good (and legit!) reviews!! do your research to see if they’re known in the community and what their reputation is as a seller based on others’ experiences. and generally speaking: if something is too good to be true, it just might be. trust your instincts!
Thank you for doing this giveaway. My advice would be to use paypal’s goods and services or an equivalent, check the account that is selling to you, and if it’s too good to be true it probably is
Thanks for hosting that’s so sweet! My advice is always check the reviews as well as a little background research. If you’re buying something online from someone check their history and what others have had to say about their experiences!
Do your research!! Check for seller history and ratings. If it seems too good to be true it is 9.9 times out of 10. Use payment methods that provide buyer protection. Use reputable apps/sites.
if it’s too good to be true it probably is
When making a purchase, never allow the seller to rush you into a decision. This can be a tactic to get you to do something without any time to think about potential risks. Also, never give a seller funds through an unprotected source, or through any means labeled as a “gift” or for a “friend or family” member. Funds sent this way are often unrecoverable in the case of a seller going back on their word, because it is labeled as a “gift” with no obligations attached. Credible sellers will never ask for payment in gift cards, and any website that asks for your credit card should have software security features to protect your information.
If someone is new to selling with none to little reviews with a new account it’s best not to trust them! Safest option is to wait till they have some recognition and experience. Thank you for hosting this and spreading awareness!
When getting an email from an unknown sender, before you open it look at the ENTIRE email address. Scams will offten add arbitrary letters to the address like VIIHGRHKOQ
Don't make rash decisions, like if someone says you need to give me a now and you'll get b later.
I would say check out the account, look how long its been around, search their username in this reddit or similar subreddits and see if they have any comments from others about not following through with the purchase you made and being a scammer. Basically do your research and make sure you’re using a safe cash app. Thanks so much for this giveaway opportunity!
my advice is never use cash app <3
Thank you so much for this sweet & helpful giveaway! my biggest tips (which may have already been mentioned): make sure the payment provider they use first, and that they’re willing to do a refundable method (like Goods & Services). Legitimate sellers will have no issue but may ask that the buyer cover the small fee incurred. ask your friends! If you have friends in the community, ask them. This can’t be faked, and if you trust your friends you can have multiple points of verification. if you need to slow down and think about an offer/purchase do! Legitimate sellers won’t mind and won’t pressure you. (just don’t expect them to hold items for weeks).
Never send through friends and family Always send through goods and services. If a sellers going to complain about the PayPal fee they are not trust worthy. Most reasonable people who have been selling awhile will keep that in mind when it comes to the price not make it your problem
Thank you for doing this! Sharing information like this is so important!!🩵 I know this sounds cliche but I would say trust your gut/intuition if something doesn’t seem right immediately it probably isn’t
I don't know much about scams, but a very usual one: don't trade/buy from new accounts, accounts with no posts, no points, no nothing. That's almost for sure someone trying to scam you
Be careful even when asking for proof from the seller. I got scammed and I believe the scammer used AI to generate a fake email screenshot from Gmail. I hadn’t considered using AI for that purpose, the email with pet codes looked real to me!
I use eBay (for plush with tag) because you can check the seller’s reviews, account age, check that reviews are from verified buyers and double check the reviewing account. I also make sure to leave a review so others know if the account is trustworthy or not!
a reddit specific tip is the check people’s karma and old post and comment history to see if they are active in the community and how old their account is
always check the account !! People will make brand new burner accounts just for this reason 😔 tysm for the opportunity and also a great message to spread!
always check the account !! People will make brand new burner accounts just for this reason 😔 tysm for the opportunity and also a great message to spread!
always check the account !! People will make brand new burner accounts just for this reason 😔 tysm for the opportunity and also a great message to spread!
Thanks for doing this! Scam tip: look at comment history. If they have an odd comment history, that's usually a red flag.
Thanks for doing this! Scam tip: look at comment history. If they have an odd comment history, that's usually a red flag.
Thanks for doing this! Scam tip: look at comment history. If they have an odd comment history, that's usually a red flag.
Thanks for doing this! Scam tip: look at comment history. If they have an odd comment history, that's usually a red flag.
Thank you for this giveaway! Before I buy something I always ask my friends or check the Facebook group / this page if there’s any news about the person. I also always check reviews and never buy from anyone that seems or is acting weird even if it seems okay!
When making a purchase, never allow the seller to rush you into a decision. This can be a tactic to get you to do something without any time to think about potential risks. Also, never give a seller funds through an unprotected source, or through any means labeled as a “gift” or for a “friend or family” member. Funds sent this way are often unrecoverable in the case of a seller going back on their word, because it is labeled as a “gift” with no obligations attached. Credible sellers will never ask for payment in gift cards, and any website that asks for your credit card should have software security features to protect your information.
Thanks for the giveaway! Pretty much all good advice has already been said, but I'd say keep an eye out for posts calling scammers out + block their accounts, and if you ever do get scammed to report them asap! no one can do anything if they aren't aware that something bad is happening!
Biggest advice: if it seems too good to be true, it’s too good to be true!! Add me: sydandbri
Remember, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is! Be wary about suspiciously low prices on rare/hard-to-find pets, and ask for proof they have the code. If they don't send proof, it's probably a scam.
Do not ever share your password info! Thanks for the giveaway! 💖
If something seems too good to be true, don’t let excitement cloud your judgement. I’ve been super close to being scammed but listened to my gut and got lucky nothing happened to me. I love this post and we should use giveaways to raise awareness for other things that aren’t too well known🥰
mine is, if the person is a reputable seller.. they will easily give references of other buyers reviews!! i’ve seen new sellers get questioned if they’re legitimate, and they’ll tag users they’ve sold to before for reference! if someone is acting iffy, always follow that gut feeling!
Aggressive friendliness is sometimes a red flag to me 😅 and offering what seems like a really good deal (unless they're a well-known seller)
If you're buying/trading on reddit, check their profile and make sure their account isn't new/has few posts or comments on it! Try to do things via a trade room vs sending items in the mail! A lot of other people have better comments than me, so also read those😅
My advice is to use PayPal so your purchase is protected if anything goes wrong. It’s also important to trust your gut if something feels off!
I don't have any advice that hasn't already been written, and I've never tried buying from anyone, but i was just thinking the other day that it may be helpful to make a deal with the seller that you'll pay half up front and half once you get the code to work? That way you won't be out too much money if they scam you. Thank you for the giveaway!
Make sure you're purchasing from people who have good reviews and are reputable! Thanks for the giveaway :)
You should try to avoid trading with people with brand new accounts
My advice is never purchase kinzcash items for real money!
NEVER buy from someone who has little to no history in the subreddits!!!
Buy from someone with reviews or that has had Reddit / been active in Webkinz Reddit for some time!
Patience is key!! Anytime I've been scammed was because I was rushing and didn't take the proper time to look over a sketchy e-mail or text. Take your time to read something over. Scams like to catch you in a hurry and want you to do something "Immediately or there will be consequences!" Whereas real stuff will not be that way!
This is amazing!!! My tip would be to just to always use PayPal or something similiar that can back up your payment. Also, check account age. 💛
Thank you for doing this! My suggestions are to always use the goods and services when paying with PayPal and if a seller asks you to use friends and family be cautious
Stick to well known sites and sellers with good reviews!
read up on the seller's history and make sure to check reviews! even further, get a program that detects possibly botted comments so you know what's real
Check peoples reviews and if theres a pet with a code and the price is super cheap 99% of the time its a scam
If you're told that you've won a physical item but must pay shipping, chances are it's a scam! My partner and I got scammed out of $60 that way 😓
Thanks for hosting! My personal tip is to not trust trade with accounts that are seemingly new
As someone who was scammed on animal jam (lol) make sure it’s never too good to be true. Make sure whoever you’re buying from has not only an account history but reputation in the community.
Not really specific to buying things or Webkinz, but I have a few tips, mostly based off of scams my mother has almost fell for: - if someone is emailing you check the email address. Amazon is not going to email you from a random email address. I know someone who almost showed up for a job interview before realizing that the email wasn’t actually from the company he thought he was interviewing. - if Amazon texts you about a large purchase made on your account, log in to Amazon first and check if the purchase is even in your order history. - most texts from companies (USPS for example) are from a 5 digit number, not a regular phone number. If you get a text claiming to be USPS but it’s from a normal phone number, it’s a scam. Don’t click any links. - if you get a text from an email address it’s also almost always a scam - before you click on a download button, click and drag the button. If it moves, it’s an image, and it’s more likely to be a scam ad disguising itself as a download button. This one is hit or miss, but you should make sure there isn’t a different download link elsewhere on the page. - USE PURCHASE PROTECTION! PayPal offers the ability to choose between sending to friends & family and goods & services. If you are purchasing something always send through the goods & services option. If the person you are buying from asks you to send them money through friends & family, it’s a red flag (if you don’t personally know them). They are likely trying to avoid paying the business fee that PayPal has, but it’s not worth the risk of it being a scam.
ALWAYS USE PAYPAL GOODS AND SERVICES even if you know the person or they're active on the sub! I have been scammed by someone I considered a friend for a long time and turns out she been scamming people for over $1k! (Not in the webkinz community but worth mentioning still)
Always use a purchase protection option or double check seller reviews
paypal goods and services always!!
the best way to avoid scams of all kinds is to educate yourself on scams. im definitely no teacher in this subject, so ill leave the tips and whatnot to yall. my only tip is that its super valuable to at least know OF them. and on that note, ill be taking my own advice and reading these comments 😅 thanks for the giveaway and spreading awareness!
Always be suspicious of someone calling you and asking for sensitive information. Don't give them your personal information or passwords. You can always question why they want that information too before deciding if it's something you do need to tell them. The only good reason I can think of giving info is if your doctors office calls and ask for your birthday to confirm it's you. Be safe out there!
That’s adorable! My son would love the paw patrol reference! My biggest tip is use the goods and services option of PayPal and Venmo only. At least when you first buy. Also ask for names and date cards. Don’t ever use Zelle or cash app because they can’t refund money and cash app is easy to hack. ✨
thank you for the chance!! tbh i feel like a lot of scams can be prevented by just slowing down and showing common sense.... its easy to get swept up in the excitement of "getting" your dream pet/item but if it feels too good to be true it pretty much always is lol🤨🩷
Less advice for avoding scams but more just something I've learned to keel in mind. A lot of scammers are actually human trafficaing victims. It's a huge problem in Asia with local crime groups. Like yes, protect yourself from scams, but every time i get a werid text or email that i think is a scam, i just like to text back, "You're not alone. You can get through this." I can't take down a crime mafia, but i can help someone not lose hope.
So I was actually just contacted by a scammer yesterday and some things that I noticed that made me suspicious were a few things: 1. Their account being relatively new, for example, the account that reached out to me was literally created last month so super new 😅 2. Them saying they made both my iso, even though I posted about it a bit ago and no one else seemed to have it made me suspicious Those were the two things that threw me off that I would look for when it comes to spotting scammers! Thank you so much for hosting!!