Imposters Posing as Forum Members

Wow thanks for pointing this out! 

Correct me if I'm wrong, IF you are a member of the forum, the profile page is the only way to see another member's address?  And, that's if they listed one...

If you list your e-mail address in your WTB ad, then anybody can see it, including 'guest' (non-members) viewing the forum.  Opens a whole can of warms...

I recently stopped listing my address in WTB ads because of this, and like many members, now refer to, "e-mail in profile". 

My email is only shown in my profile, like you state.
This means the imposter is a forum member, so he has access to other members profiles and emails. He can easily choose another member's forum name, then pose as the member by sending an email saying he has the item for sale. The wanted to buy forum seems especially vulnerable to this kind of hoax.

You would probably pay this guy using Paypal, and he might be on the other side of the world, laughing all the way to the bank!

Come to think of it, the imposter's English was not that good.

This is some scary stuff. I think all here need to be aware of this issue.

Webmaster; can anything be done?

Rod

Rod

It is important to point this out. I appreciate the heads up.

Larry

Thanks Rod. I'll be more careful in the future.

I've managed to avoid the buy/sell "drama" that seems all to frequent here on the forum from time to time but this thread is prompting me to weigh in.  Not exactly the same situation but still thought I'd mention it.

I had a WTB recently and got an email reply within 24 hours. The individual quoted me a price (way more than the item's original MSRP) and asked me to make payment by something called Moneygram (never heard of it). Was suspicious from the outset (hesitant to send pics, vague about condition, and poor communication)  and I immediately told him to forget it and ceased contact. In retrospect, I realized that I never even learned the person's "forum name." In the end it didn't matter.

Anyway, just another cautionary tale on the WTB side of things.

I'm with you now.  Understand.  Long night and not much sleep with weather and a little one crying!!

Take a careful look at that header information on that email.  It can be telling if it is spoofed.

Some of my closest friends work in "cyber security".  If this continues to be an issue, shoot me an email.

YOU GUESS WRONG...and I wish you had simply sent me an email to ask about this instead of posting this here and getting people all worked up over nothing. Only FORUM MEMBERS can see other forum member profiles.

It depends...what is your definition of "SECURE?" If you really don't want ANYONE to see your email address, take it out of your public profile. Of course, it makes it hard to sell things that way...

Rod, you have let your imagination run away with you...geez. And a simple email to me could have taken care of this without all this, "The sky is falling..." nonsense.

Forum Members can only see what you want them to see...whatever you have placed in your PUBLIC PROFILE. If someone sees your email and your forum name in your profile and then decides to send someone else an email posing as you, how is that a problem I am supposed to solve?

"Internet Security" is an oxymoron. There is no such thing. Better get used to it.