MOST IMPORTANTLY:
USE COMMON SENSE. This forum is use at your own risk, be smart!

1) Always get Name (first and last), Address (house number, street, city, zip code), atleast 1 working phone number(always get the phone number first and call it before sending anything) All screen names you've talked to them on(PBN, PBF, AOL, MSN, ICQ, ec.)

2) If the person is under the age of 18 TALK TO THEIR PARENTS and make sure they understand what is going on... This will save your *** so they can't come back and say they didn't know what was going on... If dealing with parents get a cell phone number or number from them where you can reach them outside of the home.

3) After you get Name, Address and Phone #, use a source like 411.com to do address lookups to verify that they indeed live there...

4) If you are trading for merchandise over borders like from US to Canada or vis versa make sure you INSURE THE PACKAGE FOR WHAT IT WOULD COST TO BUY EVERYTHING NEW.

5) If you have no feedback and are selling a gun don't expect people to send first or at the same time. If you feel like you can't trust someone ask a mod or admin about 3rd party services.

6) If someone has what you think is sketchy feedback, check with a few random people on the list. You could also ask a Admin to do an IP check to make sure there are different people.

7)Always do checks with as many forums as you can. Just do some simple searches in bad feedback or theft forums to make sure this person isnt trying to scam you.

8) When shipping something you value, I would suggest fully insuring it... Also request a sig. confirmation(this way they can't deny they received it)

9) If you've been scammed, don't hesitate to let the rest of the nation know.

10) Whenever possible, Pay with PayPal, MO, or Check. This will insure you that you can see who cashed the money.

11) Get there license number..This will save your *** in no matter what happens. If they take your gun (Steal/Fraud). Police will locate them.

12) IF you're shipping to Canada from the states. Make sure you have your money or goods first or that you use a third party. By law in Canada, if a person receives goods with out paying for them first they're considered a gift and the Canadian police can do nothing even if you have a 100 foot stack of evidence.

If someone tells you that they will send you a $2000 MO and you're to keep the agreed amount and then use Western Union to send rest to them and there Shipping agent will pick up the package. IT'S A SCAM!!!! This is called the Nigerian Scam. The MO is fake and won't show until 3-7 days later. Which leaves you screwed because you would have to pay back the bank.

If the person you are dealing with does not answer all of your questions in a reasonable amount of time and in a polite manner, move on and don’t deal with them. If they are treating you poorly now, imagine what it will be like to deal with them if something goes wrong.

Buying stolen merchandise is a crime. At the very minimum you will have to forfeit what you purchased and the chance of receiving a refund is slim. If the person selling is acting shady, do not deal with them. Selling stolen merchandise is a much more serious crime (even if you did not steal the item).

Always write down the full name, address, phone number (verify the number is valid) and all screen names you've talked to them on (PBN, AIM, MSN, ICQ, etc.) as soon as you’ve agreed to a deal. If they don’t want to share this info, don’t deal with them.

After you get Name, Address and Phone #, use a source like http://411.com to do an address lookup to verify that they do indeed live there.

If the person is under the age of 18, talk to their parents and make sure they understand what is going on. When dealing with kids under 18, make sure you get a phone number where you can reach the parents direct.

Since a user is capable of editing the thread after they have sold the item, we suggest quoting the original for sale post with the item you are buying and rehosting the images so that even if they change the initial post, you always have a copy in their thread of what was for sale. This helps settle any argument later about what was and was not part of the deal.

Use the serial number to verify with the manufacturer that any marker you want to buy is not stolen. If it is stolen, turn over the seller’s information to the manufacturer and notify PbNation by emailing cs@pbnation.com

If you have little or no feedback and are selling or trading a gun, don't expect people to send payment or merchandise first or even at the same time. If you feel like you can't trust someone, then don’t. If you feel the deal is too good to pass up, ask a mod or admin about 3rd party services. It's worth the extra $20 so make sure you don't get scammed.

Only trust feedback from the actual seller in their for sale thread. Verify the name is exactly the same and feel free to PM the user from their feedback thread to make sure it is the same person you are dealing with.

If someone has what you think is sketchy feedback, check with a few random people on the list. You could also ask an Admin to do an IP check to make sure there are different people by asking in the Talk to Mods/Admins forum.

Always check with as many forums as you can to verify the seller and item being sold are legitimate. Just do some simple searches in bad feedback or theft forums to make sure this person has not been accused of scamming other users and the item being sold is not stolen.

When shipping something you value, fully insure it. Also request a signature upon delivery.

Do not accept funds over what is owed, especially if they want you to send the extra money with the equipment they are buying. This is a classic scam where the initial funds will prove to be fraudulent and you will owe for the full amount.

Just because you have received a payment through paypal doesn’t mean they can’t claim the funds back. Make sure to save proof you sent the package and they signed for it for at least three months.

Always pay with PayPal, Money Order, or Check. This will ensure you that you can see who cashed the money. Never send cash through the mail.

If you've been scammed and have proof, feel free to post it here in the Theft Report but more importantly, contact the Police and try to get your gear back.

Photoshop is a wonderful tool, and often a devious one. Here's some prevention info for avoiding getting scammed, i'd pay close attention to these.

•• Prevention Tips:

• First off, be smart. Most of the time, if the deal seems to awesome for you, it just may be. Common sense prevails.

• When trading, deal with someone over the age of 18 and get their phone number. If they are under 18, talk to their parents and make sure it is ok with them and they know he is trading his equipment.

• Don't rush into things. Alot of times scammers will want you to rush into a deal or ship next-day air. Take time to get all their info and finalize a deal you are both happy with.

• Ask for lots of pics. This may seem obvious, but many times people see one pic and that is enough for them. Not only does this help prevent someone from taking the picture from another source, but it also helps to make sure everything is in a condition described.

• The person with the least amount of feedback should ship first. Check feedback and make sure it's legit. If all their feedback comes from people with one post and they all registered the same month, it's probably fake. Also, having friends leave them feedback is fraud also. If they are all from the same town, it could possibly be fake.

• If your gun has a serial number, write it down. Take pictures of it. Also make note of every distinguishing mark you gun has. This only aids in the return of you gun if it is stolen.

• When at a field, make sure you keep an eye on your stuff. It's way too easy for someone to grab and run. I've worked as security in retail, and it only takes a fraction of a second for someone to shove something in a coat.

• When shipping, always use Delivery Confirmation from USPS or Tracking from UPS, FedEx, or DHL. Pack everything nicely to prevent damage, and make sure you tape the openings to prevent tampering.

• Third Party Trades! Your best bet in the prevention of scamming. Contact your local friendly moderator here on PbNation. Try to avoid people doing third party trades through their local store. They may be legit, but it's best to be safe.

• Keep all your contact logs with the person. PbN PMs, AIM logs, and emails will help with any deals being disputed. Be careful though, as they can easily be faked.

• Do NOT send cash. EVER. Most of the time, it will never make it to it's destination if you send cash in an envelope.

This is a compilation of "How to not get scammed" post. Thanks to all that helped make this, Please PM me with any thoughts or additions