:wave: Due to my mis-wording in the original title and confusion it caused through a few PMs I received about it. I decided to delete this post.. but couldn't figure out how to actually do that so instead, I'm editing it to sort of remove it that way.

Apologies to anyone that misread my original posting title and misunderstood what I was asking and saying. I was writing it in a way I meant to be funny and silly, and the post was about a problem I've encountered over the years in a few swaps gone wrong that I thought other long time traders might have experienced too.

I've been trading tapes / DVDs online for almost 16 years ! (yikes) And had so many swaps by now I lost count long ago. My post was about failed trades and the extreme measures that a handful of people decided to go to to get out of fulfilling their end of the bargain.

Again sorry to anyone that misunderstood and didn't get my pseudo sense of humor :crazy: I've been told more than once, I'm not nearly as funny as I think I am :( :lol:

I must say the thread title took me by surprise.

In all the trades I've done over the years, I've never had somebody not send me something. I've frequently given people the following 2 bits of advice if they're unsure about a certain trader:

1) Check the feedback section. Ask for references. Most of the scammers are the same people over and over, just with different aliases. There are certain cities to watch out for.

2) if you're still unsure, start with a small trade. A few discs to test the waters. That way if they don't send, you're not out too much.

On top of that, I would say that scammers behavior/communication is usually pretty sketchy. If you're in trade talks and you get a bad vibe from them, don't finalize a trade with them. Trust your gut.

Over the years, I had a few trades like that to. I started around 2002 in trading. So i always gave people the benefit of a doubt. But yes, a few people died or bad sickness. But overall I met alot of wonderful traders. Some I still consider my friends. So looking back, the GOOD out weighted the bad.

@ Wiseguy,

Thanks for that ! .. I always appreciate a helpful response like that.

You are definitely right on all your points. In my trading experiences I've used multiple sources.. back in the day when I first, first, started it used to be Dejanews message group that you could find swaps on .. anybody else remember that internet dinosaur? :lol:

And obviously as cool as a site like this is for having a community that backs you up.. not all sites are like that.. not to mention when you come across traders that have no connection to anywhere.. they are just a personal blog webpage or something... and that's kind of how trading online has gone over the years.. sites can come and go unfortunately and sometimes you just find trades where you find them.

But.. that's what I think the number one rule of trading comes down to. You are always taking a chance and you have to be aware of that. Just as simple as that. That's why I still do it after so long.. can't let those things get you down.. just move on and try to be smarter next time.

And that brings another point.. if someone is a Scheister .. they are GOOD at what they do... haha. By that I mean in the lead up to the trade they do everything right. They use manners, they act like a decent person. They put you at ease. All the things you look for in a prospective trade.. or least that I do. But sadly it's just part of the game for them :shrug.

My post was meant more as a funny commentary about the lengths some people go to get out of responsibility.. not only get out of it but twist it around to make you the bad guy. Haha.

I'm cool with all my burned trades.. none of that bothers me.. I just find the fact that someone would go to the extreme of making up a story that kills off a loved one (or themselves) just to get you off their back about not sending you your end of a trade.

I thought maybe others that have traded for years and years might have had that run around too..haha.

PS you mentioned surprise at my thread title.. yeah... I think it was misunderstood by a lot of people. I'm going to edit it and change it.. that wasn't my intention at all. I meant it in a funny joking way.. in that somehow me trading with people has caused all these (alleged) deaths in an indirect way because it happened to me so often... but in reality no one actually died because the other trader was just a cheater willing to pretend to kill off poor old Grandpa just to try to stop me hounding him with emails.... :)

@ Heehawnut

You are very correct ! I feel that way 100% I still talk to people years later... and we may have only traded once or twice. The good parts outweigh the burns 10,000 fold.

Thanks for that !

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Hey, I think most of us got a kick out of it, cause its true what some come up with. I wish you had left it up for others to see. But thanks for letting us relive old memories, we try to forget. hahahaha

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Another thing I advise people is: Don't be afraid to leave negative feedback for somebody that has jipped you. A lot of bad trades go unreported, so scammers are able to rip people off again and again because the word doesn't get out until that person has scammed 8 or 10 people, often times. In this case, information is key.