Trust your instincts! If you dn't feel 100% comfortable about a swap,
then don't go through with it... Usually the bad swappers will try to
pressure or rush you into a decision. At other times, their offers seem too
good to be true. If it seems too good to be true, then it probably is. A
high percentage of the bad swappers will use tactics such as asking you,
"What do you want for your _______ ?" instead of supplying you with a list of
their available items. All of a sudden, the person will magically have
everything on your "want" list. This should raise a big red flag... Don't
fall into their trap!
Be cautious of swappers that use domains that give out e-mail addresses
for free. These services do not validate their users, which makes it
extremely simple to use a fake name. We are only suggesting that you exert caution when dealing with
people from these domains, for your own safety. Here is a list of domains
that give out free (or unvalidated) e-mail addresses:
aol.com
hotmail.com
juno.com
mailcity.com
mailexcite.com
rocketmail.com
usa.net
If you are unsure about a swap, or if it is your first time swapping with
someone, you may wish to send your swaps in installments (if you agreed to
send more than one item). Send one portion of the swap first, and upon the
arrival of the other person's package, send out the rest of the swap. That
way, if the swap falls through, all is not lost...
Always save all e-mail transactions until the swap is satisfactorily
completed. They can be very useful for referencing and as "evidence." If a
person denies agreeing to a certain swap, it is always nice to have e-mail to
back up your claims.
If you have waited a fair amount of time for a package to arrive (3
weeks), and have not received it yet, then send an e-mail to the other
person. Please keep in mind that we are all human, and sometimes things in
our personal lives may interfere with swapping. Do not immediately accuse
the other person of cheating you. Simply ask them what has happened to the
package. Also, the U.S. Postal System is not foolproof by any means, and
packages (especially small ones) get lost from time to time. Do not jump to
conclusions about a person before giving them a chance to explain their
situation :).
Send the other person an acknowledgement/thank you note upon the arrival
of their package. This lets the other person know that you have received it
in one piece, and is also a common courtesy among swappers.
If you feel that you have been cheated on a swap, and your e-mails have
been ignored by the other party, try calling the person. A directory of U.S.
phone numbers can be found at www.four11.com.
You can search for phone numbers by name and/or address
(another reason to save your e-mail!). Simply giving the person a short phone call
can clear up many differences. It has a "humanizing" effect... It lets the
other person know they are dealing with more than just an e-mail address.
If this doesn't work, please Panelists
with the complete details of the situation. We will do our best to
help you, although it is oftentimes beyond our control.
The absolute best advice we can give you is to check our SafeSwap list
frequently! We will keep it updated as soon as we find out new information,
and it is your best source for avoiding the bad swappers. We also need
everyone's help to keep our listings up-to-date. Please submit your good/bad
swappers today!
