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Scam the scammer?

Discussion in 'Discussion Archive' started by @sph@lt, Feb 26, 2013.

  1. @sph@lt

    @sph@lt New User

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    1. Alright, so the other day I had the chance to scam a scammer.. He was offering me some keys if I didn't report him. If I would have accepted the keys and still reported him; does this make me a scammer? I was really tempted to do this, but decided not to..

    2. Could I scam a scammer? Like charge him way to much for something or let him give me free stuff? No intentions of doing that, just wondering what the rules are about this.

    Thx.
  2. Clive

    Clive SteamRep Admin

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    Not positive about the first question, but for the second question, scamming a scammer = scamming. Someone being marked as a scammer does not give someone an excuse to scam them. Trading with a scammer can also get you a caution or a scammer tag, and should also not be done.

    p.s. Glad you didn't do it!:)

    p.p.s A general rule of thumb is if you aren't sure whether or not you should do it, don't.
  3. VenGanZa

    VenGanZa User

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    I am guessing you have parents, so if for some reason they didn't cover this in parenting 101... you might try asking.
  4. Cedar

    Cedar New User

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    dont scam a scammer. a while ago someone did it, and he was luky to only come off with a caution
  5. Nero Chinki

    Nero Chinki New User

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    1. This is considered bribery, even if you reported him after receiving said bribe, you would have been questioned about this.

    2. No, you are just degrading yourself to their level just to get personal gain.
    Oz' dak1ne, VenGanZa and Eoj Nawoh like this.
  6. Mattie!

    Mattie! SteamRep Admin

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    If you have a business agreement around TF2 items (regardless of who it is), you must not be the one to break it or it will hurt your reputation. If you decide to back out of an agreement or lie to someone because they were a scammer, who's to say that you wouldn't come up with another excuse to back out in other circumstances? Or misjudge who is a scammer and who isn't? It just opens all sorts of doors for he-said/she-said and leaves you on the record as lying. Be honest and hold to your agreement or it makes everyone question whether you are a trustworthy businessman/woman.

    Note that knowingly making Steam-related business agreements with marked scammers is also quite bad-- it may look like you're their accomplice. Just avoid business dealings with them entirely.
    VenGanZa likes this.
  7. Dronefly

    Dronefly Caution on SteamRep

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    I got my caution tag based on doing just that. purposely "scamming a scammer". I no longer do such acts as I learned the hard way that this is not accepted. It created quite the shitstorm which ultimately now gets any future such acts to be red tagged for scamming. I now support steamrep's view on this because I have been confronted countless times by others asking me to do it again to help them get their scammed items back and many times the case was too murky and their approach request was selfish and not appropriate. Dont scam a scammer. Although in your mind you believe it is the right thing to do, you are still using trust to deceive someone. a scammer or not.
    Mattie! likes this.
  8. VenGanZa

    VenGanZa User

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    Two wrongs do not make a right.

    Do I really need to explain this?

    * Also I would like to say here, there if there is ever an opportunity for me to speak in favor of Dronefly downgrade of Caution Tag, I think i would seriously consider this, given his input into SR over time and his general demeanor.
    SudasGalva likes this.
  9. Dronefly

    Dronefly Caution on SteamRep

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    Thanks guys but I wouldn't want it removed unless it made the difference of me becoming part of this site in the back end (helping as a mod or admin). I mostly care that this site keeps going strong and helps people out and keeps the community safer. Even if it's just that little bit more (although that seems to be growing day to day). Any trade tag doesn't matter as much to me anymore. I call it a learning experience. :) But back on topic.

    Take it from someone who tried helping someone get a stolen item back from a scammer. It's better to warn and sit back and inform then try to go gun-ho forward. Although sometimes it can yield desireable and favorable results, more often then not it is misunderstood and misused. Therefore better to have a no scamming scammer policy then to allow gunslingers to run around and do injustice. There is a reason SR is trusted. And it's not because they give every person a gun and say "go get em cowboy" .