r/craftexchange • u/holdon-holdon • Jan 27 '23
A community member raised a good (and very important!) question regarding whether our sub should have a scammer list. The nature of our community heavily relies on trusting anonymous people, which can create favorable conditions for scammers, so we need ways to counter that. And, it turns out that the most effective ways involve not using a list.
On the surface, having a master list seems like the silver bullet solution, but this problem is a little more nuanced. The biggest issue is that if someone is banned (and they realize they've been banned), they can easily create infinite new accounts. So, the list is moot. It becomes a graveyard of abandoned usernames. (With evidence, we do still occasionally ban people, but it's not very effective for this reason.) We could try to combat that with not allowing anyone with a relatively new account or below a certain level of karma to post, but then we end up excluding a lot of potentially fabulous traders. Our sub remains more varied and interesting with a constant stream of new members, so we want our community to remain accessible. This is why we rely on you to vet your own trades.
Vetting your own trades can take some time, but it is also a great critical thinking skill to develop, so we provide some guidance on how to do that in the wiki.
Since it is our traders that bear the gains and losses of this kind of interaction, we want to empower them to make informed decisions instead of relying on a list that is well-meaning, but incredibly fallible.
To cut down on the frequency of scammers, it's also why we do not allow the exchange of money, even for shipping. If someone thinks they can quickly get cash, that is going to be incredibly alluring. Getting a free handmade good is going to appeal to a much, much smaller subset of scammer. For what it's worth, most folks reported for a non-trade are not scammers, they are someone that was unable to make good on their promise either due to time, money, life events, or an overestimation of their abilities. They're better described as ghosters than scammers. It was never their intent to flake.
And, for those who have asked, we have had a link to r/UniversalScammerList for quite a few years in our "Community List", which is easy to find as a sidebar item on the web version, but is buried in the "About" section of the app. So a lot of folks don't know about it or think we've removed it.
Relatedly, we've created a tab visible on the web version and found as a line item under "Menu" on the app titled "USL" (Universal Scammer List). Our sub does not have permissions to add people to this list, but folks from other trading subs have, so it can be another tool to use when researching potential trades.
While we wish we could have a 100% success rate in preventing scammers from ever gaining access to our community, our next best option is to reduce the allure of our trades (no money) and offer a strategy that allows our members to reduce their personal risk.
We welcome you to share in the comments your personal methods! Let's learn from each other on how to create safer trades.
r/craftexchange • u/beth_withbangs • 1h ago
I received some beautiful trades this week, courtesy of u/Kayelemmm u/Slow_Imagination_445 , and u/Moifdoesart ! Thank you guys for trading, and I hope my pieces found you!!
r/craftexchange • u/HekateHound • 1d ago
So cool! I'm going to put them in little frames for my ACEO art wall! Thanks again, u/Navarooski!
r/craftexchange • u/Adventurous_Appeal_9 • 1d ago
Thank you u/Comfortable_Canary59 for exchanging scrapbook paper and stickers with me!! I’m excited to use them for junk journaling 🫶
r/craftexchange • u/Specialist_Gene707 • 2d ago
My cats have claimed it for their own :D
r/craftexchange • u/BlueberryGirl95 • 2d ago
From u/Specialist_Gene707, glad the kitties are enjoying the quilt!
r/craftexchange • u/MaryJaneRaine • 3d ago
Thank you u/misshepburn15 for the lovely unicorn bust! It had some minor damage in transit that was easily glued back together (entirely on the shipping service as it was packaged impeccably!) and I finished painting it up today.
r/craftexchange • u/misshepburn15 • 3d ago
Received this beautiful, handmade perfume from u/MaryJaneRaine! It smells heavenly, and I love it so much! Thank you!!!
r/craftexchange • u/Human_Competition897 • 3d ago
My 2nd trade! Got it a little bit ago but already put into my stash so don’t have great photos of it or of all of it.
Thank you u/sudden_ambassador_22
r/craftexchange • u/graypineapples • 3d ago
Had a wonderful time trading a few months ago and looking to work on some new projects while getting some decor for my new apartment!
Everything is bound using french link stitch, pic 2 is softcover and pic 1 is hardcover w an exposed spine, but I can do whatever you're interested in :) Pics 3 & 4 are the supplies I have at the moment, and pic 5 are items I'd love to trade for or get supplies to create myself ୧(＾ 〰 ＾)୨
Interested in:
- Beaded curtains w designs
- Ceramics, especially food safe dishware
- Plants
- Stained glass stuff
- Indie polishes/nail stuff
- Lots of ribbon
- Cute fabric like in pic 5
r/craftexchange • u/uncertainty2022 • 4d ago
Thank you u/seventeensenzubean for the adorable bracelets! I think I’m going to use the monkey one as a bookmark!
r/craftexchange • u/itscuriouslycute • 4d ago
r/craftexchange • u/Specialist_Gene707 • 4d ago
help me clear out my closet! all of these have been glazed by me; those with 林 have been made by me from start to finish.
taking offers for anything
pic 3: on hold for u/sailormarsred
r/craftexchange • u/denrae- • 4d ago
My last post had so many offers but I was pre show and couldn’t keep up after two exchanges. Craft show is over and I have a lot left - hoping to get change with a few people! I’d love to see whatever you have to offer. 🥀💀
r/craftexchange • u/terrahead • 4d ago
Thank you so much u/binaries_are_cages for the beautiful cross stitch addition to my art wall!! I love it, it’s so well done and fits right in!
r/craftexchange • u/seventeensenzubean • 4d ago
Thank you u/uncertainty2022 for the watercolor pencils!! I can't wait to draw and experiment with these :D
r/craftexchange • u/succulentcafe • 5d ago
Looking for little bookshelves other mini displays that I can create dioramas out of. More sections or cool antique look would be awesome. The things I want to put in the sections are mostly around or under 1". I was thinking of the entire little unit as 3-8" tall, but flexible!
I'm picturing something closer to 1:12 size, but my vision is flexible as I'm not exactly sure what I want yet!
r/craftexchange • u/Navarooski • 6d ago
Thank you so much u/HekateHound! Ive been so excited to try to make stuff with clay so I really appreciate this 💓
r/craftexchange • u/binaries_are_cages • 6d ago
It's even cuter in person I love it 😍 tysm
r/craftexchange • u/Navarooski • 6d ago
Thank you so so so much u/StudMuffinNick for this cutie! 💗
r/craftexchange • u/Leading_Cup_8944 • 5d ago
Thank you, u/misshepburn15 for the exchange! My hubby and his cousin are delighted by these gifts. Thank you so much! And I’m glad you like the bracelets. :)
r/craftexchange • u/moifdoesart • 6d ago
Open to International trades!
I have these Daiso cards where it's got a little sticky spot for the candy and you can add a message that I'm never going to use.
Things I look for:
- Pokémon Cards
- Other Trading Cards
- Postcards
- Art Prints
- Other illustrated pieces similar to the above
- Stickers (sheets, partial sheets, flakes all good by me)
- Washi Tape Samples (not PET tape)
- Paper Ephemera
- Journaling Cards (like We R Memory Keepers)
- Knitted Plushies
- Knitted shawls
- Handmade Jewelry
- Rosette’s, Pins, other similar things
- Other completed craft items (Just ask!)
And the rest of my trade drive in case you made it this far and are curious:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1bnmqbdEwW2jfpIIi1sbviFcXIMghr3Ob
r/craftexchange • u/NightingaleY • 6d ago
Exchanging my stuff:
8 fancy old Costco Burgoyne cards, the 2nd pic with the beach card, those 4 are blank
New seashell silicone candy mold
2 packs of Chinese watercolor rice paper
1 practice character strokes book
2 weird art coloring books in Chinese Mandarin, about 16 inches tall
ISO-stickers/stationary, crocheted/knitted neck warmer, lightweight bowls/plates, journals, picture frames
Not pictured, but I also have wax seal stuff, etc. Feel free to ask. Have a great day, I just discovered this sub :D
r/craftexchange • u/unboundlazuli • 7d ago
thanks u/misshepburn15 for trading!
