Suggestion: How to significatly decrease the number of SCAMS ("mechanical" solution)
Hi!
(1) WHY? : Altough the system is pretty safe, it is hardly fail proof. As I am sure you know, scams on AL occur on a daily basis by the duzens. I'll devide scams in to three main categories:"White" scams, Which are also the most commone ones i guess, target to the innocense of new players. The idea is taking advantage of thyere unawarness to current market prices etc.- those are not scams, or at least not ones that we wish to solve. Mainly because that is how the (or A) market work: prices are out there both in the auction and in the forums, and pleanty of players will give honest tips regarding prices so it is definanatly possible to avoid "price scams" indefinantly. on that regard- if a player chooses not to use the (very) accessible knowlage out there and than make a bad deal, it is not a scam. On the other side of the scales we have "black scams"- the ones the current system banns and protects players from (E.G selling game gold for real world money). those are also not in our consern because they are being handled by STS efficiantly and harshly.
SO what is the problem? the third cactagory Is the one i like to call "grey scams" in that cactegory you will find the type of game scams which the system deems as legal ("all trdes are final"), and on the other hand are not behaviors players (or STS) want to tolerate. E.G: fast switching the sume of gold \ type\ quantity of items being traded- before the other side manages to see the change performed. Of corse, beceause of the double confirmation requird to trade items/gold. Scams from this category, literraly, Ruins the game. It is extremly frustrating to work hard playing and farming for months to aquire expensive and rare items only to have them stolem by a second's lack of consentratiom. pro scammers "farm" other players all the time; both new and old players get scammed using methods that belong to this "gray" category.
(2) How?: well, from my personal experiense (and other that iv'e talked to about this and that have been scammed)- the understanding that youv'e been scammed occurs just after the trade is complete. The second a player check your inventory (with eager eyes to see ur hard earnd newly purchased item) is the one he realises what had just happened. I suggest sts insert a timer. the idea is that immediatly after a trade is confirmed and items switch hands, a timer (like the used for elite dungeons) will count down 30 seconds or more. during that time if a player discorves that ge'd been scammed he may press a "Reverse trade button" which does exactly as its name applies- reverses the sale. when 30 seconds are up, the deal becomes final. In my opinion, and i hope quite a few players would agree, this provides a simple none "invasive" (meaning, does not require sts to settle diputs) solution that will dramatically decrease the number of scams and will provide players with a (fairly) safer trading enviroment.
I hope that this or other solutions will help put this disgusting Phenomena out of buisness.
thank you in advance for your consideration,
BELTHAZHAR
