PSA: watch out for email scammers

[arpthark]

I have received a bunch of emails over the past couple days from obvious scammers trying to sell me stuff, sent to the email address that I use solely for tuba/music on this and similar sites. Be aware this holiday season. Insist on paying via PayPal goods/services if you don't know the seller. I also really like @Mary Ann's tactic of asking to do a video call with the seller to confirm everything's legit.

This is even worse on Facebook. Anytime someone is trying to sell you a sob story about their dead husband's old tuba, it's a scam. If it's way cheap and they want to ship and won't meet up in person, it's a scam. If the person is selling a double bell euphonium and only has 10 year old pictures of themselves driving tractors and skiing in their profile and they've only been a buy/sell group member for a day, it's a scam. Use the same methods above to ensure you aren't taken advantage of.

[arpthark]

Using websites like https://tineye.com/ and Google Lens (just click the little camera button on the main Google search site) will also allow you to do a reverse image search and check if photos are stolen from elsewhere. You don't even have to save photos to your computer, just drag/drop in the search box. I do this all the time. There is a lot of stuff stolen from Reverb and old eBay and Facebook advertisements.

[York-aholic]

You're giving away all my secrets. How am I supposed to raise any money to support me dear old granny?

[The Brute Squad]

Maybe your dear friend the Nigerian prince can help you.

[arpthark]

Here is a prime example I spotted yesterday:

[York-aholic]

At least that ad is well written (grammatically and stylistically).

[York-aholic]

Maybe your dear friend the Nigerian prince can help you.

He’s my cousin but I don’t like to talk about my nobility too much.

[MiBrassFS]

Scammers and too many funerals are the biggest reasons I dumped “antisocial” media. People just suck sometimes and it’s just getting worse.

[tofu]

.

[MiBrassFS]

No. Got tired of being greeted every day by another friend or acquaintance having died.

Like that really needed an explanation.