Howrse Tips

Scammers!

A lot of players say if you just stopped trading stuff you wouldn't ever get scammed. But we Howrse players cannot just cease to trade. For many of us, trading has helped us to where we are. Therefore, I've put together some tips and suggestions to help you prevent being scammed- or at least lower your risk.

•First things first, look at their trustworthy topic. This is an iffy thing, since it is easy for the player in question to simply delete all the bad replies. However, don't just dismiss all the trustworthy topics as the player getting all their friends to post great things on the topic and deleting everyone else, either. Altogether, the people who cheat with the topics have messed it all up for those who don't. I would say to note the topic, but don't base a lot of your decision off of it either, just use it as a tie-breaker just in case later.

•Seniority, Friends, and congratulations should not have anything to do with trades. Many new players are just as nice and trustworthy as older ones. There are many other ways to decide, so don't choose this one, please. (I should know. Starting over on the INT Server, NO ONE would trade with me because I didn't have 100 days yet. -_- That was bad for 4 months!)

•I know you're probably tired of hearing this by now, but if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. The exception implied by the word "Probably" is like, if your best-est friend on the game is offering the trade, has mentioned it to you, and you totally trust them. But otherwise- someone offering you a P. Stone for a GA? Nope. HoP for a WoY? Nope. Just use your head. Don't make emotional decisions. (i.e. I have been wanting an HoP for ages now I HAVE to do this!)

•Deciding to never go first in trades is both good and bad. Good because you likely won't be scammed. Bad because once everyone starts doing that no one will be able to trade anymore. We can't all refuse to go first or nothing will ever happen. Just remember that. Personally, I don't mind going first at all. I have played years on various English-speaking servers on various accounts, since 2007 in fact, and I have always said I don't mind going first. And you know what? I have never been scammed. Ever. I just use the Safe Trade Method. Which is......

•Use The Safe Trade Method. This means, that instead of reserving the horses for 500e reserve the one worth the most (But actually they should be about the same value) for it's real value, i.e. a 99 copies left RC- 500 000e. (at least, that's what it's worth as this article is being written). Then the other player reserves their horse for the same. That not only proves that they have the money but if they scam you, they're going broke.

Save all your messages from them and to them. Do not delete anything until the trade is finished and you have gotten everything you agreed to. If anything does happen, heaven forbid, then you can forward all this stuff to a Mod.

•Lastly, keep a black list. It is sometimes best, as rude as this may sound, to keep a list of players who have scammed you or your best friends in your notebook. If they PMed you at any time block them. If they were in your friends list end your friendship. If they go nuts posting in your forum because of any of that, PM a Mod and have them blocked from the forums. Anything. Just don't be in contact with them. This is a last resort kinda thing, and it may make you some enemies, but it's worth it if you don't need to worry about it. I will say that I have made a few enemies because of my insistence on the Safe Trade Method. I don't know if they were scammers or they didn't have enough Equus to buy the first horse, even if they would get it back on the second, but either way, some people will hate you for it. It just happens- don't let it bother you! =]