How to avoid scammers while buying insects

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wollastoni
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How to avoid scammers while buying insects

Post by wollastoni »

Since years, a lot of thieves and scammers are stealing insect collectors' money.
Here are few tips to avoid any issue.

- don't buy "insects" on social networks. Hundreds of scammers are hunting there and Facebook or Instagram don't ban them.
- instead of looking for ultra-cheap bugs, you will get nothing or ultra-cheap quality in 90% of cases, look for a serious insect sellers, you will find many in our Insect Supplier List.
Visit also our Marketplace, more than 3,000 listed insects by serious sellers : the InsectNet Marketplace
- if the seller comes from a risky country (Africa, South America, New Guinea, Solomon islands) : never send any money in advance, even for shipping, even if your first deals with this local seller has been successful.
- ask for pictures and details about the insects. Most scammers will fail providing you coherent answers or will select the first picture from Google.
- never accept Western Union for a country that allows Paypal
- never accept Paypal Family & Friends with sellers you don't know well.
- check sellers reputation in this Insect Trading Report board and in the archive here : https://archive.insectnet.com/board/22/ ... ng-reports
- if it's too good to be true, it is not true, it is a scam (in 99% of cases).
- it is better to take 5 minutes and ask for a seller reputation here than losing your money.

If you follow these rules, you won't get any trouble ! :)

If you find a good supplier, pay him well, it is a difficult job.
Don't destroy his margin by negotiating too much or he will find another job and you will lose a great supplier.
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