posted on October 31, 2001 12:37:54 AM new
Rampant paranoia about giving credit card info online. When was the last time you used your bank debit card in a store? Or a credit card in a bar? Remember giving the pimply surly looking young waiter your credit card in that restaurant with the great surf and turf? He took your card away then came back with the receipt for you to sign, right? He could've done all sorts of things with your CC, and you wouldn't have known until your next invoice, right?
So why do you trust *him* but not AW?
Every electronic transaction you make, from buying gas at Sunoco to toothpaste at Wal Mart goes over the Internet.
There's no escaping it, not unless you're Amish and get around in a black horse drawn buggy (and even the *Amish* have web sites lol)
Meanwhile this site is clearly one of the most trustworthy and honorable out there. Not being run by some egomaniacal dictator type imposing his/her will on everyone regardless of opposition and common sense.
I like Auction Watch, I like it's ethics, I'm not crazy about the *degree* of moderation exhibited to date, it's far too conservative to me, and at times appearing somewhat nepotistic-- some get suspended right away it seems, others get away with murder-- but that's human nature: piss off the moderators and they aren't going to forget you in a hurry. Can't say I blame them, it wasn't idle distraction like it is for the rest of us--it was their *job*.
And for the most part they did it real well.
So if you like chatting here, or like me, *learning* here, give them your CC number over their secure server and be confident that it's being used with the best intentions---- to weed out the trolls and those who antagonize and allow us to speak freely without moderation, knowing that those who we speak *with* aren't hiding behind some facade or phony ID or pushing some hidden agenda.
And truthfully, the reasons for this change are likely more economic than what we've been told, but in a sense it's irrelevant-- we have a chance to make this *the* place to be-- let's go for it
posted on October 31, 2001 01:33:20 AM new
relayerone,
You and I must think alike. I also use the term "pimply" to describe someone who is not seasoned in their job. But I do agree. the waiter could take your CC number and buy some service from a infomercial or some "Top Dance Hits" CD collection from a TV offer. the owner of the CC wouldn't know it for a month.
When a person pays their CC bill at the bank, the new teller also has access to the number.
posted on October 31, 2001 03:27:33 AM new
If you all think the Farewells just have to do with "paranoia" and the fear of using a CC online, then it is way too late to help you understand. Using a CC online has nothing to do with most of us leaving. I for one use my CC online all the time. It is using a CC for "verification" that is wrong, and in some cases even against the law.
posted on October 31, 2001 04:25:58 AM new
Maybe the verification is good - without moderators it may keep someone from getting too nutty or threatening. And I can't help but think of the idea presented here MANY times that ebay buyers should be verified with a credit card to cut down on the deadbeat problems. A bit of accountability all around shouldn't hurt anybody's business.
posted on October 31, 2001 05:51:43 AM new
One point some of you are failing to consider is that some people DON'T HAVE A CREDIT CARD to even put on file.
Yes, there are plenty of folks out there who don't have them. And AW hasn't made any provisions to assist those people who might WANT to stay but can't.
posted on October 31, 2001 06:59:15 AM new
We're not saying farewell. Most of us are just moving to otwa.com. It's more like a change of address notice. I expect this message board will gather virtual dust beginning tomorrow. A board is just as good as it's posters, and the majority of long time posters is moving to otwa.com.
BTW: Most of us use our cc all the time online, but at places we intend to have financial transactions only. eh!
posted on October 31, 2001 08:13:27 AM new
Well, I guess you can call me silly then because I don't intend to risk giving out my CC number along with all of my personal info that goes along with it JUST to post on a chat board. Do you realize that AW and all of the dotcoms including eBay believe they OWN your info and they will not remove it from their database? What do you think happens to it when the dotcom folds? I may be willing to give out my CC number for a product or service that I need - at least that would justify the risk - BUT NOT to post here. I have entirely too much spam as it is.
BTW, WHERE IS MARK DODD?
quote:
"AuctionWatch started out as a message board on the home page of the other co-founder, Mark Dodd, who started using online auctions to fuel his passion for collecting."
I don't think things look to promising for AW's future and those of you who are leaving might want to consider changing your personal profile before you go.
posted on October 31, 2001 08:27:09 AM new
Whining is what I'd be doing if I were stupid enough to register a credit card with AW thereby giving them future permission to charge me fees to use their forum...
posted on October 31, 2001 08:30:27 AM new
Mark Dodd is probably posting over at f**ked company.com. The last time I checked, his posts were no longer blue.
The CC point is: newbies aren't going to hand out their CC card to a new site just to post. I've never done it, and I've never had a site ask for it. Even commercial sites know that they wouldn't want to put up a barrier until you are actually making a purchase.
There are plenty of auction related boards without the critical mass to stay interesting. I think AW is about to join them. All the action will be happening at the only free board with enough people posting to stay interesting.
BTW - I didn't complain when AW started charging, and was a paying customer. But they suspended me for complaining about the terrible service, so I moved my business elsewhere. In spite of the good employees they've been able to hire, the understanding of the customer base at the top is pretty poor.
posted on October 31, 2001 08:31:33 AM new
Maybe it's best that those who are unwilling to trust Auction Watch with their credit card information leave. After all, these are most likley the same users who don't trust, you, I or anyone else for tha matter. I've found these types of folks to be trouble makers, as it requires trust on the part of all involved to make for a succesfull online transaction.
posted on October 31, 2001 08:46:16 AM newI've found these types of folks to be trouble makers
I sure hope you didn't mean that. AW is losing some of the best & brightest.
People who patiently sat here for hours working w/people who had computer problems..trying to help solve them.
People who willingly & freely shared information on places to get insurance, postage, galleries, counters, website hosting, image hosting & more things that I can think of.
People who offered the experience of their years selling & buying on ebay.
People who even shared their sources.
THOSE are the type of folks who are leaving AW. It IS going to be a loss for some months to come.
Come tomorrow, let's see who's left to step up to the plate to answer questions.
posted on October 31, 2001 09:10:26 AM newI prefer to to converse and receive and give help from those who have shown the ability to use practicality in their judgements.
computerboy,
If my recollection is right, you and I have agreed on basic business practices in many an interesting and informative thread you've started here. I find many of your opinions/theories/whatever you'd like to call them, quite sound and I've always enjoyed reading your posts.
However, this is one case where I'm afraid we disagree. You're painting way too wide a brush here with your blanket statements.
If I had a need to use AW's services, I would have no problem giving them my CC number. But I, like many others, strongly believe that AW does not intend to just use the CC for verification purposes. I think they want to start charging for the message boards with little to no notice beforehand (if you're not already using their other paid services), or they want to limit the use of the message boards to those who already pay for the other services and who (of course) do not object to this new mandate of their because they already have their CC on file with AW.
If they had come out with a statement to the effect that effective tomorrow only paying AW members may post on the message boards, I would have understood. At least it would have been more honest. And if AW is still around and I find myself in need of their services someday, I'll happily give them my CC number. No problem.
But I don't need their services right now, so I'll be one of the "lurkers only" after today.
posted on October 31, 2001 09:20:09 AM new
The site will slowly die because so few new people will be added. Who in their right mind will go to a new site, and give them their credit card number for verification JUST to write a message? I don't think that will happen. Eventually, older people who do will move on, and there will be nobody there to take their place. It is called a downward spiral, and considering the financial situation of auctionwatch, perhaps planned.
posted on October 31, 2001 12:29:58 PM new
I know about all the possible offline abuses of CC information, yet it is *because* of that factor that I draw little distinction between the two, in the sense the offline abuses, and the online problems, are one reason I scarcely use my CC, except for the major portions of travel-related expenses. This has saved me who-knows-how-many hours in checkout lines, and saves me in only having to deal with 1-4 CC bills a year, instead of 12. Online only adds the problem of too many companies keeping CC information on servers accessible through the Internet, servers whose security/patch level is not necessarily up-to-date.
Several high-profile incidents of theft have occurred, and overall, on and offline, various related types of theft are pushing a 1M count of how many consumers are affected per year. While $50 fraud loss limits exist, at least on some cards, cleaning up the damage if fraud occurs can take many months and a possible credit rating hit. While nothing in life is ever 100% risk-free, providing CC information to merely post on AW (as much as I've enjoyed my time here) is simply not worth it, in my opinion.
So... farewell to the posters, moderators, and AW itself. It's been fun.
----
What's being done in the name of direct marketing nowadays is crazy.
The above are all just my opinions, except where I cite facts as such.
Oh, I am not dc9a320 anywhere except AW. Any others are not me.
Is eBay is changing from a world bazaar into a bizarre world?
posted on October 31, 2001 01:02:42 PM new
vargas:
To my recollection, Auction Watch and other online websites ask for the use of userid's when creating a profile on their website. Should any ask or require my name, I'd be pleased to provide it. I have nothing to hide and have always stood behing my postings and my business and its practice.
As far as the requesting of credit card information, Auction Watch's policy of collecting this information may very well be a liability issue. There's a need know who their users are in case problems arise with unmonitored postings. The presumtion that Auction Watch may sometime at their discrecion charge your credit card for services without authorization is silly. eBay has our credit card info, as does Amazon and a long list of other retailers. fact is, this information is retained at every location you or I have ever used our credit cards. It is for this reason that card protections are in place for us by our card offerers.
posted on October 31, 2001 01:22:23 PM new
I did not question your level of paranoia computerboy. I only challenged your statement: you must all live very paranoid lives. A paranoid person does not post to internet message boards under their real name.
My credit card information is all over the internet -- but only at places with which I do business and for payment purposes only.
I don't owe AW any money, AW doesn't need my credit card number. Period.
I don't see any paranoia in that.
edited to add: If AW were concerned about "liability" regarding any postings, it would require real identification, not a simple credit card, which does not prove your identity.
posted on October 31, 2001 01:26:10 PM new
The real point is that the boards will whither and die, because most people feel that way about credit card information. Any barrier to such a low gain activity will severly limit participation.
