Avoiding Scams on Hoobly

Hoobly has in place a pretty good fraud detection algorithm, which relies upon user feedback, member behavior patterns, network analysis as well as other inputs to determine whether a member may be engaging in fraudulent activity.

Nevertheless there are a couple things you should keep in mind when dealing on Hoobly that will keep you safe from losing your money:

1. Once you've discovered a scam it's your responsibility as a good Hoobly'er to submit a complaint. The complaint system relies heavily on complaints (stands to reason), so do your part when you discover the filthy bums!
2. Hoobly is not involved in any transactions
   • If anyone tells you that Hoobly will guarantee any transaction they're lying.
   • If anyone says they're a friend of Hoobly's owner they're lying.
3. Don't send money via Western Union Western Union sucks, period. There's no way to trace who got your money, and there's no way to get it back. If you send funds via MoneyGram (Western Union) you can kiss that money goodbye because you'll never see it again, ever.
4. If it sounds too good to be true it is. Don't be suckered into thinking you're getting that late-model motorcycle for pennies on the dollar. Items sold for well under their regular price are scams.
5. Don't accept cashier's checks or money orders because scammers have gotten very good and counterfeiting them. They'll send you a cashier's check for $3,000 on a $2,000 item and tell you they "trust" you to send them the difference. When you go to deposit the check or money order with your bank they'll cash it and won't let you know it's a fake until they find out perhaps weeks later; then you're on the hook for the money, plus you could be prosecuted for dealing in counterfeit items.
6. Don't believe you've won the lottery or that some Prince has died and left you a fortune You don't really need me to explain this one do you?
7. Beware of "escrow" services which, almost without exception, have been set up by scammers to fool you. If someone offers to use an escrow service in your transaction then run away, run away quickly.
8. Don't give out personal information like your social security number, bank account number, etc.
9. Be very wary of overseas transactions. While it may not be out of the ordinary for a member in Nigeria to want to buy a motorcycle from another member in Nigeria, it's almost definately a scam if they want to buy your motorcycle from San Diego.
10. If they won't meet you face to face they're a scammer. Here's the scenario: The ad the scammer has placed says they're from New York, then you contact them and they say "Oh I moved to Atlanta", or "I'm stationed in Okinawa" or some other such nonsense. If they avoid personal contact with you avoid financial contact with them.