These are all good suggestions. Some quick reactions:

-- One big question is who has the time to serve as the sheriff? We can add requirements, simple or complex, but who will administer them? Writing to the sellers, demanding compliance, removing listings, etc.?

-- I like the idea of requiring serial numbers, either included in the listings or reported to the administrators, but again we face the question of who has the spare time to enforce the rules?

-- I believe that when someone lists seeking "best offer" or "best price above $XX,YYY", they should be required to post the result of the transaction.

-- Through 12-1/2 years of operating these forums, I have never heard of anyone rapped off by the scammers. Perhaps we have gotten lucky; perhaps we should thank the vigilant members who "out" the scammers, but I do not believe that the scammers have had any success here.

-- Within the next year, I expect to replace the software that we use for the forums. Perhaps this will be the time to use a more secure sales platform.

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions, for the policing and for making the Chronocentric forums such a great place for the enthusiasts. We will not let the bad guys ruin this!!

Jeff

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

: Hi Jeff,
: In those last times scammers seem to be stronger than ever, and
: this makes Chronotrader always more dangerous for buying watches
: from not well-known collectors...fortunately the users make a
: wonderful job to catch the scammers, but the risk to fall into
: their net is high...

: I know you don't wanna be the "sheriff" of this wonderful
: forum and of the affiliated Chronotrader, but, at this point,
: why not put some few basic rules for everyone wants to sell
: their watches on this forum?
: Obviously the well-known users would not need them (who would not
: trustly buy a watch from Darren, or Amer, or Jorge, or StewartM,
: just to quote the first names that come in my mind) but there
: are many people new here that arrive and post their FS ads
: without any knowledge about them...

: Would be quite simple IMO, e.g.
: - not allowed put on sale a watch without any image of it;
: - at least one image must have, on the background and near the
: watch, the date and the email (or the nick name) of the seller,
: written obviously with a pencil and not as post-elaboration of
: the image.

: On other fora a new user must present himself (sometimes in a
: separate room) before he can post something, here instead seems
: more and more like a Far-West...

: My 2 cents.

: Best.

: Gianluca