I love buying used things. But I prefer phone number. Why? If you can hear distortion? You can hear someone's bullshit loud and clear.
If it's anything expensive? Ask for a video uploaded to youtube. You can fake photos. Harder to fake a video.
There is just one more thing I had to learn the hard way. If you are purchasing speakers with PORTS?
I would stay clear of those coming from places known to have "Critters" . Found an amazing pair of tower speakers. Purchased them. Put them in my Van. And about 45 min later? They were thrown in the Dumpster at my work site.
If your going to buy used anything? Make sure to put it in a sealed bag and don't let it in your house until you KNOW there is nothing in there that's going to cost you a LOT more then the money you saved on the gear you got for a great price.
Also, as nice as Squares Cash App is? It's the scammers best friend. Avoid unless you know the person on the other end. I got shafted for more than $2,000 bucks from that.
If anyone contacts you first? Like right after you make a purchase? (Often done on ebay) Cancel your order. Don't even think about negotiating.
This just happned to me last week.
Bid on an item. Won it. Then told "They Ran out". Will you take another color they asked. Sure? I said. Then when I got it? It was nothing like what was for sale on the listing.
They talk your head off saying they will fix it. Send you out another part etc. And they drag their feet till you are past the return window, etc.
Here is a more devious method that has came up in the last few years that should worry you if you happen to live alone.
If you get sent a package, and there is anything in it that is illegal? The sender can call the cops, report you for having said contraband, then get you arrested, then while you are away from your home? They have free reign to visit your house while the cops arrested you and take you out of your home while "Sender" visits and cleans you out while you are in custody for a few hours.
If you ever get a package that you did not expect? LEAVE it there on the porch. DO NOT take it inside.
Doing this can allow an officer to enter your home without warrant and charge you for whatever is in that box.
You don't even need to open it. Don't put it in your car to return it to Amazon or whatever shipping label it was sent with. Call the company listed on the box if there is one, and have them take care of it.
Some of you will be selling your networked music servers and avr's soon. RESET THE DEVICE TO FACTORY SETTINGS BEFORE YOU SEND IT OUT!
This also applies for those that buy used apple TV's, Amazon Fire sticks etc.
I bought one and it still has an active accounts on it. That payment info? It can be kept local on the unit, and boom. I'm in.
I can even fake the location of the unit to spoof that I'm at your house with your old device you sold me.
I know have not only your payment info. I now have full control over your home security system if it was on the same network and you used alexa for it. Or even Google etc.
There is a LOT of things you guys really got to watch out for. And it's not just people trying to scam you out of some money.
The security of audio devices on your networks are laughable. And you got to take precautions as I have seen more and more of this as of late. I just don't publish articles about this anymore. But its something you really should think about before selling anything you have put on your network, or buying something that is network enabled.
If your going to use Cash? Make sure they did not take the bills, bleach them, and print them to be a larger amount. Inspect them.
I know it sucks. But if your dealing with large amounts of cash? DO NOT GO ALONE TO MAKE THE PURCHASE.
A great tip about looking at Photos. Have them send you one. Look if there is a window. If you know where they are shipping from? Then you know the weather. If they send you a photo and it's sunny outside? But its like 5 PM and its winter and its Pitch dark? Something doesn't add up.
If your dealing with someone via EMAIL? You can look at the header and see what timezone it was sent from and other info that might be in the email to further help with weeding out scammers.
If someone posts a LINK here to click on an auction etc?
Open in in a PRIVATE BROWSER SESSION. When you close it? They won't be able to track you by putting in cookies in your browser or read your Cookies to see what dirt they can get from you or the places you frequently visit.
Your Browser just reports this out to the world.
Just by going to any link, your telling the whole world who you bank with. What cards you own. What payment services you use. Etc.
I hope you get the message about your devices you use on your network and choose to sell of purchase. Even if you do the reset? Remember that your buying gear made by an Audio company. Not a tech or Security company. So be careful. Even with a full factory reset? Chances are there may still be a large log file kept on the device that may still have sensitive info on it.
And it's only a few keystrokes and a jumper away from anyone who wants it.
Its long overdue? But there should be a thread here showcasing the dangers and precautions of networked audio gear, and how to EOL' it when your done with it.
Amir, you should really talk about this subject as he used to work for microsoft and should know about this stuff.
It would make a fantastic article.