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Safety and Security...

We want you to enjoy using Astrofonix™ and to be safe while you're doing it.
Whether you're buying or selling, there are a few golden rules that you should abide by.
We have compiled a useful list below which should help you when you sell and purchase
on our site. With identity theft on the rise you need to be extra sure you know who you are dealing with in an online transaction. Although many consumers and ethical dealers have benefited greatly from the Internet, so too have crooked buyers & sellers.
As such, you need to be aware of potential scams to solicit deposits.

Buyers please beware! If you have bought an item from a private seller, you have no legal comeback if it turns out to be faulty. Therefore, check the goods thoroughly before handing over the money. If the seller still has the receipts, or a warranty, so much the better.

Keep Records.Be careful when meeting buyers at home.Most private advertisers sell their goods from home. For personal ease and safety, always ensure that there is a friend with you. If you're answering a home service ad, ask the advertiser to produce identity and proof of qualification before inviting them into your home.

If travel is involved in the transaction, always remember to write down the contact details of the people you are visiting, or the people who are visiting you. If, for whatever reason, you are unable to make the appointment, notify them in advance.

Paying with cash.For items that are not worth much, it's easier and more convenient to pay in cash. To be safe, don't take more cash than you need.Astrofonix™ recommends that buyers NEVER send cash or cheques through the post, or place money directly into a seller's bank account, in advance or expectation of receiving goods.

Overpayment scams.There are several different scams to watch out for but all are basically to do with overpayment for your goods.

One scam works when you are contacted by someone offering to pay for your item in full. They will say that they are living in a different country but that someone in such and such country owes them money. They will offer to send you a cheque for far more money than the actual price and then ask you to send the difference with the goods.

Another one works when the person who has agreed to buy your goods says a mistake has been made and instead of $100 the cheque has been made out for $1,000 and would you cash the cheque and send back the difference.

In both cases, the cheque will clear into your bank, only to be stopped/refused weeks later. At this point, the Banks will take the full cheque amount back out of your account. Not only will you have lost the goods, you will be out of pocket for the amount of their original cheque ($1,000) and the amount you passed on as the difference ($900).

If this happens to you, contact your local police or law enforcement Officer.

Valuable items.For valuable items - such as a car - you could ask for a personal cheque to be cleared before you part with your goods, and offer a receipt as proof of purchase. In the case of bankers' drafts, it is wise to go to the bank together and watch it being drawn up.

Business Multi-level marketing (MLM).Astrofonix™ takes care to ensure that all ads for agents, MLM and franchise jobs are legal and honest. However, when responding to these ads, make sure you are satisfied that any job description or offer is valid. If in doubt, seek professional advice before you make any commitment. Any advertiser who wishes to place an ad seeking investment may be asked to provide authorised approval, under the Financial Services Act.

Electrical equipment.

Paperwork - Ask if the buyer still has the receipt, guarantee or manuals and a record of any repairs which have been performed on all electrical equipment.

Audio - Check the condition and working order of any piece of equipment before you buy - there are no consumer laws governing private transactions if the goods turn out to be faulty. Take a familiar CD or cassette with you and ask if you can try it out - most people will be quite happy for you to test the equipment and ask questions.

Computers - Do a bit of research before you buy to ensure you will be getting exactly what you need from second hand computer equipment - the pace of change is blisteringly fast. Remember that manufacturers update equipment so frequently that the second hand computer market is excellent for nearly new bargains. Make sure that the advertiser's equipment is compatible with your own and that it matches the description in the ad

Software,Games,Movie & Music piracy - It is our official policy to help prevent the illegal sale of pirated goods. We therefore advise that you do not involve yourself in any transaction where the original disk, manual or licence agreement is not included with the sale. Such transactions infringe copyright law and may result in prosecution.

Rate the seller. Remember to rate and leave feedback about the seller at the end of your transaction. By using our feedback system, you provide future buyers more information about your experiences with specific sellers.

What kinds of buyer/seller behavior is considered suspicious. If you feel you are interacting with a seller or buyer and we should investigate, please let us know.

In some cases, suspicious sellers may:

request that you send your payment overseas

only accept Western Union or another money transfer service (e-Gold)

recommend an unfamiliar escrow or payment service

try to convince you not to use payment services which offer protection (ex. PayPal)

list an address that is different from their member rating page

refuse to give you a working shipment tracking number

continously provide excuses about why you haven't received an item

use images taken from other websites, or photos that are not of the item in their ad

sell suspect copies of software, music, or videos

sell an expensive popular item at a very low price

not be upfront about the authenticity of items for sale

try to immediately convince you to communicate outside of astrofonix.com™ (email, phone, IM).

In some cases, suspicious buyers may:

ask you to ship to an address different from their ad page
place large orders to be sent to a foreign location
say they will pay you half of what's due before they receive the item, and half payment afterwards
pay with an international credit card or cashier's check
recommend an unfamiliar escrow or payment service
try to immediately convince you to communicate outside of astrofonix.com™ (email, phone, IM).
insist on COD. It is important to note that many carriers (notably FedEx), will do very little to confirm the identity of the buyer, or validity of a payment instrument. This has allowed some fraudulent buyers to use fake cashier's check on CODs.

At some point after a deal has been reached, every buyer and seller will exchange contact information.That's normal.

Experience anything suspicious? If you have any questions about ensuring a safe transaction, or feel a seller is acting fraudulently, please contact us.