sharon knowles

1. The closet classified user: This user has a phobia about being seen as a classified user and always uses a pseudonym. Most sites allow anonymous browsing and registration is only necessary when placing an advert.
2. The habitual classified user: This user makes their favourite classified site their first port of call when logging online. They spend as long as four to five hours a day on their chosen classifieds site, searching for bargains and reading adverts. What distinguishes these users is that they rarely buy anything.
3. The bargain classified user: This user has several of the traits of the habitual user, but constantly buys online. Some of their chosen goods are not necessities, but the addicted bargain user believes that the purchases are “good buys” and continues to scour the site on a daily basis.
4. The scammer: This user is the enemy of every classified site. The scammer places adverts, usually in the “Pet” section, to play on the emotions of the user. A popular scam is to advertise pets for free and then to request payment for kennel or vet fees. Follow the security rules of the site to protect yourself from being scammed by these ruthless predators.

Classified sites are a good, convenient way to get rid of your household clutter and to pick up bargains, so ensure that your experience on the classified site is rewarding

Tags: online classifieds, type of classified user

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Dealfish constantly monitors adverts placed on its site, but advises users to be alert:

• Meet in person in a public place to see or show the product before exchanging money.
• Never send or transfer money to sellers or buyers. Dealfish does not offer any sort of buyer protection program or secure payment system, so never provide your personal or banking information over the internet, or directly to the buyer/seller.
• Notify Dealfish of any attempted fraud or suspicious e-mails or adverts.
• Use your common sense. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
  • You receive an unsolicited e-mail offering to buy your item without seeing it beforehand.
  • The money is offered for your sale item, as a deposit for an apartment, or just about anything else
  • The seller claims that confirmation code is needed before he can withdraw your money. This false. Once you’ve sent money, it is gone.
  • Suspicious offers often come from Nigeria, Cameroon and Zimbabwe, but could come from anywhere.
  • The cheque is probably fake.
  • Sometimes accompanies an offer of merchandise.
  • The scammer asks for your name and address for printing on the fake cheque.
  • Most online escrow sites are fraudulent and operated by scammers.
  • Scammer says they trust you with a partial payment.
  • Scammer may say they have already posted or shipped the goods and will give you a tracking number. This is a lie.

SOUND THE ALARM WHEN:
A distant buyer offers a high monetary offer in exchange for your item:

A distant seller requests payment via Paypal:

A seller offers to send you a cashier’s cheque and then asks you to wire money:

A distant seller suggests use of an online escrow service:

A distant seller asks for a partial payment upfront, after which they will ship goods:

Phishing: these scams have extended to instant messaging services, including Skype.

The reality is that fraud is everywhere, but Dealfish strives to offer users the best possible experience. Just be diligent and be aware, and you’ll be an expert trader in no time.

Dealfish – online classifieds

Tags: free online classifieds, online classifieds

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2009-12-29 09:55

Marelize Potgieter

Cape Town – An online advertisement from a South African woman, apparently offering her baby for adoption, has sent shock waves across the internet.

The advert, under the headline: “Nice cute baby boy for adoption”, was removed from the Dealfish website about an hour after it was posted on Wednesday.

The ad continued: “hello we are having a baby boy for adoption to any barren home and those who need a baby only. so if you are interested then mail back for details.”

Dealfish is a free classified advertising website in the MIH Internet Africa group.

The site’s head, Sharon Knowles, said Dealfish had to act from an ethical perspective and remove the ad.

“I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the advert,” she said.

She and her colleagues e-mailed the woman from their private addresses to try to find out more, so they could report her to the police. “We asked her how much she wanted for the baby and where she lives, but she didn’t respond.”

Child trafficking

Knowles said Dealfish is a relatively new site, and advertisers are asked to indicate where they want their advert to appear.

They found the advert was supposed to be visible in Cape Town, Bloemfontein, Port Elizabeth, Durban, Pretoria, East London and Johannesburg.

Dealfish policy is to take down ads that don’t conform to their ethical code and to block the poster’s e-mail address.

Marié Louw, a Cape Town social worker who deals with adoption at the Western Cape Social Welfare Department, said the advert amounts to child trafficking, as it is illegal to take money for a child in an adoption.

She said adoption is covered by strict rules, and the priority is finding a suitable home for each child.

“We look for parents for children, not children for parents,” she said.

- Die Burger

Tags: dealfish, head of classifieds, mihinternet, sharon knowles

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Facebook took the world by storm, allowing millions to connect and even more to re-connect.

Is this a good or bad thing many social media analysts debate. Social media strategists often remark of the  positive aspects this can have on branding and the influence of potential acquisitions.

Being a strategist in the online media world i have the opportunity of meeting wonderful and rather different people from all walks of life.

They enrich my life and every now and then i get to speak to a person who literally rocks my world.

So to the lady , and i wont mention names, i say thank you in a way i know how. Thank you for sharing and for saying so much more. Silence is often measured by the success of the conversation, and when you meet at a level of secure platforms then you may feel comfortable and share the silence which dissapates between the lines of trust.

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Tags: ananzi, autism, Little Leaps, sharon knowles

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