Have you ever come across a servers seller on a forum with a super low price and thought "Woah, what a deal"? I have too. But many times scammers use low prices to sucker people in. Losing your money can happen so quickly if you are not careful. Let's examine what to do when buying servers from forums.
• Look for sellers that have older accounts and positive reviews.
• See if the seller has some credibility amongst the other members.
• Avoid sellers with other issues in their profile (e.g. no real info, etc.).
Why do scammers use new accounts? They sucker a few people then they leave and never return.
• Always use PayPal Goods & Services or credit card.
• Don't use crypto, wire transfers, or friends and family.
• Ask yourself, if this goes wrong, will I have any way to get my money back?
I once purchased a server that didn't work, but because I used PayPal Goods & Services, I was able to get a refund.
• Ask for proof like screenshots or server login.
• Your goal here is to see if their answers are helpful or if they are just copypaste text.
• If they get mad about the amount of questions, take note of that behavior.
• If a seller won't answer simple questions, consider purchasing from someone else.
For me, I’d rather pay a little extra than lose everything to a fake seller. What about you?
Check Who You Are Buying From
The first step is to check the seller's profile. If they are new to the forum and just joined a few days before their "great deal," this should create some suspicion.• Look for sellers that have older accounts and positive reviews.
• See if the seller has some credibility amongst the other members.
• Avoid sellers with other issues in their profile (e.g. no real info, etc.).
Why do scammers use new accounts? They sucker a few people then they leave and never return.
Use Safe Payment Methods
Many people lose money using unsafe payment methods. Never send money in a way that you can't recover.• Always use PayPal Goods & Services or credit card.
• Don't use crypto, wire transfers, or friends and family.
• Ask yourself, if this goes wrong, will I have any way to get my money back?
I once purchased a server that didn't work, but because I used PayPal Goods & Services, I was able to get a refund.
Ask the Questions First
Scammers hate answering questions, and the more questions you ask, the easier they are to see.• Ask for proof like screenshots or server login.
• Your goal here is to see if their answers are helpful or if they are just copypaste text.
• If they get mad about the amount of questions, take note of that behavior.
• If a seller won't answer simple questions, consider purchasing from someone else.
Price Compare With Real Providers
Sure, forum deals may look cheap. But sometimes cheap means trouble later on. Always price compare with reputable hosting companies. It may be a bit more, but you’ll have real support and safety. Think about if your site goes down at midnight—would you not want real support?Final Words
Buying servers from forums is okay, but you really need to keep your eyes wide open. Check the seller, make payments safely, ask questions, and price compare. Follow these steps and you can steer clear of scams.For me, I’d rather pay a little extra than lose everything to a fake seller. What about you?