Hello Disney Collectors,<br />
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Due to a recent uptick in user reports we wanted to be sure to reach out to cover some of the commonly reported Trade scams and issues of this nature. <br />
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<u><b>Common Trade Scams:</b></u><br />
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<b>"I'm leaving the app and giving away all my cards":</b> <br />
This is a commonly utilized trade scam where a user claims to be leaving the app and as such, they're giving away their cards. While there may be some situations where this is true, we've seen a common thread of these kinds of trades result in innocent users being scammed out of their cards. Similar to other scams, users may find that they have traded away cards that they did not intend to in these exchanges. <br />
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<b>"Accept the trade within x seconds":</b><br />
Commonly referred to as the "3-second game", this is usually an offer that can be categorized under "too good to be true". In this scam, collectors will accept this offer to find that they lost cards in the trade that they did not intend to trade away. <br />
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<b>Cross-trade scams:</b><br />
Collectors often enjoy acquiring cards in multiple apps at once, and naturally, users may want to exchange cards in one app for cards in another. We understand this desire, however, this is considered to be extremely risky, as this trade activity falls outside of the supported app functionality. As stated in the Community Policy engaging in cross-trades is solely at the discretion of the participating users, and not supported by our apps. <br />
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If you decide to participate in a cross-trade with another user, please be sure to do your due diligence and ensure that the user in question is indeed the user you’re looking to trade with. <br />
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Common Scams Include:<br />
- <b>Collector Impersonation:</b> Similarly named collector claims to be an established collector in another app and offers to initiate a cross-trade. <br />
- <b>Bargain not Honored:</b> A user in one app will accept the trade and not accept the corresponding trade in the other app. <br />
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<b>Third-Party Account & Card Sales:</b><br />
Buying accounts or cards on a third party site is always risky and is highly inadvisable as this exchange can be prone to a wide variety of scams, chargebacks, and/or false advertisements. <br />
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If you decide to purchase an account, please be sure to do your due diligence and avoid issues such as purchasing an account that no longer has trading or purchasing privileges. <br />
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Reminder, third party solicitation is against our Community Policy and as such users who post about selling cards or accounts, are subject to disciplinary measures. <br />
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<u><b>Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):</b></u><br />
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<b>Q: I believe a user just tried to or successfully scammed me, what should I do?</b><br />
<I>A: Please report the user via their <b>Account Profile > Report</b> (include as much info as possible for context), then reach out to Customer Support via <b>Settings > Support</b> so we can address the concern and take warranted steps.<br />
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<b>Note: Calling out users in the app is against the Community Policy and doing so may result in disciplinary measures.</b></I><br />
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<b>Q: How can I avoid scams and trade with more confidence?</b><br />
<I>A: In the immortal words of TLC “Don’t go chasing waterfalls. Please stick to the rivers and the lakes that you're used to.” Forming trade partnerships, and making friends with your fellow collectors is the best way to avoid scam accounts. <br />
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Also, trading with reputable collectors, those with high Trade Scores (4-5 stars) and a fair number of trades, is the best way to avoid trading issues.</I><br />
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<b>Q: How can I improve my Trade Score and build my reputation?</b><br />
<I>A: Offer fair trades to your fellow collectors! A relatively balanced trade should contain cards of relatively equal rarity or perceived value (ex: a Rare for a Rare), but keep in mind that not all cards within a Rarity are created equal due to how the card was released or it’s Global Count. <br />
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Not sure what your trade partner will accept or what they’re looking for? Send a fair trade and ask them directly what they’re willing to trade the card in question for.</I><br />
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<b>Q: I have been suspended or banned, what should I do?</b><br />
<I>A: In most cases, we will send you a notice in regards to action taken against your account via your Inbox. If you do not see a notice, please feel free to reach out to Customer Support via <b>Settings > Support</b> for additional information on your suspension/ban.</I><br />
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<b>Q: What measures has Topps taken to address the concerns with “farming” and “cycling” accounts?</b><br />
<I>A: We've taken steps to mitigate the abuse of our apps by select collectors seeking an unfair advantage over their peers.<br />
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Please know that we will strive to ensure our collectors are on an even playing field and that our apps are fun & fair places to collect, play, & trade.<br />
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As always, we will continue to work on our community's behalf to combat malicious accounts and ensure a fair app environment. Together we continue to work toward a better app experience for all collectors.</I><br />
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If you have other concerns or questions that have not been addressed above, please reach out to Customer Support via <b>Settings > Support</b>.<br />
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Best,<br />
Chuck (TOPPS_ADMIN)
