Members without scruples- a continuation

Perhaps a way to combat fraudulent feedback would be for Audiogon to set up a system where feedback could only be left by the two transacting parties. As it is now, anyone can leave feedback. Not totally fail-safe, but it would at least discourage the casual crook.

Although the thread topic primarily addresses potential fraud, I've found that some legitimate dealers seriously inflate their own feedback. As you probably know, many dealers cultivate shills to sell for them. This way the dealer can unload a slow-selling product without incurring the wrath of that product's manufacturer. Many manufacturers do not like their products dumped as it devalues their product in the secondary market. The dealer's have their shills provide feedback for every item they've dumped. Normally I could care less, but some fairly sleazy dealers use this tool to provide themselves with huge amounts of positive feedback, and to bury any negetive feedback they may have.
This ongoing practice makes dealer evaluation tricky. It's better to ask about a dealer on a forum and have responses emailed, rather than depend on Audiogon's feedback.

Your so correct Octopus.
Audiogon feedback is one of the largest jokes on the internet.
It is totaly useless.
The bone heads who run this site need to put a proper system in place.
Rives on ebay you can only leave fedback on a completed transaction. The seller is charged for a sale. So if they do it on ebay they do it at a cost. Here its scam away for free. You dont even need to place a classified.

Feedback is only a start. You have to use common sense too. Can the person write a listing? Good Photos? Check the feedback if your buying an expensive piece. Do they respond promptly and intelligently to questions. And not finally Call the seller and talk to them ! Most sellers on audiogon are great! But you still have to do your homework and ask all the right questions.