So you have time to type up a wall of text but can’t take 5 seconds to verify the price of what you are buying? Just because you’re careless when using the AH doesn’t mean you were scammed. I’ve been playing WOW for a dozen years and have never once been the “victim” of this “scam” because I pay attention when using the AH.
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When did I say I was victim to the scam?
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unfortunately OP, blizzard has all but endorsed this type of scam. there is nothing that can be done.
Nothing is dishonest about it. Prices are clearly listed. Nothing is hidden. Everything is upfront.
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I’ve been in the habit of always bidding these. Won about 500g of consumes and primals for 50g the other day when someone didn’t cancel in time.
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That doesn’t make it not dishonest, that makes it not fraud. Scams aren’t inherently illegal, fraud is and one of the driving desires of dishonesty is to pass it off as honesty. Whether something is dishonest resides within the state of mind of the person performing the action as to whether they are being dishonest or not, at which point you have to ask yourself if you think the poster actually believes their single dreamfoil is worth an 1800% markup.
And I know you nor I nor anyone believes that it is. At best you think you’re protecting the concept of a free market because, for some reason, you think this kind of unchecked market is good and I’ve already neatly explained why there is no good argument for how this is good for the game.
Yes, It does.
If a person is being upfront and not hiding anything. Its not a bait and switch. Its not fraud, its not a scam.
Just because you don’t like it doesn’t mean its dishonest, or a scam.
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It doesn’t matter if the person is upfront or not.
It is the intent that matters and makes it fraud and a scam.
They are putting it in the AH with the intent to swindle others out of their gold.
Yes, it is fraud and a scam.
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The intent is to sell the item at the specified price. The price that is clearly listed.
The purchaser is aware of the price. There is no scam, there is no fraud
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Then why are the auctions cancelled when someone bids on the item? Clearly that low bid is there for everyone to see and bid on, correct?
Sure. Nothing scammy about this at all.
No, the intent is to lure somebody into buying a massively overpriced item through inattention due to the way they are listed in the auction house.
It is an abuse of the auction house mechanics with the intent to abuse the inattention of somebody else.
Ever heard of Phishing? That’s exactly what this is. And Phishing is fraud.
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You can’t be dishonest if everything is known and clearly identified. Blizzard has also confirmed these are not scams in explicit terms.
You can’t be dishonest while being entirely honest. They pretty much are mutually exclusive.
Enticing buyers is not fraud nor dishonest.
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No its not.
actually, yes it does…
and how do you know that’s their intent? You don’t know much about how Auction Houses work in general, do you? That high buyout? It’s called a reserve buyout price, it’s quite common in RL auctions. Don’t blame your lack of attention or knowledge on supposed malfeasance of the other party.
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The answer is still no. At the end of the day all you’re arguing is the system itself, that is the auction house, is not dishonest which is irrelevant. It’s a system, it doesn’t have feelings or goals or intent. It was designed in a certain way and then users interact with it who can find quirks with it and inevitably find ways to use it to their advantage.
What really matters is the dishonesty of the poster, and when you look at the all the factors of how and why people post in this manner you can understand their intent and that is inherently what makes it dishonest. It’s not even a gray area, the idea that because their auction is plainly stated doesn’t make the posting methodology any less predatory and what makes this so disheartening is that this is beyond easy to do that quite literally anyone is capable of doing it, including the gold farmers.
Also Vrakthis’s post doesn’t validate your stance either, not even sure why you bother bringing it up. It’s simply a statement they won’t be actioning people for it (which we always knew) or changing AH behavior to combat this predatory posting practice, which is just disappointing. Neither changes the reality of what this is. The market is a laissez faire and that comes with a host of problems.
Blizzard is just being lazy because their customer service capabilities is down the tubes.
The same way judges and juries in a trial do when a defend pleads not guilty. You look at the evidence and the evidence overwhelmingly points to dishonesty.
To believe this you have to be willing to believe items like dreamfoil, which roughly has a market value of 50s-1g (maybe 2g on some servers) has a reserve buyout price of ~900g.
You don’t actually believe that. No one does.
So what? That’s neither here or there. Like I said, it’s a common practice in auctions. People who bid or buy blindly are fools.
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There is nothing to fix because stupid cannot be fixed. They set a price and that price is visible to everyone. If you choose to buy it, that is entirely your fault.
The best way is what has been suggested. Punish them for canceling the auction.
The most I can see being implemented is an optional confirmation box on bids and buyouts for those who want some protection.
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Well when you argue against “supposed malfeasance” it matters. Your argument doesn’t pass the reasonable person standard.
Honestly, people like you shouldn’t be allowed near an auction house. You can’t do the basic and rudimentary things like checking prices for what you are buying. Like I said said blind buyers are fools.
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