The overwhelming majority of Pathfinder Exchange users are trustworthy and well-meaning.
As with all transactions, please practice caution when interacting with others.
The sections below have some information about best practices for ensuring your safety.
In Person Transactions
While the Majority of those associated with clubs and conferences of the Seventh-day Adventist church are good and well-meaning Christians, when meeting someone for the first time, please remember to:
- Pray for the safety and protection of God
- Insist on a public meeting place like a bank or police department. Some police departments have buy/sell areas set aside for meeting.
- Do not meet in a secluded place or invite strangers into your home.
- Be especially careful buying/selling high value items.
- Tell a friend or family member where you’re going.
- Consider having a friend or family member accompany you.
- Trust your instincts.
Taking these simple precautions helps make pathfinder exchange safer for everyone.
Online Scams
Pathfinder Exchange takes great care in verifying and vetting users to ensure scammers are not present, but despite our best efforts, sometimes they may still get into the community.
You may encounter someone pretending to be a PFX user or other trusted authority in order to get your money, items, or personal information. We have gathered some indicators that may help you stay safe and identify fake offers on the exchange:
Avoiding Scams
Deal locally, face-to-face —follow this one rule and avoid the vast majority of scam attempts.
DO NOT:
- provide or accept payment before meeting in person
- requests to wire money are scams
- requests to pay with gift cards are scams
- requests to deposit a cashier’s check are scams
- requests to use a escrow service can be a scam
- requests for a half-down deposit may be scams
- provide any financial information – e.g. bank account number, cash app logins, etc.
- provide any personal information – social security number, licenses, job references
Beware of:
- offers involving shipping or movers
- “guaranteed” transactions or payment processing services
- requests to call or email for more information
- requests for a “code” or “verification” – these are always a scam
A good Pathfinder Exchange interaction will:
- Use text or email to discuss a specific listing, item, or exchange
- Use keyword phrases and questions associated with pathfinders, adventurers, and/or the Seventh-day Adventist Church to vet listing users
- Arrange to meet in a safe, public place, such as a police department
- Improve humanity 🙂
Identifying Scams
Sometimes it’s difficult to tell if something is a scam.
We have gathered some examples of scams sent to users so that you can learn how scammers try to trick people into giving up items, money, or personal information.
Phishing
Phishing is a type of scam that attempts to steal personal information such as accounts, passwords, and financial information.
You may receive messages that appear to be from craigslist or craigslist users asking you to:
- click on a link to log in to an account or service
- send a code for “verification”
- fill out a form on another site
- download an attachment
These are “phishing attacks” by scammers wanting to trick you into providing your personal information.
If you have interacted with someone trying to gain access to your personal information, make sure to change your password immediately.
Please flag any postings and emails involved and see our reporting scams page for further resources.
Phone and Email Scams
Warning signs for potential scams:
- Pretending to be an authority figure such as a religious leader, professional or Government official
- Creating a sense of urgency
- Telling a detailed story which is meant to Illicit Sympathy
- Price is too good to be true
- Item needs to be shipped before payment is Received
- Asking for Payment online through a specific link or site (scammers can make fake sites)
- Referencing a well-known company or organization
- Promising a payment method is “safe”
- Pretending they have passed a verification process
- offering to pay upfront (scammers can use fake or canceled payments such as certified checks or wire transfers)
- Offering to overpay or asking for extra funds to be sent back
- Requesting personal information
- Making unclear requests to illicit information
- Using threats to create a sense of urgency
Do not respond to any messages you think are scams.
You can report scam texts by forwarding them to SPAM (7726).
Example of a text message scam:
“Your account was reported as fraudulent. Text back with your email address so we can verify that this phone number is associated with your pathfinder exchange account. Otherwise it will be permanently erased. -The pathfinder exchange team”
If you are worried about your postings and/or account, you can always check your posting and account status by logging in to your account.
Do not click on any links provided; instead, navigate directly to PFExchange.org from your browser. Scammer can create fake and mirror websites using links.
Harassment
The Pathfinder Exchange Team does contact users Repetitively for the purposes of solicitation. We will not ask you for personal or account information over the phone.
If you feel you are being harassed or threatened, consider contacting your local law enforcement agency.
Compromised Personal Information
If you find someone has posted your personal information such as your name, address, phone number or other information on Pathfinder Exchange, please contact us to have the post and information removed. Email contact@pfexchange.org or use the form on the contact page.