Guide:Trading safely with other players
This is a guide on the subject of trading safely with other players.
Last updated on December 4, 2021.
Trading is a great way to improve a character's gear and to turn items you can't use into items you can. But there are potential pitfalls as well.
In Path of Exile, you are responsible for your own actions. This includes what you put into and get out of a trading window. Some bad actors have been known to abuse the usually fast pace of trading to "scam" or trick people out of their valuable items or currency. If you accept a trade, nobody can help you reverting it, if the other party is not willing to cooperate, not even the GGG support. But what can you do about it? Here are some tips:
Take your time
If you are trading for a valuable item like a 6-link, take your time and look exactly that you are not getting a 4-2-link or 5-link. A tactic know to happen is the scammer putting in the correct item, but then canceling the trade, starting the trade again and putting in the wrong item. The other way around, when they are buying the item with currency, they will put in almost the right amount, cancel and put in substantially less.
Avoid service trades
It is not uncommon to struggle on a boss and seeing advertisements in the global or trade chats for help with them. Most of the time, these are players that are just enjoying the content or are trying to complete a challenge. Some of them are asking for a fee for their service. Sadly there are bad actors who will come to your aid, take your money, but won't complete the service. Another tactic is to take the loot of the boss and leaving you with nothing. If you are engaging in this type of paid service, be aware that you are taking a risk and be very aware of what the other party is doing. If possible insist on payment after complete service, but if you are the providing party, you won't want to accept this, because they might take your service, but not pay for it. A compromise might be to pay a small amount up front and pay the remaining amount later.