[meteorite-list] IMCA: is the education the only answer?

From: Basilicofresco <dave28_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:31:27 2004
Message-ID: <3.0.1.32.20040225140548.0209dfc0_at_popmail.iol.it>

Dear list members,

I'm not still a IMCA member (the application is pending) but I want to
express my opinion about the IMCA strategy against the fraudulent auctions.

Magellon wrote:

>>> [about glassface1]
>IMCA is the answer. The more new persons who join, the more who will be
>educated to the glassface1's.

Ok, but:

A) the IMCA website was down and there wasn't a backup site. It was harder
to know what exactly the IMCA is and what it does. At the moment very few
people know the new address (www.IMCA.cc) and the change of domain affected
negatively the association. It's very important to have one trustful
address to add to the business cards.

B) to educate himself joining this list is not an "easy n' fast way". First
of all he has to subscribe. Newbies prefers to read dummy-proof webpages.
Second problem there are a lot of messages. A newbie with a still weak
motivation could abandon the list early. Last but not least there is a very
low newbie_topics/advanced_topics messages ratio.

C) the solution to the frauds cannot be _only_ the "education". A lot of
first time meteorite buyers do not dream to become a meteorite expert with
a huge collection. They just want to buy a genuine piece of matter coming
from the outer space. When someone decides to educate himself subscribing
this list he already know the "fake-meteorites auctions" problem. Knowing
this problem is the main thing! A lot of newbie with low ebay-experience
believe to what they read in the object description. Due the "ebay buyer
protection" they feels safe and so they buy.

When a non-this_list-subscribed ebay user wonder about the authenticity of
a meteorite in an near-ending auction he looks for a fast answer.
For example how can a non-subscribed guy can be aware about the glassface1
thread?
Subscribing the list will not help him: the messages about glassface1 are
already gone and subscribing and waiting for an answer takes days.
Also searching in old messages is an inefficient and slow process.

My suggestion is to put on the IMCA website an easy to reach page with the
current suspected auctions.

Something like this:

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RISKY AUCTIONS

auction fraud risk problem

2222222222 meteorwrong galaxy meteorites are homemade plastic sculptures

2222222223 medium doubtful image, the seller is 0 feedback

2222222224 high doubtful images, the seller is a well known fake meteorite
seller

ASK US an opinion about a doubtful auction not listed above.

Click here to see past suspected auctions.

Disclaimer
The opinions stated in this page are only meteorite experts opinions based
on available informations. Please do not sue us.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The link "ASK US" may take the user to a form where he could send a
preformatted synthetic signalling message to this list and so on... the
loop is closed.

It would be useful also a faq of this list and a synthetic guide to
meteorwrongs including links to the best written pages about this topic.
(I do not remember if these things were already presents on the IMCA website)

What do you think about this idea?

bye,

> Dave <
Received on Wed 25 Feb 2004 08:05:48 AM PST