Preventing Scammers from, well...scamming.

Ok this has nothing to do with item trades. I am now starting a running business and have had my first scam. The fact I was gyped out of my money is not the pressing issue though, but then again it is. I have a few ideas now that may help to prevent scamming, but I'd like to hear what you people have to say about these ideas and any you may have come up with during your time on GW. I know some of you don't condone runners, so please refrain from posting your oppinions on the matter.

I was thinking that I could ask my clients to give me their chest armor until I get to the destination, write their name in a "run client" notebook (so in the case of somthing happening, I could get back up with them), and trade them back their armor for the running fee upon reaching the destination. I could do that or have them pay me on the last map before the actual location or before entering town waypoints. Any other ideas would be great.

Its a good idea, but people are too paranoid now a days. They think you might run off and salvage their armor or something, but since they havent reached forge who would care. Good idea though, try it and see if they go for it.

No intelligent person would give up their armor for a run. Just do the usual, pay halfway. Then both parties are taking equal risks.

I'd go for that, although I'm not sure how my character would fare without his armour. Creative solution; I'd say try it, hopefully you'll get a good reputation.

I sure hope I can build a good name for myself. Everyone I have run has been very pleased with me and many have payed extra just because I was a good, trustworthy, and kind runner. So I hope I can keep the track record. I think asking for payment at the last map is a good idea, but what keeps people from saying they want to go to a certain place and upon arriving in an earlier city (being the actual one they want to get to), leaving without paying? I guess now that I brought it up, it will happen more often.

If your running takes you to multiple towns, demand a portion of the payment on each area before each town.

its a good idea but stop with that avatar its annoying as hell

My friend hired sombody to run us to Yaks Bend (a long while back) He said he'd cover the expenses for me and him. I go to school with him and I was like, " okay, cool" So the runner demands 500 now and 500 at yaks bend. My friend pays him the first 500 and when we get there he whispers me saying ''SWITCH DISTRICTS WE AREN'T PAYIN' HIM!''

I laughed soooo hard.

So basically your saying you and your friend have no Honor?

See, that's the kind of mentality I hate. If you're not truly willing to pay it or just don't have the money, DONT GO. Runners like me are offering up thier time to help you and all you can think of is how to cheat us out of our money while still getting to where you need to go. The general distrust between players is insane. I mean c'mon! You can't even trade without having to worry about being scammed. I'm not going to talk on this any longer, at least in this post.

The percentage of 'cheaters' is going to be small compared to those who legitimately pay. As someone said, collect at various points along the path. First time they don't pay, boot them.

Typical Droknar's Forge run & collection points:

Beacon's Perch (none)--->Snake Dance: 1k--->Camp Rankor: 1k--->Droknar's Forge: 1k

Of course the amount you collect is up to you. That was just an example.

I like the point-to-point pay idea. I also like your armor idea. If you were to switch armor with someone (i.e. you boots or something small like that) then you each want that piece of armor back. So when you return the armor you pay the due gold and get your armor back. If they don't pay and just try giving back the armor don't take it. You can always make those new boots or whatever. OK now that I think about it, that idea isn't very good. So do point-to-point.

Sergio Leone

So you're both RED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GOwits.
I have the greatest respect for the draknor runners. They're highly skilled, tons of respect there.
Being a passenger gets you no respect though, and passengers who scam are dogshit.

When ever I run people on my warrior for yaks bend ( pretty much only run I do) I always tell them to pay upfront or good luck finding another cheap runner.

shameless plug: Muramasa Tenrou ascended W/Mo 20 only 600g for yaks.

This is something I don't understand. Why do people pay to have someone "run" them someplace? Doesn't that defeat the purpose of the game?

Some people have played through the game so many times that they don't even want to bother reapeating everything again. Or some people just want to get as many skills/best armor they can get for pvp reasons. People have different reasons, 1 person I ran said they just wanted a change of scenery, heh.