From: frank@halcyon.com (Frank Higgins)
Subject: How to handle cheaters and con artists
Organization: The 23:00 News and Mail Service
Distribution: na
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1992 19:30:48 GMT

For some time I've watched the traffic regarding a couple of unscrupulous
transactions. Questionable at least. Sometimes I read to see what level the
diatribe/actions have reached. I agree with everyone who has been ripped
off and I am very timid about buying and very careful with fingers crossed
when selling. Underlying all of the conversation is frustrated desire to
solve the problem and make the net a "safer" place to "live". One wonders
if the new administration will restore consumer protection that the Reagan
and Bush administrations dismantled - if 900 number ripoffs will be banned
from AT&T's operations. In the meantime, may I make a suggestion? Flame me
or anoint me as you wish.

	1) Establish a news group with a function akin to the
	   Better Business Bureau. BBB functions. How effectively I don't
	   know because I don't call or subscribe to BBB. Effectiveness of
	   such a news group depends on how it is set up and functions.
	2) Worry about lawsuits over defamation etc. should be no more of
	   a problem than it is to BBB. Responses to queries would merely
	   be quotation of complaints, reference to complainants or a
	   rating or merely a listing - or a combination of all. Some legal
	   begal out there should be able to guide in this matter. Truth
	   should prevail.
	3) False accusation could be parried by the threat of being listed.
	4) Listing could be made only on request, not a periodic
	   publication, or periodically published. Depends on size and
	   legal advice.
	5) IF the approach were to take the form of providing rating to
	   EVERYONE, good and bad, it could become onerous to maintain.
	   There could also be quibbles over whether some minor discrepancy
	   should cut a person's rating from 5-star to 4-star etc. Merely a
	   listing of definitely BAD behaviour, or questionable behaviour
	   should be sufficient. Depends on legal and on the designer(s) or
	   moderator(s) of the group (committee/board of directors?).

OR

	6) Would it be better handled to be a for-fee service? Would that
	   be contrary to the honor system that controls
	   non-commercialization of the net? Or, being a separated feature
	   as some of the news groups are FOR commercial sales, would it
	   pass? There are several ways THIS could go: A for-fee FAQ, a
	   business advertising in one or more of the commercial sales
	   groups, a free FAQ, etc. Keeping in mind that the MAIN objective
	   would be to freeze out the unethical and unscrupulous (call them
	   CROOKS), and such service be as widely disseminated as possible.

	   (For-fee tends to freeze out some users with the greates need.
	   An isolated news group might be overlooked by the very ones who
	   need to be warned of shady characters and might be ignored BY
	   the shady characters because the list is not out where everyone
	   is aware of it and has access to it.)

Has my wife been putting too much hemp in my tea again, or is this worth
kicking around? 

Any volunteers to handle it, moderate it it, sum up the conclusions,
implement it - or bury it?

Frank        

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|   Frank G. Higgins, 22508 39th W., Mountlake Terrace, WA 98043-4506   |
|   Voice: 206-774-0956                       Data: frank@halcyon.com   |
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