How to Identify & Avoid Being Scammed on Discord [Guide]

From my experience with having to deal with a lot of scammers/imposters, I feel I can give great insight into how to trade safely and ensure you don't get scammed. If you read this guide, you can trade comfortably and safely on discord, minus the poor excuse of "Scam Quitters."​

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I will say this guide is solely for Discord users and trades done through Discord. I know there are stickies/links to stay safe (which will also be included at the end) but to go into detail on how each scam works, then show you how to avoid it is what this guide is about.

~ If something in this guide doesn't make sense or isn't clear, please PM me or Sythe staff here or on Discord anytime. We're always able and willing to help anyone ~

My Discord ID: Devil#0641
My Unique ID: 286888786946686976
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Let's Get Started !

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* Familiarize yourself with Unique ID's on Discord first and foremost and you can search for any person, anytime, anywhere. Unique ID's are an 18-digit set of numbers that's like a serial number you could say. It's permanent and unchangeable upon creation of a Discord account.

[QUICK] Video of how to get someones Discord Unique ID (UID)

~ [MUST READ] Unique Discord ID (UID) Written Guide ~​

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* To get someones UID on mobile, you must go to their profile, then click the 3 dots on the top right, then click 'Copy ID', then paste it. It wont work if you try to do it in chat so make sure you click onto their profile first.

* If you don't see the 'Copy ID' on your mobile device, you must go to your discord settings, click appearance and turn 'Developer Mode' on. You can do this on your phone. Then you will be able to get their UID on mobile as shown in the video below.

~ Click here to show how to get someones UID on mobile ~​

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* To search for a Discord ID, you would type <@> and in between the @ and > you would paste their Unique ID. So if you wanted to search for me and make sure you're talking to the real Devil, you would type <@286888786946686976> and hit enter.

* Note *, this trick will only work if you've had some sort of contact with the user, whether that's sharing a server with them past or present, them adding you at any point, you adding them, previous DM's between the two of you.

~ Video Example of This ~​

* This will then post that user so you can click on them and see mutual servers/friends/etc. In terms of the types of scams I am talking about below, you would use this tool to make sure you're speaking with the correct person. Remember, Discord ID's can look identical with font glitches & non-english characters.

Example 1:



* The 'g' and 'y' are in fact different but appear identical. And with 'Discord Nitro', you can pick whatever 4 numbers you want in your tag, so it's easy to fall to a scam if you aren't careful and aware of these things.

Example 2:



* Notice the difference in the '5'. Again, always verify someone by their Unique Discord ID. NOT their Discord Tag.


* Discord is also case-sensitive so be aware of that too.

* What separates the real from the fake is the Unique ID (UID). So if you want to stay safe trading, learn this tool now.

* But remember, this is just another tool you can use to your advantage to stay safe while trading. Still and always, request a Sythe PM and make sure it follows the Discord PM template linked above (also linked again below).

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~ Types of Scams ~


'Man in the Middle' Imposter Scam:
This scam consists of the scammer + 1 alt discord that will be similar to his victim + the imposter middleman he will use, totaling 3 Discord accounts the scammer will use.


Example Scenario:

John on Sythe (John#1234 on Discord) gets contacted by 'Scammer' (usually a non suspicious discord). They will come to terms on a sale. 'Scammer' will contact a middleman that John and 'Scammer' agree to. But he contacts the real middleman on a discord similar to Johns (maybe john#1234) or it can be a random discord. But he will converse with the real middleman for a few minutes and ask for a PM, and link real John from Sythe's profile. The real middleman will then PM that profile and hopefully send a proper PM.

Meanwhile, 'Scammer' has made a group with an imposter middleman (say me). So victim John is in a group with 'Scammer' and an imposter Devil (who is also 'Scammer'). But John gets that Sythe PM, so he must be diligent in verifying all aspects of the PM. The UID's, the Discord ID's & copy/pasted conversation.

How to stay safe and not get scammed:

Unique Discord Id's are your best friend on Discord, and if you use this tool, you most likely won't be scammed if you are cognizant of your surroundings and are utilizing the tools in this guide.

** Click for guide on how to properly utilize "Unique Discord ID's" **

As mentioned, when John gets that Sythe PM, he must check the 'Unique Discord ID' of the real middleman in that Sythe PM and also HIS Discord ID & Unique ID to make sure they line up. Not to mention the real middleman should post chat logs of the conversation he was having with 'Scammer'. So verify that as well. More than once if necessary.

If the middleman sends a poor pm like "I'm talking to you on discord in regards to sale 'X'", request a new PM with the aforementioned information above of every party in that group. At this point, the scammer will realize he won't be able to scam you and will probably kick you from the group.

Get in the habit of screenshotting everything so you have evidence. I recommend the application "ShareX." It has a seamless UI with easy integration of taking pictures and video recordings that upload to a URL instantly for safe-keeping.

Scam avoided !

~ Tip: ~

For every sale you do that involves a middleman, do some research on the middleman and look to see if they have their 'Unique Discord ID (UID)' listed on their threads. Compare that to the one you are in group with in Discord using the tools provided in this guide. If they don't match, it's an imposter. But still, the Sythe PM with the aforementioned info it should include is the most important, and I can't stress enough that this will prevent you from getting scammed if you verify ALL the info in the Sythe PM.

Also do some research on the person you are trading with. Use Sythe's resources that they make available to you to look up the Discord ID of the person you are trading. Many scams have been prevented due to utilizing Sythe's resources available to everyone.

~ Man in the Middle Scam ~
TLDR:
Verify 'Unique Discord ID's' + Discord ID's of you (victim) and the middleman in a Sythe PM only. Also make sure the chat logs in the PM line up with the conversation you had.

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Straight up Imposter Scam:
This scam is simple in nature, but for the victim (most of the time a newcomer) who hasn't read all the stickies, it's easy to fall for this scam.

~ Example Scenario: ~

John from Sythe posts in the 'Name Request Section" looking for RSN 'Dog.' He gets pm'd on Sythe by a random person claiming to own 'Dog' and asks John for his Discord. Usually they will want your discord to keep their Sythe account detached from their Discord. That's a 'Red Flag.' Ask them for their Discord ID in Sythe pm and add them from there. Once in Discord PM's with the scammer, he will more than likely provide doctored pictures showing he owns the name (Inspect Element makes this easy). Request he meet you in game on the RSN. If he doesn't, he's probably a scammer and you should block him immediately and report him to staff.

Sometimes these scammers will have an excuse for not wanting to meet you in game. Such as, "The middleman will verify the name in game." This makes no sense unless the middleman is also transferring the name. But regardless, someone not willing to prove the RSN in-game is a 'Red Flag.' You are the buyer, so you must be proactive and demand proof in game yourself to verify the name.

But if you get to the point where you agree on a price and want to use a MM, he will make a group with an imposter middleman (which is him on an alt account.)


How to stay safe and not get scammed:

Ask for a Sythe pm and make sure (Unique Discord Id's, Discord Id's, and a copy-pasted version of the group DM is in that PM.) If the scammer isn't doing the previously mentioned 'Man in the Middle Scam' then, you won't receive a Sythe PM and you just avoided getting scammed.


~ NOTE: ~
This is just an example of a typical sale. This scenario can include other markets such as CS:GO, LOL, Fortnite, etc. It all revolves around imposter scams and the due-diligence you as a buyer OR seller for that matter need to have in order to make sure everything is legit down to the very people you are speaking with.

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The key is the Sythe PM with Unique Discord ID's, Discord ID's and copied chat of the middleman and yourself. Double/triple check to make sure it all lines up.

How a Sythe PM from your Middleman can/should look like:



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Other Extremely Useful Links/Guides:​

Useful guides [2FA - Scams - Referrals - Pictures - Titles]

Some useful information for staying safe on Discord!

Trading 101 - Vouches, donor status and how you can stay safe!

:::IMPORTANT::: Useful threads, guides and common practice to avoid problems & scams

List of Accounts NOT to purchase; click to report recovered accounts!

Accounts are ALWAYS recoverable, even with a Middleman/Recovery Test!

Known Skype scammers - The DO NOT TRADE list

Impostor List of WELL KNOWN and/or CREDIBLE members​