The Bike Chaser trading platform exists to benefit all members of the Australian cycling community. While we endeavour to keep the site clean, friendly and free of spam, stolen goods and poor behaviour, sometimes the bad guys may slip through the cracks. Therefore we rely on our users to help us identify and report when things don’t seem quite right.
Stay safe on Bike Chaser by following our guidelines below:
· Use your common sense to look after yourself and your money or products. If something seems too good to be true it probably is.
· Help keep the bad guys away by reporting any poor behaviour or suspicious activity you may come across on this site.
· We highly recommend that you meet in person to inspect the item and exchange money. If possible, have someone with you when you meet with a prospective buyer or seller.
· Avoid posting or wiring money to someone you don’t know. Instead make the payment in cash and in person whenever possible.
· When buying an item ask for proof of purchase, such as an original invoice.
· Ask the seller relevant questions such as whether the item was bought from new, how long they’ve had it, what size it is and whether it has any faults.
· Check the buyer or seller’s history on Bike Chaser. You can verify the identity of the person if they have linked their Facebook account to their Bike Chaser profile.
· Bike Chaser does not facilitate the transfer of payments between buyers and sellers. Please contact us if you receive emails or other communication relating to payment systems or payment protection in connection to an ad on Bike Chaser, even if it contains the Bike Chaser logo.
· Bike Chaser does not offer any buyer or seller protection.
· Please make sure you check out our tips for buying and selling safely on a regular basis.
If you see an ad on Bike Chaser that you suspect is illegal (e.g. stolen goods), goes against Bike Chaser’s terms & conditions, or if you want to report a specific issue with another user, please report the ad by clicking “Report User” under the user’s name on the left hand side of the ad page.
By reporting the ad you will bring it to our attention so we can review it and remove it if needed. In your report please be as detailed as possible in describing the issue and your concerns so we have the right information available to make our assessment.
If you believe you have been defrauded or have discovered stolen or illegal goods being sold on Bike Chaser then please contact us and give us as many details as possible about your situation including the ad ID and details of any communication between you and the buyer or seller. If you involve the Police in the matter then please get them to contact us so we can assist with any details we may have on record regarding the ad or the user.
We highly recommend that you register your bike with the National Bike Register so it can be identified as yours in case it gets lost or stolen. The National Bike Register can be accessed by the Police and insurance companies to identify information about your bike which may help in the investigation of your case and recovery of your bike.
Below are some typical scams to watch out for:
Fake payment/escrow sites
A seller may suggest using an online payment or escrow website to complete the transaction. Some of these sites may be fake and keep your cash without sending you a product. Our advice is to meet in person to complete the transaction.
Expensive phone calls
Watch out for buyers or sellers who try to get you to call or text a non-standard or overseas phone number (commonly starting with 19). These phone numbers may charge you a caller’s fee or charge you for the length of the call.
Keep your personal details safe
Keep your identity safe online. Avoid giving away personal details such as your birth date, bank or credit card details or any passwords. These details may be used to commit fraud in your name.
Unpaid Bike Chaser fees
Your account on Bike Chaser is free and we will not charge any listing fees or sales commission outside our website. If you receive emails or texts claiming that you owe us money then please ignore these instructions (even if they look genuine) and inform us immediately about the matter.