How to us this website safely
Warnings, Scams, Alerts, and Advice on Using this Website Safely
It is for your own safety that we stress the importance of reading our hair trading guides to protect hair buyers and sellers using this site.
We take this time to reiterate that although we do everything we can to make this a safe and successful environment to conduct business we are not responsible for transactions between buyers and sellers.
If you think you have been contacted by a fraudulent user or scammer do not reply to their message. Instead contact us immediately with their details through the contact us tab located at the top of the page.
Here are some helpful tips to make sure you do not get scammed.
Recognizing Scams/Fraud
The most common examples of Scam attempts on OnlineHairAffair often involve one of the following:
An Inquiry from someone far away, often in another country.
Offering Payment through Western Union, Money Gram, certified/cashier’s check, money order, shipping, escrow service, or a “guarantee.”
Fake PayPal payment notification emails to your email address (always login to your PayPal account directly through the PayPal website to check for payments).
Buyers requesting sellers to send hair while money is ‘pending’ in PayPal account
Asking you to use their own courier, and send that courier money to cover shipping costs
Requests for video evidence of the hair cutting prior to payment being received
People asking for personal/financial details.
People stating they are buying your hair as a gift.
Scam Examples in More Detail
1. Emails or contact from someone claiming to be from Online Hair Affair
One scam example is where someone impersonates or claims to be from Online Hair Affair, stating they can certify a buyer, guarantee a transaction or asks for your personal or financial details.
Advice – Do not reply and report the email immediately to OnlineHairAffair through the Contact Form
2. Cashier/Certified/Teller’s Checks, Money Orders, MoneyGram, Western Union
A buyer will offer to purchase your hair and send you one of these types of check or a money order.
Often the amount will exceed the price agreed and the buyer will request you send them the surplus amount or pay the shipper with it
The check/money order will be fake, and banks will sometimes hold you responsible when the check fails to clear.
Read – How to tell if a Cashiers Check is Fake
Best Advice – Avoid this type of payment altogether and report anyone who offers it to Online Hair Affair. Use PayPal instead.
3. Video of cut for ‘proof’ or ‘Good Faith’
Before purchasing your hair a buyer will ask for video proof of you cutting some hair as a sign of authenticity and good faith.
You take the video, send it to the buyer and never hear back from them.
Best Advice – Ask for payment first or if they seem like a genuine buyer then ask for part of the payment as a token of good faith from them.
If anyone contacts you offering cashier check, money order, offering their own shipper that you have to pay, report them immediately
Fraud Advice for Buyers
People list their hair on this website because they want to sell it. If you find anyone responding to your enquiries in a strange or negative manner our advice is simply not to pursue any further.
Pay through PayPal. If there is recourse against the seller for a refund the dispute is much easier settled with PayPal.
Fraud Advice for Sellers
Never cut your hair until the payment has been received and confirmed. If using PayPal this means waiting for the payment to clear (which in most cases is immediate, but can take a few days for echecks etc). In cases where hair is already cut this is obviously not always an option.
We strongly recommend using PayPal, Venmo, or the iPhones cashapp to receive the money for your hair sale. Fraudulent buyers will often try and use alternative payment methods such as certified checks, cashier cheques, Western Union, or MoneyGram instead. They regularly send payment amounts larger than discussed; a strong signal of a fraudulent buyer.
Beware of fake PayPal payment notification emails. Always login to your PayPal account to check payment status directly, don’t rely on an email.
Be wary of people requesting you to snip off a portion of your hair on video or over skype. These can be legitimate buyers looking for proof, but not always. We highly recommend waiting till payment clears if the buyer requires video proof of cut.
Always retain a small portion of your hair for evidence and hold on to it for at least 2 months following the sale.
What Happens to bad Users
We use advanced website monitoring and activity records on this website to find and prevent illegal activity.
When you sign up to OnlineHairAffair your IP address is collected.
Fraudulent or misbehavior from users of this website will result in them being blocked from accessing this website and a growing number of other websites we work with to prevent fraudulent or deconstructive activity.
Imagine finding yourself unable to access your favorite websites one day. This is what will happen if you misuse this website!