Re: FYI About Amazon Gift Cards
Quote:
Originally Posted by
KatyBoleyn
I see another ban notice for a site come through the email and I just sit there and go "WHY WHY WHY!?!?" at the screen now...knowing that I'm in for a few hours of fretting over "But I didn't know, can you talk to them for me..." or "All the top models are doing it!" (No, no they aren't.) or "You're just worried about your cut!" (No, money isn't everything, and without helping to protect everyone else's earnings, we make nothing.)
Don't misunderstand me, I do love my job and I love my models more than anything in the world, but sometimes I do feel like throwing things. This "career suicide by PayPal" (or GR, or Amazon) has to stop.
This may account for why it feels a little less 'informal' and more 'business-like' whenever I contact support lately. I thought it was just me as I know I am a PITA model who questions $ amounts etc. often but maybe it is just that you and the hubby are stressed up to the eyeballs by other models so an enquiry of 'where is my monies' is probably the last thing you need.
I'm sure I am a PITA too and I often tell my boyfriend that you must dread seeing I've contacted you on Skype but I hope these models that you are directing your post to are listening. Personally I've never bothered with Amazon or anything off site I work big box sites and indie, both of which give me a comfortable lifestyle.
Re: FYI About Amazon Gift Cards
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Teddy_Bear
This may account for why it feels a little less 'informal' and more 'business-like' whenever I contact support lately. I thought it was just me as I know I am a PITA model who questions $ amounts etc. often but maybe it is just that you and the hubby are stressed up to the eyeballs by other models so an enquiry of 'where is my monies' is probably the last thing you need.
I'm sure I am a PITA too and I often tell my boyfriend that you must dread seeing I've contacted you on Skype but I hope these models that you are directing your post to are listening. Personally I've never bothered with Amazon or anything off site I work big box sites and indie, both of which give me a comfortable lifestyle.
Don't worry about that at all. If your biggest problem is you don't know where a few dollars came or went, then everyone involved is doing well :) That was kind of the point of the policy change - we need more time to help people that are in this to work and do well for themselves, and not deal with the fallout from people that don't.
These issues really ramped up starting about a month ago and we're not sure what happened lately. There were a lot more threads regarding "How do I take off-site payments" here, as well as a lot of incidents with the websites (alongside the other subjects we addressed - drug issues and pedophilia) to match it. We also keep getting exponentially bigger, so my time allotment to deal with each incidence individually is shrinking...something had to give.
And this is a general problem, not just us. The websites have noticed and are cracking down in a big way. They are going through logs, they are watching your feeds. You will get nailed.
You see threads like this where people say "I want to do something dumb, I know its dumb, please validate me!" I can't go along.
Re: FYI About Amazon Gift Cards
Quote:
Originally Posted by
barbieluv
Are ya'll still using greendot moneypaks as payment for shows? or is that out too? I used to accept via amazon gc and giftrocket in the past, I did not know they can get chargebacks/refunds. Ladies, what is the best way to accept payments for Skype shows?
SkyPrivate
CammodelDirectory
LiveCammodelShows
IndieBill
ModelCentro
IWantClips (tributes)
Customs4U (tributes)
MyFreeCams tokens
Also, you can set up your own processor for "high risk" or "adult" - CCBill, CentroBilling, etc. For this you generally need your own website (can be a simple one-page deal).
The only trustworthy non-adult thing would be BitCoin, using any of hundreds of "Bitcoin wallet" services. Once you cash that code, its done and no backsies.
Short answer, any adult website - if you don't like their cut, you're free to make your own.
Re: FYI About Amazon Gift Cards
I would imagine a legit payment processor rather than gift cards etc.
Re: FYI About Amazon Gift Cards
Re: FYI About Amazon Gift Cards
You are probably seeing a dramatic increase with models trying to find ways to take payments off site because many feel that they are not making the same amount of money as they used to in the adult industry. So they are looking for ways to get clients/customers to pay them for shows, content, etc. where they receive the highest percentage of their earnings or ALL of their earnings with no fees taken out . It is just a sign of the times. Once the economic (and political) climate improves this phenomenon should pass. Theft always increases during hard economic times.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
KatyBoleyn
Don't worry about that at all. If your biggest problem is you don't know where a few dollars came or went, then everyone involved is doing well :) That was kind of the point of the policy change - we need more time to help people that are in this to work and do well for themselves, and not deal with the fallout from people that don't.
These issues really ramped up starting about a month ago and we're not sure what happened lately. There were a lot more threads regarding "How do I take off-site payments" here, as well as a lot of incidents with the websites (alongside the other subjects we addressed - drug issues and pedophilia) to match it. We also keep getting exponentially bigger, so my time allotment to deal with each incidence individually is shrinking...something had to give.
And this is a general problem, not just us. The websites have noticed and are cracking down in a big way. They are going through logs, they are watching your feeds. You will get nailed.
You see threads like this where people say "I want to do something dumb, I know its dumb, please validate me!" I can't go along.
Re: FYI About Amazon Gift Cards
Quote:
Originally Posted by
politicsandporn
Does this also apply to Amazon wishlists? I read MFC's policy about not being allowed to take payment outside of MFC so I am assuming this also means in the form of gifts via wishlists. Am I wrong? Ty!
We have had several suspensions (but not bans) from Streamate ranging in the 3 to 7 day range in the past regarding Amazon wish lists. These have been upgraded to permabans in some cases when they do it again (usually with another thing like PayPal). Rae may be able to answer that about MFC specifically. I do know a long time ago they allowed it (wishlists and nothing else), but they are having quite a few issues with this lately also so wouldn't be surprised if that's out now.
That being said, we've seen so many shenanigans with wishlists I would never ever recommend doing them in exchange for a show or other work. If they want to spoil you or tip you extra, nothing lost except your privacy in some cases.
Re: FYI About Amazon Gift Cards
MESSAGE TO MODELS: Ladies, be VERY careful with customers during tough economic times. Some of these men are going to be more pressed financially this year. When men are in this type of financial situation they are more likely to turn into scam artists. Some of them know full well that they cannot afford to do a show with you but they will still want one anyway. This type of scammer will get you to do a show and accept an alternative form of payment that he knows is easy for him to chargeback.
I had a client back in 2012 do FIVE SESSIONS with me over the course of a week. All the shows added up to about $1000. He said that as a Christmas present he wanted me to have all the money. He didn't want to site to get my Christmas present money. I was greedy so I wanted all of the money. He said that he would send me the payment by loading my Payoneer card. Yippee!!! I get all the money.
So I did the shows for him. Then like 2 days later the funds have not cleared through Payoneer. I called their Customer Service. They told me that the client had done a chargeback. I was livid. I contacted the client. He said that he just lost his job. He was not sure when he would get another one. So he needed all the money he had spent on me back.
Mind you, this a customer who spent like $30,000 a year on me every year for like a 2 year period. I had trusted him completely. He even knew my real name. But a tough financial situation can turn even the best whales into scam artists. I forgave him. He ended up giving me the money back once he got his financial shit together. But I never EVER EVER trusted him or another client in this way again.
So be careful with these guys especially during these uncertain times. These men are selfish and care only about themselves. They do not have your best interest at heart. Always remember to take care of yourself first. Protect yourself and your ability to continue earning money in the future.
Re: FYI About Amazon Gift Cards
Quote:
Originally Posted by
politicsandporn
Does this also apply to Amazon wishlists? I read MFC's policy about not being allowed to take payment outside of MFC so I am assuming this also means in the form of gifts via wishlists. Am I wrong? Ty!
According to MFC's rules, you can mentioned wishlists and personal homepages. I contacted them personally to find out about ManyVids accounts since models were doing so, and they are fine with it at this time for video sales). However, if they are paying for services like flashes or skype shows whatever, they need to be paying you in MFC tokens if they are talking to you on MFC. The wish list is for gifts, not for payments in their eyes.
Re: FYI About Amazon Gift Cards
Quote:
Originally Posted by
KatyBoleyn
I guess the bottom line is that day in and day out, since my own experiences years ago and since we've been responsible for thousands of models that have come through our service, we've seen this play out repeatedly. I know people want that extra few percent...I certainly did. It works out great right up until it doesn't, and then it sets you back in a big way.
In the last few weeks we had 2 models lose their accounts entirely on major websites...models that were pulling $1000-2000/week. That income stream is gone to them forever. That's $50,000 to $100,000 a year they kissed away to help a client troll them with the promise of an extra $20 or $50 or whatever. They were the lucky ones because at least they got paid for what they made up to that point. We can attest to a few more cases where models did it entirely off-site and ended up burned via Giftrocket, Vimeo, and Paypal. These chargebacks hit up to a year later and left them without food for their kids or rent money when they were already behind. Best case scenario, they just lost lifetime access to PayPal for whatever convenience that had in their real life. Worst case scenario, they're living out of their car with no internet trying to ask people here how to cam with a cell phone.
And then there's the clients who are encouraged by the few that do this and demand it from every model they meet. They range from annoying to outright fraudsters once they figure out they can get free cam sex without consequences.
I wont' even get into the complications that come with doing that working with us and putting our studio account at hot water...putting the income of every other model that works there to some degree of risk. That's almost beside the point, but it is a factor in our zero-tolerance policy we're building up to.
There's also the factor of screwing over affiliates that indeed to push traffic to you on the site. You think those clients are "yours" now...great. But that means a) that client is now off the site and not available to other models (hooray for you!), and b) that affiliate just got shafted yet again and decides to send his traffic to fake dating sites instead of the site you're working (hooray for sitting there without clients!). It is a classic "tragedy of the commons" scenario...the cheaters win a little in the short term, but everyone loses in the end.
We had to put out a newsletter and get hard-assed with our policies due to some very real and very tragic scenarios that happened. Its taken quite a toll on us, being trapped between being helpful (especially with children involved) and figuring out we can't save people from themselves.
And the thing that gets me the most is I see the vast majority of models that do work hard and play by the rules...and they bank. There's no need to pick at the edges trying to eek out a few extra dollars. All that mental energy dealing with cheapo scammers or trying to cheat the system, and instead you could be making $100's or even $1000's more by focusing on your hustle. I see another ban notice for a site come through the email and I just sit there and go "WHY WHY WHY!?!?" at the screen now...knowing that I'm in for a few hours of fretting over "But I didn't know, can you talk to them for me..." or "All the top models are doing it!" (No, no they aren't.) or "You're just worried about your cut!" (No, money isn't everything, and without helping to protect everyone else's earnings, we make nothing.)
Don't misunderstand me, I do love my job and I love my models more than anything in the world, but sometimes I do feel like throwing things. This "career suicide by PayPal" (or GR, or Amazon) has to stop.
OKay Im proper freaked out and I have only ever done a handfull of Indy shows with a couple of clients who did not come from SM (the only site I cam on) but were my very own clients from my very own website. So they were not stolen! Too much respect for SM to steal their clients. Infact one guy who did over 1000 euros in GC with me only comes to see me on SM now because my rate there is cheaper then what I charge to do Skype! Once he figured that out he never asked for another Skype show :D
However having read all this I'm not interested in doing skype for Gift cards anymore. I dont want to one day have to deal with the stress of it so Im probably gonna hook up with a payment site if I ever do another Skype show or just send them to SM.
But what about when clients just gift us stuff from our wishlists or send us GC as gifts? Are these safe?
Re: FYI About Amazon Gift Cards
I guess if you're not actually counting on that money/item for anything and would never miss it, wish lists are a thing - some sites (not SM though) even allow it.
If you're from the US, the only thing you need to worry about then is that those gifts are taxable at their sale value as income if they total over $25 (you can just say "Client Gifts" and "Gift and Store Cards" as line items on your Schedule C and put the total). This is where accepting gift cards as payment will bite you in the butt, as you can't pay the tax bill for that income with Amazon cards (or your rent, or your utilities, etc).
Re: FYI About Amazon Gift Cards
Okay. This is good news. I dont have SM clients buying me gifts too often, unless they are cross over clients, its just cause im a pornstar as well so I do have my own following and they like to spoil me. GFF Just released a movie with me in it yesterday so I will get attention and probably people wanting to get me gifts.
Also Im not american so the taxes for this are different for me. I will just let my accountant work that shit out, but I hadnt thought of that so she might be a little pissed with me :D
Thanks so much Katy. You a wealth of information! Sometimes I wish I needed to get my money day to day just so I could say I worked with you. Your a rare bird in this industry.
Re: FYI About Amazon Gift Cards
BE CAREFUL LADIES! Times Are Going To Be Hard For Many This Year. Long Time Customers Might Turn Into Scam Artists. TRUST NOBOBY!!!
I just read this on another adult industry forum. A PSO Posted This Message On Friday, February 24th ...
"A lot of us here get tips and gifts from customers. Have you ever had a customer ask for the tips or gifts back? This afternoon I got a message from a caller that I did 4 calls with about six months ago. He had sent me two Amazon Gift cards at 50.00 each. He asked me if I still had them, because he needed the money back. I let him know that I had already spent them in Sept when he sent them. He said "Ok". Weird!!! "
Re: FYI About Amazon Gift Cards
A customer sent me an amazon gc today, but it wasn't an amazon email, he just gave me the code. I added it to my gift card balance (in the part, where you do it manually), and it shows up. Now I don't know what to do. I've just read here that he can redeem it himself or say that it's stolen?
Re: FYI About Amazon Gift Cards
Quote:
Originally Posted by
amanda121
A customer sent me an amazon gc today, but it wasn't an amazon email, he just gave me the code. I added it to my gift card balance (in the part, where you do it manually), and it shows up. Now I don't know what to do. I've just read here that he can redeem it himself or say that it's stolen?
I don't see how he can redeem it if you have already. I don't know how someone could steal either...you have the email of him forwarding it to you if he tried to claim this. I think they would do this so that their name isn't revealed to you. I would spend a small part of it and see what happens.
Re: FYI About Amazon Gift Cards
If someone sends an Amazon gift card to my camming email and then I redeem the card to my personal Amazon account, is there any way for the person who bought the gift card to find out the account it was redeemed to? My personal account is obviously in my real name, so I just want to make sure the person buying the gift card will not be able to get that information.
Re: FYI About Amazon Gift Cards
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Scorpio Girl
If someone sends an Amazon gift card to my camming email and then I redeem the card to my personal Amazon account, is there any way for the person who bought the gift card to find out the account it was redeemed to? My personal account is obviously in my real name, so I just want to make sure the person buying the gift card will not be able to get that information.
Don't do this. Make an Amazon.com account under your camming email and your shipping address shouldn't have your real name. Put "Resident" or "Confidential."
Re: FYI About Amazon Gift Cards
I wrote about this in the SW Discord Group. However just a FYI -- I had a high amount of gift purchases back in September off my wishlist for my birthday. A lot of it didn't fit so I had to return the gifts for gift card credit. Seemed like no big deal. At this time I was also getting a lot of Amazon e-gift cards over a 4 week period as tributes. Then a new customer got me an Amazon e-gift card because he just wanted to talk, not a show, so I told him to send me one as a tribute and I'll just audio with him. Well he got a phone call directly from Amazon before the transaction went through asking if this was a gift or a payment for services.
Needless to say I am not accepting Amazon e-gift cards anymore period. Wishlist purchases ONLY. I'm switching to GiftRocket.com or Bath and Body Works e-gift cards now.
I just calculated it between September and October, I did receive $1239.60 just in Amazon wishlist gifts and Amazon e-gift cards. I might have cross some time of threshold that causes a red flag. However, I know trust fund kids and other people who get regular allowances issued on Amazon.com where it auto reloads so who knows...
JUST BEWARE.
Re: FYI About Amazon Gift Cards
Quote:
Originally Posted by
SapphireXO
Don't do this. Make an Amazon.com account under your camming email and your shipping address shouldn't have your real name. Put "Resident" or "Confidential."
Thanks. I didn't realize I could leave my name off the shipping address.