Red flags that indicate a scam vendor
Price too low is honestly the biggest red flag, but let me break down why that alone should make you walk away. I've been in this game long enough to know that real quality costs real money—period. If a vendor is advertising IDs for $20-30 when everyone reputable is charging $80-120, they're either sending you like a piece of crap or just taking your cash and ghosting. Nobody is making high-quality polycarbonate, with proper UV and microprinting, for the cost of a pizza. The math just doesn't work. Cheap means corners cut—bad lamination, off-colors, wrong font weights, or no security features at all. And if they claim "first-time special" pricing? That's a classic bait-and-switch or exit scam setup.
Other big scam signals? Payment methods are huge. If they only take PayPal friends & family, Venmo, CashApp, or straight-up crypto with no escrow option, that's a major red flag. Real vendors who plan to stick around offer escrow through a trusted third-party or at least take credit cards with some buyer protection. Also, look at their communication—scammers can be super pushy. They'll hit you with "limited stock," "order now or price goes up tomorrow," or "we're shutting down in 48 hours." That's manufactured urgency to get you to hand over cash without thinking. Legit vendors don't pressure you like a used car salesman.
Another pattern: check the reviews. If a vendor has 500 reviews but they're all 5-stars with no specifics, or they're all posted in a two-day window, that's a coordinated review dump. Cross-reference on multiple forums. Ask around in the community—if nobody's heard of them, stay away. Also, watch for any vendor that refuses to provide sample photos with a handwritten timestamp. If they can't show you a physical ID with their name and today's date on a piece of paper next to it, they're probably using stock images or stolen pictures from other vendors.
Protect yourself: always start with a small test order before committing to a group buy or bulk. Use escrow if available. Never send more than you're willing to lose. And if something feels off—like their website has broken English, no SSL, or they're weirdly defensive when you ask questions—trust your gut, honestly. The community is full of warning threads for a reason. Do your homework, and you won't get burned.
Pressure tactics are a classic scam indicator across every industry. Do not let urgency override your research.
No community history is the other big one. Legitimate vendors accumulate verifiable reviews over time.
Compiled red flags from community reports: prices significantly below established vendors, no verifiable community history, pressure to pay immediately, promises of unusually fast turnaround, contact only through channels they control. Any combination of these should end the conversation.