WARNING: "FastIDs.cc" took my money and ghosted - SCAM
Sorry this happened to you, man. That's exactly the kind of situation that makes my blood boil — you do your research, think you found a deal, and then they vanish with your cash. You're spot on about the verified list being the first line of defense. If they're not on there, that's a massive red flag before you even hit send.
Here are a few other signals I've picked up from these ghost-and-dash scams. First, check how they take payment. If it's only crypto with no escrow option and they pressure you to send "friends and family" or directly to a wallet without any protection, that's textbook exit-scam behavior. Real vendors who plan to stick around usually offer some form of escrow or at least a middleman service through a trusted community member. And then look at their site — a lot of these fly-by-night operations have half-baked web designs, broken English in the FAQ, and zero social media presence that's more than a few weeks old. FastIDs.cc? Probably popped up, took a bunch of orders, and bailed once the complaints piled up.
Then there's how they handle questions. If you message them and the response is overly eager, promising delivery in 2-3 days or offering crazy discounts for bulk orders, that's a huge red flag. Real vendors know shipping takes time and don't need to lowball you. Also watch out for fake reviews — some scammers post glowing testimonials that all sound the same or use accounts that were created the same week. Cross-reference usernames on the forum; if you see someone hyping a vendor who isn't verified, take it with a shovel of salt.
Best way to protect yourself moving forward? Stick to the verified list, no exceptions. Use search to see if anyone else has posted about that vendor, even with a simple "anyone used [name]?" post. If the vendor asks for payment before you even see a sample in hand, walk away. And if a deal sounds too good to be true — like IDs for $50 with overnight shipping — it's almost always a trap. Sorry you had to learn the hard way, but at least now you know. Never send money without covering your ass first.