This is always a contentious issue
and the recent *name and shame* on the forum has it under discussion in the Mods.
The official BcUK position is as laid out above.
Caveat Emptor or Swapper.
It's not that we aren't concerned or sympathetic to the plight of those for whom it goes wrong, it's simply that unless we police matters (and there's a logistical nightmare in the making) the forum only provides a way for people to introduce themselves to others.
We used to have a rep system but it was deliberately undermined and effectively trashed by a few egotistical idiots.
Personally I like the system on British Blades but implementing it here needs an Admin effort and they're a bit snowed under at times.
I also like the sheer simplicity of resnikov's suggestion.
Make it all neat and straightforward. If you intend to swap with someone check their names in a search first.
I would also agree that the Paypal as a gift has to stop. It would be easy to say unless you know the person very well, but that's the start of the road that led to folks being unable to claim against paypals insurances.
I don't like seeing threads where someone is being hounded, denigrated, or otherwise 'shamed into action'. It's not only unedifying, tbh experience shows that it rarely has a positive result and the person at the end of the diatribe just disappears and there is no happy outcome.
I think this discussion might be better in a seperate thread.
If it's tidied up and split into two, well the reasons should be apparant. Anyone with positive input would be welcome to add their 2p worth.
cheers,
Toddy