I got pinged yesterday by a few people who were getting taken to the cleaners when lending cards out for awards. Although I am someone who wont lend my cards out unless I know the person well, I think its time we have a little chat about this.

NOTE: Whenever you lend out a card, its DEPENDENT on the person to send it back. If they dont, its theirs and there is probably very little you can do to get it back. Just be completely aware that once the card is traded with consent, and not a glitch, its gone for lack of a better explanation.

What is Lending Cards?

A lot of users out there dont want to buy coins, as it costs real money and not everyone has the money to spend. By collecting cards that have active awards, they can get the coins without buying in. Its actually a pretty good idea, and doesnt necessarily break any rules.

Basically, the users swap cards, collect awards and swap back. Its that simple. Well, until its not simple. It can be hard to determine collateral and value, and that’s where people – especially unassuming new users can get destroyed.

Why is it a Problem?

There are people out there who use this as a scam. They will trade you a card for your coin card, and then immediately trade it to another account to hide it. You wont get your card back, and they walk away with a nice insert. You can request that the staff steps in, but I am not sure if you will ever get your card back.

How Can You Protect Yourself?

If you are going to lend a card, make sure you get back collateral that is equal to or greater than the value of the card you are lending. Basically, you want to be able to trade the collateral for another copy of the stolen card if they walk away. This is essential.

I would also make sure the person is established in the game. High collection score, high trader rating and high number of ratings. References MEAN NOTHING, so dont take that as gospel.

Bottom line, make sure the person will lose a lot if they scam you and their account is banned. If they have nothing to lose, its much easier to see them walk away with your stuff.

The only real way to protect yourself is to not participate. You wont make anyone angry if you dont want to. Dont bow to peer pressure, and play the game the way you want to play.