Stalking and Harassment on the Market Board

[Smurfy]

I know someone who's being stalked and harassed on the market board and Square Enix does nothing. My friend has made several reports through the in-game support desk forms and nothing has been done. Who ever the player is that's stalking my friend, is using items they purchased from other servers so they hide their true character name as well as use alt characters when buying items. They're preventing my friend from selling on the market board. This has been going on for almost two weeks.

[Jojoya]

The marketboard is fair game for all players. I'm having a hard time understanding why anyone would consider activity there as stalking and harassment by another player.

Is there something specific happening for your friend to believe that they are an intended target as opposed to this being fairly normal market activity?

[Smurfy]

Its not normal market activity becasue when my friend removes their items the other player changes their price to 99,999,999 or removes theirs as well. Also, they never undercut anyone else besides my friend. My friend sits at the market board all day everyday and understands normal market activity as well as the behavior of market bots. Its not a bot since the player has changed their retainer names several times. Who ever this player is also knows my friend is selling none crafted items on two other servers and knows those retainers as well. They're also preventing my friend from selling on those servers.

[Jojoya]

Its not normal market activity becasue when my friend removes their items the other player changes their price to 99,999,999 or removes theirs as well. Also, they never undercut anyone else besides my friend. My friend sits at the market board all day everyday and understands normal market activity as well as the behavior of market bots. Its not a bot since the player has changed their retainer names several times. Who ever this player is also knows my friend is selling none crafted items on two other servers and knows those retainers as well. They're also preventing my friend from selling on those servers.

I feel like your friend is spinning you a tall tale. Parts of this story make no sense.

On the off chance that the story is true, I would suggest that your friend take all their items down from the marketboard and change all their retainer names. When they go to relist the items, make certain that each retainer is selling either items with a Maker's Signature or without one but not both. The Maker's Signature is the only way to trace a specific player character's marketboard activity and retainers.

I would also suggest that they stop talking about their marketboard activity with others. The only way the alleged stalker could have gotten some of the information would be if your friend told it to them.

[Smurfy]

This ins't the first time my friend has been harrassed on the market board. This other player has basicly admitted to stalking when they changed their retainer's name to, Staulkerofscumbags.

My friend said that they have made attempts at changing retainer names and even waiting for an amount of time to pass before relisting their items. A few days ago, I noticed a random player speaking with my friend in /Say chat. They specificly mentioned my friend's retainer on another server after my friend had changed that retainer's name. That retainer wasn't selling anything with a signature on it so, how could that player have known or even guessed that retainer belonged to my friend? This random player was using an alt character from a different server from the one my friend was selling on, so they were clearly trying to hide their identity.

Since my friend observes the market board all day to fight against bots, you can figure out who's retainer belongs to who based on many facters.
1. If you have a retainer out on your plot of land, someone can come by and look at what you're selling and see which is your retainer's name.
2. Is obvious, your signature is placed on the items you crafted, so when you post them another player knows your retainer's name.
3. If a player intentionally follows another player's market activity they can figure out their retainer's name. This works vise versa, someone could be watching the activity of a specific retainer to determine who that retainer belongs to.
4. If you are competing with another player for the sale of an item, the other player can purchase your item and then immidiately post it after buying, doing this would allow you to know who the retainer belongs to.

At this point in time there are a lot of players who are familiar with my friend's market activity and retainers. Simply changing retainer names and spacing out items, doesn't work if the other player is wacthing the market board or specificly watching my friend's activity.

For example: if my friend buys a high value minion and lists it higher, the other player will see his activity and buy the same item moments later and then prevent my friend from selling it. If my friend removes the item and transfers it to another server the player will do the same. If my freind removes the item, the other player will either change their price to 99,999,999 or remove it and wait for my friend to change retainers.

If you want proof, go to Goblin and look at Voidcast Barding, one item is listed at 99,999,999 not undercutting the one listed at 909k. You can also see this retainer is selling Eventide Sword Stand listed at the same price. I won't include the items that my friend is selling, however, there are other items that this player is selling with multiple retainers which are either insults to my friend or similar names to his retainers.

Last time I checked players don't intentionally change their retainer names to insult other players or change them to match their competitor's retainer names from other servers.

Feel free to speak to my friend directly. They're always at my FC house.

[Jojoya]

Your friend is always welcome to post here in the forums if they want their story to be heard. It would be better coming from them instead of getting the story secondhand through you.

In all honestly, nothing you've said here makes a convincing case for this being targeted stalking and harassment. It sounds like market competition, perhaps not the typical type but also not that uncommon. Your friend is not the only player that sees the profit potential in flipping items. Some players will change retainer names on a regular basis, using names that sound stupid/insulting to others.

No one is guaranteed that their items will sell. At the same time, no one can prevent another player's items from being sold either. The buyer gets to decide which seller they will buy from.

[Smurfy]

You are awrae that bots can undercut someone every few seconds, right? Just like a human player who watches the market board can undercut everytime someone undercuts them. This can prevent another player from selling their item.

You're right in saying that the buyer can choose who to by from, however, 99% of the time the buyer will buy the first item they see. And yes, other players can see profit potential in certain items, however, would they intentionally seek out and search for another player's retainer on another server? No they wouldn't.

If this was actual market competition, then why the need for the other player to hide their identity when they buy their items from other servers?

Why doesn't the other player approach my friend and explain that they aren't trying to stalk him?

Why does the other palyer need to change their retainers to match the names of my friend's retainers or name them in a way that calls my friend a scumbag?

Like I said the proof is on Goblin market board. And my friend is more than happy to show you the behavior of what this other player is doing.

[Jojoya]

You are awrae that bots can undercut someone every few seconds, right? Just like a human player who watches the market board can undercut everytime someone undercuts them. This can prevent another player from selling their item.

You're right in saying that the buyer can choose who to by from, however, 99% of the time the buyer will buy the first item they see. And yes, other players can see profit potential in certain items, however, would they intentionally seek out and search for another player's retainer on another server? No they wouldn't.

If this was actual market competition, then why the need for the other player to hide their identity when they buy their items from other servers?

Why doesn't the other player approach my friend and explain that they aren't trying to stalk him?

Why does the other palyer need to change their retainers to match the names of my friend's retainers or name them in a way that calls my friend a scumbag?

Like I said the proof is on Goblin market board. And my friend is more than happy to show you the behavior of what this other player is doing.

Undercutting isn't stalking and harassment whether it's done by a bot or a player. It is part of the marketboard game. That's not preventing someone else from selling items. That's fair market competition. The someone else is always free to change their price or find other things to sell.

Why are you assuming the retainer name change was directed at your friend and not another competitor of the other seller? I rather doubt your friend has named their character "Scumbags" though anything is possible considering some players in the community.

Why would the other player even know that your friend believes they are being stalked? It could be the other player thinks your friend is stalking them considering how over the top this entire story has gotten and how much information you've been given about what this other player is supposedly doing.

All the Goblin marketboard is going to tell me is that items have been listed on retainers for sale at X price and that players have previously purchased some of those items at Y price. It's not going to tell me that there is stalking and harassment going on.

Let your friend come here to tell the story. Though considering how deeply attached you seem to be to this subject and how much detail you have about what is going on, I'm beginning to doubt your "friend" even exists. Sounds more like the person you're talking about is yourself.

[Toutatis]

If you want proof, go to Goblin and look at Voidcast Barding, one item is listed at 99,999,999 not undercutting the one listed at 909k.

Could be the same player trying to control the market. It could be his 909K thing so when your friend tries to sell his item, the other player undercuts him with the 2nd item. Old marketboard tricks. And what's wrong with buying items from other servers? if things sell cheaper over there, it's a good way to make gils with not much effort.

[JohncarterIx]

you cant talk to sellers and you can only sell = this is so dumb