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Frequently Asked Questions
Explain the map feature please.
How do I change my email address?
There's no phone number in the ad.
I was ripped off!
How do I change or delete my ad?
Why can't I login?
How Do I Sign Up
Place New Ad
How do I renew my ad?
Uploading Images
Why doesn't the Back button work?
What is the "Top 25"?
Why the signup fee?
Any protection from scams?
What is an RSS feed?
What is a Data Feed?
How should buyers protect themselves?
How should sellers protect themselves?
Difference between Previews & Views?
How do I block another user?
Can someone place an ad for me?
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Signup Fee
Glad you asked!
VCI began charging a signup fee in April 2010. The original intention of the fee was to stop scammers from using the system. The fee continues to keep out most scammers but it also helps to fund development of the VCI Classifieds as it has grown to become one of the most popular Classifieds systems in the area.
Here's a little history...
VCI began providing free Classifieds around 1997. At the time it was called the "VCI Message Board". In the past few years scammers began targeting users of Classifieds websites. Although we block visitors from outside the United States from seeing ads we began seeing scammers inside the US signing up for free accounts. Once signed up these scammers would place ficticious ads or respond to existing ads hoping someone would believe the scam they were running.
While researching ways to stop the scammers we discovered a commonly used technique used by other websites. The technique was simple. If we charge the new customer a non-refundable signup fee we could increase the liklihood that only valid customers would pay the fee and scammers would not.
Here's a graphical description that displays how the Classifieds has changed over the years - History
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