How some Pin Scammers Work at Walt Disney World

[MirandaWright's]

How Scammers Get You to Pay Huge Prices for Common Pins

Disney forbids the selling of pins by pin traders on Walt Disney World property...but that doesn't stop the scam artists. I work for a church, and we see this tactic used by scam artists all the time: A person asks for a meal at the restaurant next to the church; after the meal is purchased and the bill paid for the food (and after we leave the building), the scammer goes back to the counter, complaining about the food and demanding "their" money back. (We solved this problem by informing the restaurant that only we get any refund, if a person wants to return food...oddly enough, when the scammer realizes this, they suddenly get a taste for the food and usually eat it.)

In the case of Disney pin scammers, here's how a recent con works:

• You come across the "pin trader" with their pin trading book laid out at one of the trading tables in Epcot or at a pin trading night.
• You find a pin you want for your collection.
• The scammer tells you that you don't have anything they need for their collection.
• The scammer instructs you to buy -- from the Disney pin store -- a certain number of pins "for their collection." If you can pay cash for them, they love you even more.
• If you pay with cash, the scammer asks for your receipt.
• Once you leave (or at a later time), they return the pins you purchased, along with the receipt, asking for their money back.

So in the end, you get a cheap pin from the scammer and they get a bunch of cash for it.

It's important to realize that most of these scammers are from the Orlando area...they make their living -- or supplement their income -- by coming to the parks on a regular basis. They pick up Hidden Mickey and Mystery pins from off Cast Member lanyards...these are the pins Guests most often are searching for, but because the Guest is only there for a few days, they have a tough time completing their sets. Scammers prey upon such people. In reality, Hidden Mickey pins are quite common, if you work at it...my wife was able to easily secure the 26-pin alphabet lanyard collection in a period of three days. It took diligence, but she was able.

This scam has several concerns: #1, it breaks Disney's rules. #2, Guests are paying $10-$13 for common pins.

Even if a scammer doesn't ask for a receipt, they're still trading off cheap, common pins for brand new ones on their original card. Many of these pins end up on eBay, unfortunately, providing a way for scammers to "launder" their goods.

A Solution: Report the Scammer to a Cast Member

If a pin trader tells you to go and buy a pin for them in a pin store in trade for one of their pins, report that action to a Cast Member (or a manager is even better). Although Guests have every right to waste their hard-earned money by buying a scammer a new pin in trade for a common one, it's unethical and Disney hates the practice. If a pin trader not only asks you to buy a pin, but asks for the receipt, notify Disney management immediately; tell them that you are angered that people are permitted to try and scam Guests, and let them know that you've heard about the practice of getting receipts and then turning them in for a refund.

Legitimate Pin Trading

I understand wanting to trade similar pins...and if I have a rare one, I'm not going to trade for something cheap...but all the pins I bring into the parks are fully tradeable. It bugs the scammers to distraction when I set up at a table and start calling out, "I'll trade anything for anything!" But that's what true pin trading is all about...helping someone further their collection (and if you find something you like as well, great!).

Next time you're in the parks and you see someone with a huge book, trading pins, and if they tell you that you don't have anything they want (but if you want to buy them a pin, that would be okay), don't be afraid to call them what they are: Scammers and cons. They don't celebrate the spirit of Disney pin trading, and they certainly don't belong in the parks.


By chip_and_dale!With permission

[Pixaryan]

I saw a person who had labels in their pin books at the last PTN that said" if you don't have anything I want I can direct you where to go buy something that I would want in a store"

[MirandaWright's]

(07-05-2012 10:52 PM)Pixaryan Wrote:  I saw a person who had labels in their pin books at the last PTN that said" if you don't have anything I want I can direct you where to go buy something that I would want in a store"

Lol that's pretty sad
and Blatant

[Pixaryan]

I mean I'm a newbie and I was shocked by it.

[MirandaWright's]

I dont deal with people like that
I mean id trade a pin for a churro or a toy for my son but i would ask people to go buy me new pins unless they offer to to start