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LeafedOut: A Virtual Revelation For Illegal Weed Markets
‘LeafedOut‘ has proven to be an invaluable service to stoners across the world. ‘LeafedOut’ was formerly known as ‘LeafedIn’ – and for years, the peer-to-peer service has functioned as a highly disruptive cannabinoid-focused counterpart to the professional social network ‘LinkedIn’.
LeafedOut is a semi-anonymous online space dedicated to sourcing out cannabis-related products in your local area. If you’ve spent any major amount of time browsing through online forums, you’ll know that this is the global hub for petty low-level deals.
Even in places where the plant has yet to be legalised (as in the case of Australia), the network has managed to coalesce and maintain a sizeable presence; albeit, with a lot less moderation and regulation than in places like the States (naturally).
We at F.A.B ultimately advocate the wide-scale proliferation of such organised online efforts, despite acknowledging the many risks and problems associated with this new frontier. Once cannabis is finally decriminalised across the globe, these websites will be of great utility for everyone looking to ‘get on’.
However, for the time being, LeafedOut and similar websites aren’t exactly what we would call safe. With that said, here are a few things you ought to be looking out for, if you plan to use the service.
Navigating the Online Marketplace
The first thing to note aboutLeafedOutis that this particular method of sourcing is not exactly foolproof, in all circumstances.
It’s difficult to determine exactly who you’re talking to, what their motivations are, and whether you’ll actually get your weed or not – particularly if you aren’t ‘in the know’.
Apart from the obvious risk of running in with the law (PROTIP: KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR OBVIOUS COP-LIKE BEHAVIOUR), there are also other folks to be concerned about. Here are a few ways to identify them from the outset.
Watch Out for LeafedOutGift Card Scams
There are a lot of folks out there who will string you along in a Wickr or Telegram conversation, acting like it’s all cool… only to notify you just before they’re supposed to ‘head off’ that they only accept payment with Steam, Apple or any other kind of gift card.
They will ask you to purchase these cards; and once they have, they’ll send you a hyperlink to input the code into – by which point, you’ll never see that money again. Let alone your weed; most of the people engaging in these scams aren’t even local. You’re probably talking to a particularly savvy Malaysian teenager.
My first experience with this kind of scam was in Sydney last year. I was shocked when asked to pick up some gift cards from the store. It was 8p.m., and by that point, the stores were closed… seeing as I didn’t know about this ploy, I was lucky to avoid being scammed.
The worst part about all of this ‘steam card’ rubbish is that you can’t exactly dob these folks in… at least, not without doing yourself in. Seeing as the whole cannabis market in Australia is unregulated due to its legality, there are a great many associated risks that one must account for when using this site.
Another telltale sign of scammers? The vendors have an advertised list of multiple different popular strains… if they’re claiming that all of these ‘imported’ strains are available, there’s a likelihood that their offer is too good to be true. Be cautious.
Only Accept Face to Face Transactions
A surefire way to make sure you aren’t scammed is to only engage in face-to-face cash transactions.
The environment of prohibition fosters a total lack of consumer protection; as such, when you’re using LeafedOut, you’ll never truly know if that person on the other end intends to uphold their end of the bargain until they physically hand you the baggie.
If your vendor is requesting you send money to a PayPal or Venmo, think twice… if you haven’t yet got your weed, they could very easily run off with that money. The only way to really be sure is to exchange cash in person.
Check Ratings and the Blacklist
Other users can indicate which vendors are actually worth your time.
Look out for the ‘leaf’ ratings out of five on their profile, and read the reviews – unless the vendor has fabricated all of the reviews themselves (which should be obvious enough), you’ll be getting a better idea as to how trustworthy they really are. Additionally, if you wish to help out others in their quests, be sure to give trustworthy vendors a five-star rating.
Another way of finding shifty dealers is checking their name in the blacklist. Those who have dealt with scammers before can dob them in on the site. You could save a lot of time and money just by copying their username in there – and you can assist others in doing the same by reporting any findings/experiences you may have.
Again, this method isn’t 100% guaranteed to prevent you from falling into an unfortunate situation. The advice I impart is that you’ll need to accept a certain level of risk, and account for the fact that some people are just trying to take advantage of you. It’s a dangerous world out there… and all to consume a bit of plant matter. Ridiculous, hey.
Conclusion
LeafedOut, as a P2P website, is often poorly moderated. It lacks any form of scam protection. You also won’t be getting any help from the authorities. It’s advised that you be very careful and ‘on alert’ when you use these services.
Additionally, the larger cannabis communities in metropolises like Sydney and Melbourne have more options to choose from, on these services – but so long as you’re in a relatively built up area, there’s probably someone slinging.
This is the issue with prohibition, what a mess
Thanks for the valuable info
Any tips on how to pick up on obvious cop behaviour?
Im an ex Victorian police officer, hense ex, I love growing, since i was 12. Be smater than the average bear, dont leave any evidence
Hi
From what I’ve heard, prices are astronomical! It is what it is I guess…
Wish I had read this sooner. Just lastnight I was told to buy $100 worth of Steam Cards from 711 and that “he” would meet me there. 2 hours later – no one. Unfortunately I had followed his instructions to scratch the back panel of one of the cards and send it promptly to him before he “leaves”
711 didn’t accept a refund on the other card so goodbye $100! Found the Vendor on Leafedin under GREENLEAF880
Yep same thing happened to me… apparently it’s russian organised crime. What about f2f cash transactions?
Face to face transactions are a lot less shady. There is still a level of risk involved (it’s a black market transaction, and you can get robbed by randoms if you aren’t careful… as always), but F2F is basically the only acceptable manner to deal with LeafedOut folks. The ones asking for alternative or digital methods of payment ARE scammers, and they WILL try to make you feel stupid… but they’re just out to get people.
[…] Used in a similar context to fangin’ and/or stingin’ – when you use this word in the context of cannabis, it signifies to others that you are desperate to get high – that it’s all you have on your mind. […]
[…] prowess, luck, and accessibility to contacts. You’ll also need patience, and a pretty penny. Combing through leafedin – however ill advised an action that may be – will turn up plenty of results for […]
I am really happy to say it’s an interesting post to read. I learn new information from your article, you are doing a great job. Keep it up
Great read and good advice for using apps like this, as with everything put that extra effort in with a bit of research and stay safe.
My housemate just got ripped off by someone. She deposited the money into his bank account and now he suddenly has “car troubles” and hasn’t been replying all afternoon, even though he lives in the next suburb. Don’t ever pay first, and if they ask, move on and find someone else. If there is also a way to flag users in the group, then do so as well for the sake of other customers.
[…] want to see you again. If you’re unlucky, they’ll rip you off and short change you. You never really know what you’ll get with these […]
Leafedout- Australia: I purchased with all the active vendors of Sydney once (may be 18-25 vendors) this year. They all are shit. Price for 7 grams is AUD 130-60 there and the actual weight is around 3-5 Grams Only. 90% of vendor sells PGR and remaining 10% do underweight. I request all the consumers not to encourage sellers who charge more than 350 an OZ. Now as I have connections with vendors outside of this website, I am getting purple kush and similar strains in 350 – 28 grams. I regret for the loss that i had in this website.
Watch out for a scammer in Canberra
Wickr name: bigmike20k
Saw this guy in Queensland as well, must be getting around
Too mañy scammers wouldn’t touch the site with a rotting barge pole.
Watch out from Joshturner420 , he is from Melbourne , he sold me 2 bags of PGR for 700$$, he sent me pic of something nice and then he gave me PGR in a shoe box that he calls classy way, he writes his own feedback, so don’t believe him, stay away from that scammer.
Yep, same deal with me!
Inspite of you great article which is completely true, I messed up and got scammed with the whole voucher card tactic and very well orchestrated by Wickr handle – josy832 and henry110 from Sydney. These pricks are Chinese and lure you to grab vouchers instead of cash. I should have been careful and not fallen for the trap and lost 350 bucks !!
That’s a shame, man. All the best, in future. Be sure to only accept face to face deals you trust!
Biggest scam…bit coin. .gift cards. . Everyone I tried wanted payment up.front and yeah I got scammed for 100$ gift voucher…half the time they don’t respond… very dissapointed
Any digital or alternative methods of transaction are simply gonna be bogus claims coming from scammers across the world. Only pursue Face to Face deals, where cash is transacted by hand.
Anyone Near Adelaide or Victor Harbor I can score off. Every single one off leafdout in the area are scammers
I’m in Adelaide unsure how we can contact each other but happy to help you out.
Does anyone have any luck with the gift cards? I ended up buying two $50 Google Play cards and am now realising I’ve been had.
At least I still have the cards and they’re still valid. I know not to enter in anything online or they’ll just use the cards. But yeah feeling pretty dumb.
I have never used the card method nor have I found a single forum post online of someone saying they used the gift card and didn’t get scammed. Even if it were legit somehow, using gift cards to launder money from dealing a bit of green sounds like a complete waste of time.
This website works if you never do anything but face-to-face.
I second to stay away from the melbourne dealer “Joshturner420” while the buds she has are average she sells them for ultra premium prices. $250 for ultra dry “White Rhino” that is poorly grown and the hybrid stuff is so shit (PGR) it will give you a headache just smelling it. Also its been harvested way to early. I spent 450 on the shittiest bud from her. STAY AWAY FROM Joshturner420 The best bud on leafedout ATM in Melbourne is from andreyrighthand and Just420. Both are not scammers.(seems to be a Chinese international student setup as they live off LaTrobe… Read more »