This seems to be a problem if real. I'd like to read SebastianJu's version.
A single positive default trust feedback makes an account green so it should be given only when one really thinks someone is trustworthy. And as described in the profile page the risked amount should always be set to zero if the other person sends first. It doesn't make sense that an escrow includes a non-zero risked amount unless there's something we don't know, in that case that extra information should be included in the feedback.
I really think escrows shouldn't leave feedback at all unless something particularly positive or negative happened in the deal.
I too am surprised when escrow providers leave positive feedback to the people involved in the transaction,
especially when these people are on DefaultTrust. It definitely gives people a false sense of trust and degrades from those people's rating. I really don't mind when escrow providers give out neutral feedback or none after the transaction, since there is no trust involved on the escrow provider's end.
Edit: I just took a look through SJ's rating and it appears that he puts amounts in for all transactions he escrows. Probably just a pattern he follows but he should probably change that, considering he isn't the one risking the bitcoins.
So how would you handle it? I set amounts when the trading parties set amounts. Since then i know that they dont care if the amounts are stated.
And how can a good trust rating be wrong when a trade went correctly?
I'd handle it a little differently. I don't think I'd leave users trust just because a trade goes well, since the escrow provider doesn't need to put trust into any of the other parties. However if someone asks for a trust rating after the trade, I'd leave them a neutral trust rating, unless I truly do trust the user. I escrow a transaction here and there on my main account, and although plenty of the transactions are over $50, I wouldn't necessarily trust all the people I deal with, so I don't leave them trust unless they ask. If they do ask, I usually leave them neutral trust so that others know they've successfully completed a deal or two, but that I wouldn't completely trust them, especially if the user is a newbie, or this was their first trade.
One possible problem I see with the neutral ratings for escrows below $50 is that users could just create two accounts, ask you to escrow a "trade" between them, and receive positive trust on both accounts for fairly cheap without any trade having actually taken place. I don't know if you charge a fee, but if so it would only cost them about $0.50 + 0.0001 BTC (1% fee + tx fee) to potentially have two green accounts to sell (or do whatever else with) later on. I'm not saying that this does happen, I'm just mentioning that this could be a potential problem with leaving positive feedback after a trade.
As for the risked amount, it's really not a big deal at all, but it's supposed to be the bitcoin that you risked during the transaction. Since you didn't risk any bitcoin, it technically should be 0 BTC. But since you leave a comment saying that you provided escrow for the users I really don't think that's a big deal, people should be able to figure things out.
Yes, i always state that i ESCROWED a trade, i dont state that i traded with them, its clear what happened to everyone reading.
Sure, im not very much at risk, except someone tries to scam me with 2 accounts, which luckily didnt happen yet except someone trying to scam trust with fake transactions. I worked together with the staff and all the details are with the correct persons now. You wouldnt believe how many accounts seem to be owned by single persons that dont have to do better things than using them to scam one way or another.
I dont take a fee, though i accept donations.
Youre right, i did not really risk though when i state i escrowed then it should be clear that its the amount in escrow.
I checked around on other members accounts and found that ALOT of green trust comes from escrows. Maybe the most. Even when not, you would need to forbid two trading partners, that use an escrow, to give each other green trust. Because they didnt risk anything too by using the escrow.
At the end the trust system would become pretty much useless since green trust would be given to friends you know. Which would be arbitrary to some extend since friends are treated different naturally. Does it need to mean someone wont scam only because he behaves with you as your friend?
So i know the trust system is not perfect but i think it should be used. It doesnt make sense when everyone on the forum has no trust at all because everyone is using escrows that eliminate risks.
And it doesnt make sense to only give green trust to those that trade without escrow since that isnt really a behaviour that is a good thing. Reward for NOT using escrow, surely the opposite what scammers teach on here.