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The platform charged a 22% fee to allow this renting of equipment? Why charge a fee if you're not actually going to cover the buyer or seller when your marketplace messes up?

Also, just because you sign an illegal contract doesn't make that contract valid. Many companies will try to tell you "well you accepted our terms when signing up." Well those terms are not on legal grounds.

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>>Why charge a fee if you're not actually going to cover the buyer or seller when your marketplace messes up?

I think we all know the answer here.

So many sites are just "hapless middle men who facilitate contact between individuals who want to engage in <activity>" when someone commits fraud/theft/terroristic threats/<crime> on their platform.

I know what KitSplit will tell you. We provide value by connecting people and allowing payments. Gee, I can give someone my number and accept cash on Craigslist too. If I'm paying 22% of the transaction to you, there'd better be some assurances.

Oh no, not at all. Now that this story is on the front page of HN, KitSplit will tell you it was all a big misunderstanding. They will pay for all of your stolen gear, send you a T-shirt, and donate to a kitten orphanage.

The next person who gets their kit stolen is still fucked though, unless they too manage to make it to the front page.

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