Protect Yourself!  EBAY SCAMS can take YOUR money, but YOU can Fight Back!

Educated Buyers are "SMART" Buyers, so please read this.  You could save yourself from being a VICTIM of Ebay Fraud.

No matter how SMART you think you are, there are CON ARTISTS who are SMARTER than you and I are!  They have nothing else to do but dream up NEW WAYS to take your money, and they have NO CONSCIENCE about fleecing you via Ebay. 

Major Purchases like vehicles, tractors, snowmobiles, ATV's, trucks and collector cars on Ebay Motors and smaller items like Consumer Electronics, Computers, Cameras and simple items like Clothing, Shoes, Purses are all considered FAIR GAME to these people.  You have the power to SHUT THEM DOWN if you know what to look for.  After all, they want you to "participate" so if you know what to look for before you bid or send money, you won't get involved.  That takes away their advantage.

These scammers are hijacking hundreds of eBay user names and passwords daily through fake email requests that LOOK like they are coming from eBay.  Their PHISHING methods are sophisticated and realistic.  How do you spot a FAKE EMAIL?  That's easy!

When you receive an email from either Ebay or PayPal, look at the address of the sender.  DO NOT RESPOND unless the email comes to you via your MY eBAY Messages.  This is VITAL!  If eBay needs more information, THEY will send you a request that you have to see by opening your MY eBay Account, then access your Messages on the left side.  If the SAME message is NOT in your MY eBay Account Messages as what was sent to your personal email address, IT IS A FRAUD, commonly known as PHISHING for your personal data.

One time I responded to one of those messages because it looked official and I had NOT gone to My eBay to verify.  Next day, I had 25 email requests in my personal email for information on items that were listed on Ebay, with ME listed as the seller!  I notified eBay right away and those items were taken off before any damage was done, but someone obtained my password, probably through a phishing email and my own stupidity, then they listed 20 items under my 100% feedback reputation, but had their own email address and mailing address for payment.  I have since changed my password and no problems.  I've gotten smarter too, just like you're doing by reading this guide.

These poor bidders would have thought they bought something from me, something I didn't even know about, sent their money to a BOGUS seller address and never gotten a thing in return except MAD!

Second Chance Offers are another wonderful SCAM, but this one is EASY to spot!  The only 2nd Chance Offers you'll receive that are official will come via your MY eBay Account under Messages on the left side.  That's it!  Any second chance offer you receive in your personal email that looks official, shows a photo of the item you bid on and your final bid, BUT HAS A SEPARATE EMAIL ADDRESS like "Contact Joe at some gmail account, or contact TammyLou at at yahoo account, is a FAKE!  They don't have the item, they simply copied the site, made it look good and sent it to your email address.  THE KEY IS:  Look all the way down in the email message for a "personal" email address with a common host such as yahoo, gmail and others.  Don't Respond!  Delete the message and sleep better tonight!

Western Union purchases or CASH/Money Order ONLY purchases need to be thoroughly investigated BEFORE you send a DIME!  Most eBay Sellers use PayPal, at least for the deposit or downpayment on large purchases, but there are some legitimate sellers who prefer Money Order, Certified Bank Funds or personal check.  If you've checked their Feedback, had some communication with them via My eBay Messages you'll have less RISK of being a victim of Fraud.  I don't recommend EVER using Western Union for ANY purchase, EVER!

Short Listings are another sign of potential FRAUD.  Most eBay Sellers use 7-10 day Listings because more people have an opportunity to WATCH the sale and bidders drive the price higher.  An Auction of 3 Days or Less is something to be wary of.  Do your homework, email the seller to see if they respond in plain and proper english or broken sentences, ask for a faxed copy of a title or have additional photos emailed to you to verify that they have the item you're considering.

Private Auctions are an area for concern, but not always!  Many sellers are using Private Auctions now to PROTECT eBay Buyers from phishing and fake Second Chance Offers.  It is also a method used to artificially drive prices higher since a Seller can have someone in their office or a member of their family bid against Private Bidders during the sale to drive up or  protect their final sale price.

LOW "BUY IT NOW" PRICES are something to worry about!  If you 've done your homework and know approximately the value of the item you're hoping to buy, a SUPER LOW Buy It Now price will GLARE at you as a Fraudulent Listing.  Either they don't have the item and just want your cash, or the item you will receive will be NOTHING like what you were sold...Either way, you're hoodwinked if you go for it.  If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!  That means it is NOT TRUE...It is FALSE.  They get your money and you get nothing or not much.

FREE SHIPPING or Seller Pays Shipping never happens!  Let me repeat that.  If someone offers to ship your vehicle, your ATV, your computer or anything at NO COST, it most likely is a SCAM.  Nobody is going to give up $800 in shipping unless they popped you hard on the selling price and that doesn't happen because most bidders know approximate values when they're bidding.  Avoid those auctions if there is Seller Pays Shipping or Free Shipping.  Most likely, they don't have the item, they want your cash or Western Union payment and you'll get nothing in return.  This is especially true of foreign (out of the United States) sellers.

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