Unfortunately, fraud is one of the most popular problems on ebay. There have been thousands of cases in wich an unsuspecting person falls for a phony sale of a ripoff or cheap item. Electronics seem to be the most targeted items, ranging from speakers to TVs. These sales will probobly look honest but really, the item is a piece of junk. Heres a list of what to look for in a suspicious item.

Why such a flashy description?  

Usually cheap or replica items will have big flashy lettering to catch your attention. For example: "BRAND NEW PSP SPEAKERS!!!! LOW PRICE NO RESERVE!!!! GET UM' WHILE YOU STILL CAN!!!!" or "NEVER OPENED WIRELESS HEADPHONES!! UP TO 30 FEET AWAY!! LAST IN STOCK ENDING IN 2 DAYS!!!!BUY NOW!!!". The item description is the most decieving part about a lemon product (usually its safe but thats just a precaution.

Is the item listed more than once by the same seller?

It is not uncommon for a seller to list the same product more than once but sometimes it can be a scam. The person just wants to sell his item and lists more than the actual amount in stock. Usually the buyer will recieve an e-mail saying that there has been a problem with the sale and that they will recieve a full refund  for there "unexisting" purchase. Obviously this means that the seller has retracted there sale. 

Is the product a type or brand you have never heard of or seen?

Some items will look similar to expensive off the the shelf items but these items are much cheaper. Products will be designed to look just like a more expensive and better quality item. Things to look for are the name brands of the product. If it is made by "BBR INC." and looks like a sony product, don't buy it.

Where is the product coming from?

Items coming from overseas like Hong Kong or China can be, and usually are, lesser quality. The thing is, the product is made right there in a foreign country and is not inspected or made under a name brand such as Samsung or Microsoft. The product is made THERE packaged THERE and shipped out from THERE. When the buyer recieves the product and it does malfunction, who is he gonna blame? The 10 year old Chinese factory workers? It is rare that you will be able to recieve an exchange or a refund from overseas.

Read the small print!

Some sellers will try and trick you. They will say "seller not responsible for any damage or misuse incurred by buyer". The only problem is, if the item's already broken they'll say that they shipped it fine. Also, be on the lookout for inscriptions that say no refund on them. Unless your bidding on food and the item is new, what should they be so worried about?

Be careful with digital media

There are some auctions for digital information or music. There are a few problems with this. First of all, the media could have the wrong format for your PC. Secound, the files could have an illegal encryption and your computer would not accept the data (such as stolen music). Also, the data could have viruses within it - you do not know the people you are dealing with.

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