Introduction:
Even the most cautious eBay buyers can have a bad auction. One of the biggest fears of novice users is getting ripped off in an auction transaction. It can happen, since your transaction is with an individual, and not with eBay. But there are measures you can take to minimize the risk. Read on to learn some tricks experienced eBay buyers use to ensure safer auction transaction and help you avoid the pitfalls:

* Trust your instinct: If something doesn't feel right, there's probably a reason. If the deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. Not that you can't find some terrific deals on eBay, but you have to be real about them. Let your instincts guide you and don't be afraid to step away from any auction that feels wrong to you in any way.

* Check the Seller’s Feedback: Usually make it a point to deal only with people with a lot of positive feedback, at least 95%, which minimizes the risk of getting ripped off. Feedback is the feature on eBay where people give references to other people they have dealt with. Typically, if they are honest, it will be like a hundred positive feedbacks and perhaps one or two negative ones. This is quite normal. There are several unhappy people out there who will slam others even when they are honest. If you are absolutely paranoid about purchasing stuff from international sellers, you may want to limit your eBay search to auctions in your own region or state to avoid being ripped.

* No Wire Transfer: If you face a seller that demands payment through Western Union, MoneyGram, and so on, scoot away as fast as you can. These services are designed to let you send money to people you trust, and not intended to pay for auction items. Scammers like to receive payment via cash transfer services because they are untraceable and make it impossible to identify the recipient. So if you see a cash transfer in the payments accepted of an auction listing, don't bid, simply report the auction to eBay.

* Use PayPal: The safest way to pay for an auction item is with your credit card using PayPal. When you pay by credit card, you are protected by Fair Credit Billing Act, which gives you the right to dispute certain charges and limits your liability for unauthorized transactions to fifty dollars.

* Escrow: Use an escrow service for higher-priced goods. An escrow service acts as a neutral third party between you and the auctioneer, holding your money until you receives the seller's item. If you don't get the merchandise (or merchandise is unacceptable), you get your money back; and the seller gets paid only when you are satisfied.

Summary:
If you still face a problem with a seller, first try sorting it out between the two of you. If things don't get resolved amicably, contact eBay with your grievance; you can use eBay's Purchase Protection Program to register your complaint and hopefully get reimbursed for your loss.