| Buying And Selling On Ebay: Tips |
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Page 2 of 2 The key to security when buying and selling on eBay, is to understand what the scams are, and recognize the setup before it's too late. Bid SiphoningYou've located the item you've been searching for, and the seller emails you directly to tell you that there is an alternate auction site where you can buy his or her product at less than the eBay price. Don't follow up on this offer. Legitimate auction sites like eBay offer buyer protection in the form of insurance. If a seller fails to deliver an item you've paid for, eBay may be able to replace the money you've lost. In turn, they will pursue the seller and charge him or her accordingly. However, if your purchase was made outside of eBay, that protection may not be available to you.Bid ShieldingThis is a scam perpetrated by buyers. An item is shielded from fair bidding when a buyer places a high starting bid. Other bidders don't want to compete with the high price, so they leave the auction. Just before the bid closes, the scammer withdraws his or her bid and begins bidding under another name. Since the auction is about to end, the second lowball bid becomes the final selling price.Shill BiddingA shill is a swindler's accomplice. Shills drive up the online bids, forcing legitimate bidders to raise their offers. You'll be able to spot a shill if the item doesn't seem to carry the value of the price it commands. Shills place high bids to lure others to raise their own bids. In the end, the highest bidder has paid much more than they normally would have, often for an item of compromised value. Stolen items, counterfeit or knock-off products and refurbished pieces can be sold this way.These are the most common cases of Internet auction fraud. Being aware of these situations, and being cautious in general, can help you avoid the unpleasant experience of being scammed of your goods or money. Nevertheless, buying and selling on eBay still proves to be a fair and reliable way of marketing merchandise. Internet auctions like eBay have created a true global market--connecting buyers with sellers and helping the world to connect through fair and responsible trade. About The Author William Davis writes articles for several web sites, most recently http://fidew.com and http://tasup.com. |
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