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Be wary of auctions with these
Red Flags:
Zero Feedback Seller
Sure, we all start with zero feedback, but not many of us auction several laptops on a three day old account. Email the Seller and ask questions!
Newly Created Account
Go to the Seller's feedback page and see when the account was created. Yesterday? hmmmm...
3 Day Auction
3 day auctions are unnecessary except for time-sensitive items like concert tickets. I'm also informed that some legitimate Sellers use the 3 day auction to turn over stock so examine all the Seller's auctions and see if they appear to be purging inventory. Bonus Red Flag: Does the auction start on Friday and end on Sunday? eBay support can be a little slower on the weekend and may not be able to respond to investigations as quickly.
Stock Photos
Scammers typically do not have real photos of the items they are selling. They will pull stock photo's off the manufacturer's web site or copy the photo from someone else's auction.
Current Auctions
Look at the Seller's currently running auctions. A greedy scammer will have many high-ticket items up for sale all at once so they can cash in and get out quick. Also try searching for recently ended auctions by this Seller: click the 'search' button at the top of any eBay page, click the 'By Seller' tab, enter the Seller's ID in the 'Single Seller' box, select the 'All' button in the 'Include Completed Items' option, then click the 'Search' button.
Most Recent Feedback Is Old
Examine the Seller's feedback page. Is the most recent feedback shown very old? If so, there's a good chance this is an abandoned Seller's account has been recently hijacked by a scammer. Scammers will do this so they appear to have a good feedback rating.
Seller's Auction History
Examine the Seller's feedback page. Are the previous items this Seller has auctioned related in any way to the current auction? If this Seller typically sells Beany Babies, but now has 12 laptops for sale, you should be wary. It can be legitimate, so email the Seller and ask how they got all these laptops -- be inquisitive.
Private Auction
Why is the auction private? Scammer's use this technique for a couple reasons. One, they keep the bidder's names hidden so that a bidder can't be warned of a possible scam (which is called "auction interference" and is against eBay policy anyway), and two, they can "shill bid" the auction price up and not be seen. There simply is no reason to have a private auction for items other than the adult category where a little privacy is expected.
Private Feedback
Why is the Seller's feedback private? Other than a horrible feedback rating there are few reasons to hide feedback. One valid reason may be because the Seller been unfairly "feedback bombed" where a disgruntled buyer bought (without intention of paying) many of the Seller's auctions for the sole purpose of leaving negative feedback. However, a Seller should refrain from making their feedback private as most buyers can see right through those negatives especially when the Seller has left a rational response to the negative.
Location Inconsistancies
Examine the Seller's feedback page. Look at all the auction pages that eBay still has on record and note the location of the Seller at the top right of the auction page. Has this location changed? Also examine the location of the auction you are interested in and the Seller's location which can be found on their feedback page. Do they match?
No Payment Terms
Are the payment terms clearly listed? If not, email the Seller and ask what payment they will accept. See the Western Union/C2it Red Flag.
Currency Mismatch
Does the auction currency match the auction location? If not, there is an excellent chance the auction location is invalid. Why would an auction located in the United States accept (for example) Euros? Probably because the Seller is actually located in Europe somewhere and the item you are bidding on doesn't really exist.
Western Union/C2it Payment
Scammers want their money quickly and anonymously. Western Union and C2it provide this. Both charges are cash advances on your credit card and not repairable with a charge back.
No Escrow Allowed
Does the Seller refuse to use escrow? Ask them why. Some legitimate Seller's do not to use escrow because they are an established business and/or respected authority in their field. Ask who they are and confirm their credentials. Escrow is highly recommended for expensive items. Ask to use eBay's recommended escrow partner Escrow.com. If they refuse, ask why. If you are uncomfortable with the answer, don't bid.
Scam Escrow
Be wary when a Seller initiates an offer to go through a specific escrow service. When escrow mainly benefits the Buyer, why would a Seller offer it? Check the escrow site they offer against Fenton.Smith's list of Scam Escrow Services
Off-eBay Offer
Often a scammer will lure victims to their auction with the intent of completing the deal off eBay. If you bid on an item but did not win, you are a potential victim by a scammer which may or may not be the Seller of the item you are interested - in many cases a scammer may monitor another Seller's auction and contact the losing bidders after the auction ends.
eBay Insurance / Transaction Insurance
Some scammers try to comfort victims by claiming they have "transaction insurance" where they have deposited a large amount of money with eBay or another agency that you may contact for a refund if the deal goes sour. eBay does not have an insurance program.
Self-Feedback Padding
Another tactic a scammer will use is to sell similar auction items to himself using other (usually new) accounts then leave himself positive feedback. Examine the Seller's feedback page and look at listed feedback. Has the Seller's feedback been left by buyers with new accounts also? Was the feedback left minutes or hours after the auction ended?
Do you know more Red Flags? Email me and let me know.
Credits:
Many thanks go to the regular inhabitants of the Trust & Safety (Safe Harbor) forum for most of these suggestions. All buyers are strongly encouraged to read and ask questions in this forum if they suspect an auction may be a scam. Be sure to read the policies of the forum first since posting explicit auction numbers is often not allowed.
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