Buy and sell safely on eBay
1. Always check the seller's reputation and customer comments. Don't be afraid to ask questions - click ‘Email seller' to ask a question and elect to ‘Watch a bid' to see whether initial interest dies down as people get cold feet. Sometimes you just have to trust your instincts.
2. Counterfeit software is one of the most prevalent examples of fake goods being traded. If it's not in its original packaging, stay well away. Similarly, buying tickets can be a minefield: eBay expressly forbids it and you should also be wary of reseller sites. If a seller won't let you collect the tickets in person, back away.
3. If you get a message purporting to be from eBay or PayPal, stating that the card on file for your account was declined and they need another card to take their cut, it's a scam with a dodgy link to a phishing site. eBay takes its cut only after you successfully complete a sale. If in doubt, contact PayPal or eBay.
4. If you're buying something substantial such as a car, it may sound reasonable for the seller to demand a deposit. Decline and offer to pick up the car in person - that way, you can also examine it and check it's the same one. Deposits are a neat way for someone to con you and never be heard from again.
Comments
Mr Ebay said: I was scammed by a person who had no less than eight eBay account that had only been closed down after several members got together to complain and yet all eBay can do is hide behind the data protection act when asked by myself to provide details of the person involved and even the trading standards are having to wait 3 weeks for informationTime eBay was closed down IMHO
Aram said: Are you being paid by Swoopo or simply naiveThe bid fees paid at swoopo are several times the closing price meaning that the average bidder does worse than their investment than they would playing craps or a lottery There is no meaningful way in which the site is a bargain and your article is deeply irresponsible for implying so I hope someone sues you
David B said: Hi guysSeems like there is some disagreement re Swoopo Well there are ways to know that you can get a good deal Bid butlers are a waste of timeetc Just sit through a few auctions and watch them Youll get the hang of it I actually put an ebook out with a ton of information on it wwwbeatswoopocom that helps take alot of guessing out of when a product will sell Dont hesitate to contact me with any questions either supportbeatswoopocom or beatswoopogmailcom Thanks guys and definitely let me know if you need anything CheersDave
Rosemary Hattersley said: Thanks for your comments regarding Swoopo My intention in this piece was to show how online auction sites operate since they are very different territory from eBay etc I felt my introduction and clarification of its mechanics made it clear that using such a site can be risky and that there is no guarantee of a bargain Bidding for an item on sites where you pay to bid inevitably creates issues - reverse auctions use a similar business model in order to offer bargains Its a case of buyer beware as ever Here we really wanted to show what youre getting into and how such sites operate rather than to endorse a particular site
Carlos said: I totally agree with TE - steer well clear and PC Advisor maybe you should research your editorials a little bit more closely before advising people in this wayDisgusted Kent
TE said: Swoopo is NOT an auction site Its a heavily disguised gambling site that involves making a very small amount of money from a large number of people The business has German origins much like the thieves at Jamster - another outfit known for making a small amount of money from a large number of peopleIt doesnt take a genius to figure out that Swoopos bidding system nets them many times the value of the item theyre selling This isnt a scam in the same way that pushing ringtones to teenagers isnt a scam but it is taking advantage of the unwary and in no way is it a legitimate way of beating the credit crunch Whoever wrote this piece needs a punch in the head or has had too many alreadyBottom line not a scam just an old fashioned a rip-off More often than not youll spend money and come away with nothingYou have been warned