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Date Posted: 22:55:01 03/20/04 Sat
Author: Zombie
Subject: How to Avoid Auction Scams

How to Avoid Auction Scams
KATIE HAFNER

Published: March 20, 2004


ere are some tips for avoiding scams on eBay and other online auction sites.

PRICE Be wary if the price of an expensive item, especially one advertised as brand new, is priced far below the standard retail price. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

PAYMENT Scam artists usually ask for payment by Western Union. Both eBay and Western Union strongly advise against making payments this way. Always try to pay with a credit card or with PayPal, which provide extra security.

THE SELLER Use caution if the seller is a newly registered eBay user with no feedback from other users. Check the seller's history - if the seller has suddenly switched from selling vintage postcards to plasma televisions, the account may have been hijacked by a scam artist.

PHOTOS AND DESCRIPTION Look closely at the photo and the item description. Fraudulent sellers often pull both straight off a manufacturer's Web site.

LOCATION Beware if the seller claims to be in one place, say London, and the item is in another.

OFF-SITE SALES Avoid the temptation to make a quick, cheap deal. Scam artists often reel in victims by offering a cheaper price if the buyer agrees to close the deal off the auction site. This voids buyer protection policies offered by the auction site and is a violation of eBay rules.

PRIVATE AUCTIONS Some scam artists set up private auctions that conceal the identity of bidders and require that all bidders contact the seller before bidding. This is often a ploy to move the deal off the auction site.

The Federal Trade Commission's Web site on Internet auctions, with additional advice on avoiding fraud, can be found at www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/online/auctions.htm.

KATIE HAFNER

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