On eBay, there aren't many fraudsters, but the ones that are there are usually greedy. This implies they'll always try to con people out of high-value products like vehicles and computers in order to get a lot of money quickly. Because these things are rarely purchased, purchasers may be unaware of the different scams that exist.
Automobile Scams.
When it comes to vehicles, scammers will almost always try to persuade you to transfer the money in advance, for whatever reason. Some consumers, for some reason, aren't averse to paying 50% or 25% of the purchase price before delivery using a relatively insecure payment method, especially on a car. They assume that because they'll desire the remaining half of the money, the seller will certainly supply it.
But there was never an automobile! Car photographs are easy to come by, and seasoned con artists will have a vast collection of images of various vehicles. You just got $5,000 for nothing, and you may give them as much nasty feedback as you want. They'll simply establish a new eBay account and look for their next victim.
While it’s not an outright scam, what you might find is that the car does turn up, but simply doesn’t live up to the description – it has been oversold, in the tradition of used car dealers through the ages. If this happens to you then you should open an eBay dispute and say your item was not as described – you might get a partial refund.
Computer Scams.
If you place a bid on a computer but don't win, the seller may contact you to see if you'd want to purchase a computer similar to the one they just sold on their own website.
This is a terrible plan! You have no guarantee that the item will arrive, and you've given them not just your money but also your credit card information.
Sellers with just positive feedback frequently utilize this trick, and because you won't be able to leave them any comment on the transaction, their reputation will remain intact. If you complain to eBay about being scammed after purchasing an item off the site, they will urge you to "go lost."
How to Beat the Scams.
Scams can be defeated in a variety of ways. First and foremost, if you purchase something valuable, make sure to properly investigate your seller's reputation. Make sure they've sold similar high-value things in the past, and not just a string of $10 items to artificially inflate their feedback rating. If you want to be extra cautious, have the money put into an escrow account (eBay recommends escrow.com; don't use any other service until you're certain).
To be honest, using eBay to acquire stuff like automobiles and computers is often a lousy idea, to begin with — you can get them anywhere, and the savings aren't that significant any longer. For such unique, one-of-a-kind items, it's best to use eBay.
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