| Of the millions of transactions that | | | | and examine their products. If you find |
| transpire on eBay each day, only an | | | | they're fakes, you've learned your lesson at |
| infinitesimally small percentage are | | | | a minimal cost. |
| fraudulent. However, even that small | | | | |
| percentage means that fraud does still occur. | | | | 3. Counterfeit cashier's checks and money |
| How do you, as a seller, avoid becoming the | | | | orders. Be particularly careful with |
| victim of a scam? By recognizing common signs | | | | international buyers who need you to send an |
| of fraud: | | | | expensive item to an "agent" along with an |
| | | | exorbitant fee. |
| 1. "Phishing" expeditions. According to eBay | | | | |
| guru Skip McGath ( "phishers" send out mass | | | | - Before you send out a buyer's item, or |
| emails, posing as eBay, or any company, and | | | | forward any "agent's fees" from their check, |
| asking the recipient to confirm their | | | | take that check to your bank and have them |
| password, which they use to hijack their | | | | call the issuing bank and verify the check is |
| account. | | | | good. If it's not, you've saved yourself a |
| | | | lot of money. And if they tell you it's good |
| - Advises McGrath, "Any email that's really | | | | and turn out to be wrong, you aren't the one |
| from eBay will be on your My eBay page under | | | | taking the loss. |
| your My Messages, NOT in your inbox." | | | | |
| | | | 4. Sites or auctions that don't accept PayPal |
| - Always log into eBay-or any password | | | | or credit cards. |
| protected site-by going to the site from your | | | | |
| favorites bar, or by typing in the URL | | | | - PayPal performs very thorough background |
| yourself. Never log in on a page you opened | | | | checks and is committed to going after |
| through an email link! No matter how | | | | perpetrators of fraud, and credit cards let |
| authentic the page looks, there's a good | | | | you file charge backs. |
| chance you've been redirected to a phony | | | | |
| site. | | | | - If a supplier insists on being paid with a |
| | | | cashier's check or money order, that may be |
| 2. Unauthorized suppliers. You need to verify | | | | an indicator that they're not a good product |
| your suppliers-not everyone that claims to be | | | | source. |
| selling wholesale products is legitimate. | | | | |
| | | | Don't let a few dishonest people scare you |
| - If someone claims to be selling you | | | | off of eBay altogether. There are plenty of |
| wholesale items, but doesn't require your Tax | | | | genuine suppliers there, and not every user |
| ID number, they're not legitimate. | | | | is trying to cheat you. You just need to be |
| | | | aware of what's out there, and proceed with |
| - If you see a drop ship site with name brand | | | | caution. The vast majority of transactions |
| logos plastered everywhere, they're very | | | | that happen on eBay are completely above |
| likely NOT an authorized dealer-accounts with | | | | board: it's one of the safest e-commerce |
| large brand companies are extremely difficult | | | | platforms around. Assures McGrath, "You can |
| to establish, and the logos are copyrighted | | | | buy $10,000 Breitling watches on eBay that |
| material. | | | | are perfectly legitimate. Just take those |
| | | | steps, and make sure you know who you're |
| - If you're using a new supplier, start out | | | | buying from. |
| with a very small order to test their service | | | | |