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