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Fraud is continuing to be a major problem today with advances in technology and with more personal information than ever floating around on the internet.
Protecting yourself from eBay fraud when you are either buying or selling can be confusing if you are unsure of how to proceed.
When you are looking at an item on eBay you wish to purchase, check out the auction page closely. Examine the ad and see how legitimate it sounds and appears. Look at who the seller is and what kind of reviews he or she has gotten.
One of the best features of eBay is how you can leave a review of the seller's professional services, the speed at which he or she sends you the item, and the courteous behavior they exhibit. This is probably why eBay introduce Detailed Sellers Rating, so that buyers can assess the sellers in depth.
Before you purchase an item, take the time to review all refund policies. Most of the time, sellers do offer returns but shipping price will not be refunded. If you do not see any logic in the policies outlined by a particular seller, it's best to avoid buying from them.
When using eBay, 90% of the sellers offer payment through PayPal; a merchant solutions system which allows for payment from either your checking account or credit card without actually allowing the website to see your transaction number, keeping your transactions and card numbers safely guarded.
Although PayPal requires registration and a small fee for sellers, the safety it provides users with is well worth the cost. PayPal offers buyer and seller protection which includes fraud protection tools and tips on safety when selling and buying products.
The next best thing to avoid being scammed when buying on eBay is review carefully the images provided on an auction. If you look in details of the several photos posted by the seller, you can notice defects or similar issues by studying these.
While this method is not infallible as images can be faked, it is another method of protecting yourself.
Always trust your instincts; if a sale seems too good to be true or like it might be a scam, trust yourself and don't trust the auction.
Not buying the item is the best defense you have against being taken advantage of.
In the end, keep in mind eBay can only do so much to assist you in the event fraud occurs. Don't frivolously give out your personal information or buy an item which you have not carefully examined.
You may also wish to contact previous buyers who have purchased items from the seller before and ask their input too, although this is rarely done.
Jenny How is a full-time eBay Powerseller for 4 years. She owns a blog that shares valuable tips on how to sell on eBay and unbiased reviews on auctions and product sourcing resources. You can get her free book on Learn To Sell On eBay In 7 Days for full or part time profit at http://www.jennyhow.com/freecourse.htm
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