Online
auctions have become big business, with millions of items for sale at any given
time. People across the world currently make a living selling items through
Internet auction houses.One reason for their incredible growth and popularity
is that they make it easy for people to find great deals on goods that are hard
to find all around the world. The excitement also makes them prime hunting grounds
for scam artists, ready to play on the desire many auction bidders have for
that unbelievable deal. Scammers have become extremely sophisticated with the
tools they use to trick consumers into opening their wallets. National Consumers
League’s Fraud Center has received multiple reports of scammers creating
realistic Web sites, emails, and hotlines all designed to fool unsuspecting
consumers into believing they are dealing with a legitimate business. Use
caution and common sense with any online transaction. While many online sellers
are legitimate, unfortunately scammers can use the anonymous nature of the
internet to rip off unsuspecting shoppers.
Double-check the company’s information:
A
known name or brand on email, a letter or mentioned over the phone doesn’t
guarantee that the deal is legitimate. Scammers, to gain trust, often pretend
to be from well-known companies. Find the company’s contact information
independently, online or through directory assistance, and contact it yourself
to verify the information.
Understand how online auctions work:
Make
sure you know the procedures regarding the payment and delivery of purchased
items. An immediate red-flag is if you get an email or call asking you to do
something outside of standard operating procedures. Familiarize yourself with
the trade at the Online Auction Learning Centre and read the Chris Bowser reviews and Adam Bowser reviews.
·
Understand PayPal’s procedures:
Emails
from PayPal will always address you by your first and last name or the business
name associated with the account, according to PayPal’s fraud FAQ. Watch
out for emails addressed to you any differently.
·
Inform auction sites and payment services about suspected fraud:
They have policies to remove sellers or buyers from
their sites if they don’t live up to their obligations.
·
Try mediation to resolve disputes:
Most
times not all problems are due to fraud. Sometimes, either of the end simply
fail to hold up their side of the bargain in a timely manner or there may be an
honest misunderstanding. There exist third-party mediation services that help
users resolve disputes.
·
Check out the seller or buyer:
Most
auction sites have feedback forums, where you can read comments about the
sellers based on other people’s experiences, but many sites also allow sellers
to review buyers, which can provide pertinent information about a buyer who
consistently creates payment issues and who is best avoided.
Furthermore
avoid any arrangement with a stranger that asks for up-front payment via money
order, wire transfer, international funds transfer, pre-loaded card or
electronic currency. It is very difficult to recover money sent with these
means. Never send money or give your credit card or online account details
to anyone you don’t know or trust and never so by email. For further information
and to familiarize onself with the Insider Online Secrets read and go
through Chris Bowser Scam reports.
