Ebay Fraud/Scams etc

[CREATIVE!11]

Well this forum loves eBay as I know!

Just wanted to ask from some experienced guys how to go about preventing getting scammed, I lost my job so i'm selling few old bits n bobs couple mobile phones (main ones i'm talking about). I don't really want to be dealing with being scammed...

I'm selling an old phone (Smartphone to be precise will probably sell for round 30-40 quid going by previous sales, not much I know but it is to me at moment) on eBay to be precise and the current bidder has zero feedback and registered on the 18th of feb... so i'm like OH HEREEEE WE GOOOOO.

I know phones are prolific for attracting scammers. People say it's limited to new phones yea yea...

Any way I wanted to check how do I deal with potential risk of scams? what steps can I take to ensure I protect myself like noting down serial numbers etc?

Thanks broskis

 

[Anox]

Try to use a tracked delivery or courier to do so, that way if they try to sue you, you can state from the deliv tracking record that it had been confirmed delivered.

 

[CREATIVE!11]

Try to use a tracked delivery or courier to do so, that way if they try to sue you, you can state from the deliv tracking record that it had been confirmed delivered.

Yep will do this, send via royal mail recorded 1st class signed for is ok I presume (proof it's arrived and they signed for it)? you can also get electronic signatures off royal mail if need be but I think that's for items over 250 and they raise a dispute.

 

[Sudden]

Have a read through of the buyer protection policy. If you comply with everything there, eBay should hopefully refund you if anything goes wrong.

 

[Anox]

Yes, anything that a requires a signature is going to ensure it was delivered to the person in question.

 

[Nexus]

Ensure the buyer has a verified PayPal account.

 

[JIM_BOB7813]

What happens if the buyer says you sent him an empty box?

 

[CREATIVE!11]

What happens if the buyer says you sent him an empty box?

Good question,

Why i'm asking about this to cover my ass, to be fair if I had my way i'd just block him from bidding I don't care if he's a new person who is honest. ebay is too rife with fraud these days from 0 feedback and newly registered accounts.

 

[cyber69]

From previous threads in GD, even if you take a photo of the item and send it into ebay as proof, they will not accept this as evidence. So it is your word against that of the buyer. I have had one instance whereby the buyer claimed the box was empty and judging by his feedback I believed him and had to persue a claim against the courier company.

 

[CREATIVE!11]

From previous threads in GD, even if you take a photo of the item and send it into ebay as proof, they will not accept this as evidence. So it is your word against that of the buyer. I have had one instance whereby the buyer claimed the box was empty and judging by his feedback I believed him and had to persue a claim against the courier company.

Yeah apparently taking pictures of serial numbers no longer does anything anymore? I may take a video of me laughing next to said serial....

I'd rather just sell to people with high feedback as you know they are going to most likely be honest.

 

[cyber69]

Even if the buyer comes to your house to collect the item, it is best to get them to sign something as evidence as I have heard cases of people doing that and then claiming to ebay they never went to pick it up! Without any evidence it is your word against theirs again.

You basically need to cover every angle as a scammer will be thinking of everything he can to try and con an item.

 

[Resident]

Mark the items with a UV pen and take a photo of the mark (you'll need a UV light source too)

 

[memyselfandi]

Change your auction settings to prevernt people with little/no feedback bidding on the item etc.

 

[Nexus]

Yeah apparently taking pictures of serial numbers no longer does anything anymore? I may take a video of me laughing next to said serial....

I'd rather just sell to people with high feedback as you know they are going to most likely be honest.

Wasn't that because eBay said it couldn't be proved it was his photo?

Where as having a piece of paper with your eBay username in the photo would be hard to disprove.

 

[jamesfreddie]

Just remove any bidders who have been registered for less than 2 months and have less than 5 feedback.

Also take pictures with paper with your ebay user name written on it and the date. Make sure the phone is on and can be seen to be working. It may also help if you took a video and a picture of the phone packaged up with the address on the box and show the packaging.

 

[CREATIVE!11]

Change your auction settings to prevernt people with little/no feedback bidding on the item etc.

I don't think you can block 0 feedback bidders, I googled it unless they've changed that recently?

You can only block negative feedback.

 

[jamesfreddie]

Change your auction settings to prevernt people with little/no feedback bidding on the item etc.

You can't.

You can only block people with less than 0 feedback. ie. 1 negitive and 0 positive.

 

[IRLeetly]

Mark the items with a UV pen and take a photo of the mark (you'll need a UV light source too)

I don't bother with a pen when selling beds or mattresses

But good idea though never thought of that myself, just sent off two pairs of headphones to buyers today, hope they leave feedback, annoys me when they communicate loads and don't bother when they receive the item.

 

[cyber69]

You can't.

You can only block people with less than 0 feedback. ie. 1 negitive and 0 positive.

Ebay want to encourage new buyers (or scammers) which is why this is impossible. But you can remove bids.

 

[jamesfreddie]

Also you could make another paypal account and remove all bank accounts and cards from your main account.

The PPG all the money over to the new PP account then withdraw it. That way even if they open a case PP will be the ones without the money and not you.