Online shopping and auction fraud

Many buyers discover various problems related to their purchases made at online auction sites like eBay or Gumtree. For example, the merchandise you get is substandard quality or different from the one offered online. 

In addition, the site did not mention certain crucial details related to the goods and did not tell about the terms of sale in the advert. In such offers, once when you bid, there is no way to return the goods offered or get the money back, or if you are selling, you are not sure if you would be able to get confirmed payment for your products. 

How To Protect Yourself?

• You should be careful not to order where you are not clear of the description. 

• You can ask the seller questions if you are unsure of something. 

• You should know the terms and conditions of the offering and read the dispute resolution policies carefully.

• Do not click on the sellers ' links when you want to pay for the products; instead, pay through the site or a recognised service. 

How To Spot It?

• The trader has a poor feedback record history and has set up a new account to avoid a poor reputation. As a result, you are getting private messages to buy below the current bid rate. 

• If you find an expensive item for sale is offered at an incredibly lower rate. 

How Does the Scam Happen?

• The online auction marketplaces post products and seek bids from visitors where the scammers use certain websites for advertising their non-existent or low-quality offers to get bidders. If you order such products, you may never get the orders or arrive late after multiple communications with the sellers.

• If you try to sell, you could not get the payment, as the buyer gives excuses like they do not know the transaction mode or ask the seller to deliver items first. In addition, some victims were asked to send Ids or passwords or financial information to the sellers, who use such details to defraud the client. 

• Some sellers redirect the page to another website that appears like an auctions site but is created by the criminals to capture your payment and private details. 

• You should always check the website links and the address carefully to avoid paying to bogus sites. 

• Sometimes you get spoofed emails that look like authentic payment sites where you are registered, but the site is created only to get customers specifications. 

• For example - They send messages that your account has been suspended and could be activated once you fill in the passwords. Do not follow links offered by suspicious websites or emails that redirect you to your banking site.

• Do not accept cheques from visitors as the one who accepts is liable for lost or stolen cheques. Also, do not accept payment for more than the one you should get; otherwise, you will have to refund the excess amount and provide your bank descriptions to the other party. 

• If you face any criminal issue or fraud, report it to the authorities. 

How To Protect Yourself?

• The visitors to auction sites are not obliged to pay anything unless they place a bid. There is no obligation as a buyer or a seller before you bid.

• Try to read all the terms and conditions in the process carefully before placing your bid. You should be aware of the transactions involved, or you can get insurance for the purchase and the shipment.

• If you are interested in any offer, try to find out if the seller is reliable or not. Check the business characteristics of the sellers on various authorised websites. Try to locate their address and examine the reviews and feedback on multiple sites.

• The mode of payment should be consistent, and one should know how to get the payment if you are selling any service or items. In addition, you should know the procedure followed by the website if you want to file a complaint or get the payment if the buyer refuses to pay.

• You can pay through a credit card to get the payment reversed if anything goes wrong.

• Ask for a warranty and also find out about unexpected costs. Do not provide any of your ID-related information to the seller.