RE: eBay Protection

["Mark Harrison" <Mark.Harrison@xxxxxxx>]

Kevin,

Fantastic set of advice.

Obviously, it's your copyright, but may I have your permission to
forward it to people outside of the group?

Regards,

Mark Harrison
Head of Systems, eKingfisher

-----Original Message-----
From: Kevin Hawkins [mailto:lists@xxxxxxx]
Sent: 31 August 2001 15:50
To: UKHA Group
Subject: [ukha_d] eBay Protection


Just a few of thoughts on ways to protect yourself for larger eBay
transactions. Common sense I guess but maybe something might help
someone. I got caught once but only on a silly little transaction - I
knew something wasn't right as the price for the goods was so low and
the seller wanted to close the auction quickly. As they say if it sounds
to good to be true it probably is.

I have always tried to get the following information from the
seller.

1) Home address and telephone number - a check with 192.com
validates this. Be wary of the 'no home phone' line - surely everyone
selling expensive kit has a home phone. Don't accept a mobile number.
2) Employers name and a work telephone number. Often very reassuring
and high value goods seem to translate to well known employers - got to
fund the habit somehow.
3) An email sent using the work account domain (as well as one from
the personal account)
4) Are they a net visible person eg does the seller have a website -
do they post to newsgroups (DejaNews will search on a name)
5) Seller ratings - large plus scores are hard to build up (but not
impossible to forge) - low ratings - be cautious but everyone starts
somewhere.
6) Suggest you might call around for a viewing (even though you have
no intention) & gauge the reaction, you can always ring up and cancel.

Also the following if you become wary

7) A serial number from the goods being sold
8) A copy of the original sales receipt by fax
9) Does the seller seem to know and understand the product they are
selling ?
10) A photo taken of the product - with say a copy of todays
newspaper in shot (if they have a camera)
11) A question about the product only someone with the product to
hand could answer eg writing legend on rear panel.

I bought my Tag Mclaren stuff this way - it was a big transaction
but the guy was more than willing to give enough of this info for me to
feel happy (employer did it for me - Unisys). I called him at work just
to check he was really there (using a number from 192.com not the works
number he gave) and also phoned him at home at an unarranged time. Tag
Mclaren happened to have a serial register for stolen equipment so I was
able to verify the S/No was appropriate. I felt quite comfortable in the
end.
There are also some Escrow services offered - never used one but it
seems a good idea. I think they work as follows. You pay the Escrow
agent - they then tell the seller that funds have cleared - seller ships
goods - buyer tells Escrow that goods are acceptable (work etc) and
finally Escrow pays seller. Not sure what they charge for this.
Lastly I guess there are quite a lot of HA members around the
country who might be able to help out with a pre sale evaluation.

2p Kevin