| eBay sales may have grown 51% last year over | | | | service with trackingCheck out the buyer's |
| the previous year, but general online | | | | reputationAccept payment from only one Paypal |
| complaints jumped by 66.6% over the previous | | | | account per buyerLimit credit card |
| year to some 207,000+ complaints in 2004. | | | | paymentsEnhancing Your Safe Seller ImageHere |
| The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), a | | | | are a few tips that will help improve your |
| partnership between the FBI and the National | | | | image as a safe seller for your |
| White Collar Crime Center (NW3C), stated in | | | | bidders.Identify Yourself - Make use of the |
| its yearly report that 71.2% of all | | | | about me pages to let your customers know who |
| complaints received pertained to | | | | you are, how long you've been in business and |
| auctions.Online fraud is a growing problem on | | | | how much their business means to you. Be |
| the internet and the auction segment is far | | | | honest.Feedback Ratings - Auction buyers want |
| from immune. The IC3 reports that most | | | | to see 100% positive feedback.Methods of |
| complaints consist of late or no shipment of | | | | Payment - Make it easy for your customers to |
| products, items that don't match advertised | | | | buy but consider convenience, cost and |
| condition and bogus payment or escrow | | | | security in choosing any payment method you |
| services.If you decide to offer "all items to | | | | offer.Full Disclosure - Your auction listings |
| be shipped within 24 hours", make sure you | | | | should clearly state the condition of the |
| keep your word, and go to great lengths to | | | | item you're auctioning, your shipping |
| honestly represent and describe the item in | | | | insurance and return policies.Bonding |
| your auctions. Your bidders will appreciate | | | | programs - A number of bonding programs are |
| your honesty and it will eventually show up | | | | available on the internet. One of the more |
| in your feedback.As consumer fears increase, | | | | popular is BuySafe ( In a bonding program |
| there are a number of common sense ways to | | | | the seller agrees to certain obligations such |
| help protect you from fraud, as well as | | | | as shipping on time, representing the item |
| enhance your reputation as a trustworthy | | | | correctly, and standing behind the |
| seller and set you apart from the crowd.Watch | | | | transaction. In return the seller can |
| Out for Bad Checks, Money Orders and Cashiers | | | | display a seal on their auctions showing |
| Checks | | | | bidders they are honest sellers and providing |
| | | | transaction insurance in some cases up to |
| Years ago I had a buyer who complained | | | | $25,000.Other programs you should be familiar |
| rather loudly when I didn't ship an item as | | | | with include:IDVerify |
| soon as I received the check in the mail. In | | | | |
| hind site it was a good decision to hold the | | | | SquareTrade |
| shipment since the check ended up being | | | | |
| fraudulent. Bad checks, money orders, and | | | | Trust-eIf You Become a Victim of Online |
| cashiers checks are rampant in ecommerce | | | | FraudYou need to know exactly what should be |
| today. The simplest way to offset the danger | | | | done in the event you are victimized. Make |
| of bad paper is not to ship the auction item | | | | your plan now, before it happens. The most |
| until the check, money order or cashier check | | | | recommended steps to take if you are |
| clears your bank for | | | | victimized are listed below but please keep |
| payment.OverpaymentsNever accept any | | | | in mind these are general recommendations and |
| overpayments for any item. One of the more | | | | you should have you own plan based on your |
| popular scams today is for a buyer to send a | | | | needs.File a complaint with your auction site |
| cashiers check for an amount that is higher | | | | |
| than the agreed upon final price. They then | | | | File a complaint with the Federal Trade |
| claim it was in error and ask the seller to | | | | Commission |
| kindly return the overage when the item is | | | | |
| shipped. Off goes the item, the overage | | | | File a complaint with the IC3 |
| amount in good money, and the defrauded | | | | |
| seller finds out too late the cashiers check | | | | File a complaint with the National Fraud |
| was fake.Use an Escrow Service for High | | | | Information Center |
| Priced ItemsThe primary purpose of escrow | | | | |
| services is to protect buyers and sellers | | | | Contact your local and state law enforcement |
| from fraud. Basically what they do is to | | | | agencies |
| accept the money from the buyer and hold it | | | | |
| until the buyer receives and approves the | | | | Contact the local and state law enforcement |
| merchandise. Please note that fake escrow | | | | agencies in the perpetrator's home area |
| services are increasing on the internet. If | | | | |
| a buyer contacts you after a sale and | | | | File a complaint with the shipping company |
| recommends an escrow service you are not | | | | you used |
| familiar with BEWARE. At present eBay only | | | | |
| recommends one escrow company: For | | | | It the perpetrator is a business and a |
| information go to Records, RecordsKeeps a | | | | member of the Better Business Bureau you |
| copy of every transaction detail from the | | | | should also file a complaint there.Further |
| original auction listing to the last email. | | | | readingPaypal Seller Protection Policy (go to |
| You will need that kind of proof to validate | | | | your Paypal account)FTC recommendations read |
| your claims if you should find you need to | | | | the entire 2004 IC3 Internet Fraud Report |
| file a complaint.Protect Yourself by Being | | | | Important Fraud LinksFind Your Local Police |
| EducatedAt the very least you need to be | | | | |
| knowledgeable about your legal obligations as | | | | FBI Internet Fraud Unit |
| a seller and familiar with the fraud | | | | |
| protections and policies for the auction | | | | FTC Internet Fraud Unit |
| sites and payment processing services you | | | | |
| use. eBay and Paypal have extensive sections | | | | USPS Mail Fraud Copyright 2005 Steven |
| on their websites dedicated to fraud policies | | | | Woodward - All Rights ReservedSteven Woodward |
| and protections. You should take the time to | | | | is the owner, editor and publisher of the |
| read through these or similar information | | | | Auction Sellers Network (ASN); a web site for |
| pages for the sites and services you use on a | | | | individuals and companies who are serious |
| regular basis and be very familiar with the | | | | about utilizing the online auction |
| material.A few of the key recommendations | | | | marketplace for their business. In addition |
| from Paypal's Protection for Sellers section | | | | to topical articles, ASN provides an |
| include:Ship only to the address listed on | | | | extensive resource center, news feeds, member |
| the Transaction Details pageUse a shipping | | | | forums and classified ads. |