How to avoid crooks on eBay who prey on people flogging Christmas gifts
Selling items you no longer need on sites such as eBay may seem the easiest way — but watch out for bogus buyers lying about payment
SELLING unwanted Christmas gifts or old items you no longer need is easier than ever with services such as eBay – but beware of crooks out to dupe you.
Fraud experts have warned of an increase in cases where bogus buyers lie about having paid for or received items — leaving sellers out of pocket.
The crooks send a fake proof of payment such as a doctored bank transfer receipt and then pressure the seller into sending over the item.
Or they simply lie and pretend it never arrived or was faulty to get a refund.
James Kilpatrick was caught out after he used Facebook Marketplace to sell his old Hawx 120 ski boots which he had originally bought for £300.
The 35-year-old start-up worker, from Dalston, East London, says: “I’d never used Marketplace before but I thought I’d put some things on there and sell locally.
“When someone contacted me from Worcester about the ski boots I was, at first, quite hesitant because I couldn’t be bothered to post them.
"However, I decided to do it as there were no local requests.
“The seller sent me a screenshot of a bank transfer receipt from a Halifax account which made it look like he’d paid me £80.
"I’m guessing it was doctored.
How to avoid getting caught out
- WHEN selling goods, first check the online site’s instructions for how you should post the item. This is because if there is a dispute, you will need to have followed this sending process to the letter.
- Be familiar with the Seller Protection Scheme of whatever payment service, such as PayPal, that you are using. This means you will know what protections are there when you sell.
- Avoid issuing a refund for a return before the item is back with you, although this is not possible in all cases.
- Communicate any difficulties to your resale site and payment service provider at the earliest opportunity. It should work with you to find a resolution to the problem.
- It is always best to keep as much documentation as possible in the event a buyer tries something shifty. Things such as tracking details and receipts will help make a compelling case if fraud occurs – and payment service providers should display due diligence in examining the evidence.
- It is especially worth being suspicious of buyers who are trying to pay using things such as PayPal’s Friends and Family service, which may not be covered by normal seller protection schemes.
“I should have gone into my bank account to check the money was there — but, to be honest, I didn’t question it.
“I sent the boots off and when I checked the account, there was nothing there.
“I went to send a message to them on Facebook but they had disappeared.
"That’s when I’d realised I’d been done.”
Complaints-handling website Resolver has warned of widespread problems with buyers fraudulently claiming they either haven’t received goods or they are faulty.
The problem is so great that tech firms have developed anti-fraud payment methods.
Money is held in a third-party account and only released when both the buyer and seller are happy.
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Tom Clementson, of digital payment protector Shieldpay, warns: “Sellers beware — buyer fraud is on the rise.
“Online scammers have become increasingly sophisticated in recent years and the problem extends to a whole new breed of fraudulent consumers whose false claims are causing a huge headache for online marketplaces.
“All too often the seller foots the costs, with little or no consequences for the fraudulent buyer.”
It's out with the old...
THESE are the top ten most common goods to have been posted on resale sites since Boxing Day – and their average prices on eBay.
- Home appliances: Food mixers, microwaves and breadmakers. Average selling price: £147.93 (Kitchen Aid).
- Video game consoles: Older PlayStations, Nintendo Switches and so on. Average selling price: £92.80 (XBox).
- Smartphones: Any big-name brand that has a new model out. Average selling price: £173.09 (iPhone)
- Shoes: Anything filling space that is no longer worn. Average selling price: £16.17 (ladies’ shoes).
- Laptops: Old devices that have been replaced by newer versions. Average selling price: £396.77 (Macbook Air).
- Video games: Pre-used popular titles. Average selling price: £12.89 (all titles).
- Board games: Christmas ones the kids are already bored of. Average selling price: £7.47 (Scrabble).
- DVDs/Blu-Rays: Watched boxsets and others. Average selling price: £4.13.
- Fragrances: Gifts that its recipient does not like. Average selling price: £17.44.
- DVD player/home cinema: Old models that have been replaced. Average selling price: £43.71 (DVD player).
SOURCE: Good Housekeeping
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