Buying on ebay question - ATV's

The latest scam on Ebay goes like this. The seller has an unblemished record of positives say something like EBAYSELLER_1 (153). They are selling an item that is almost new, at 40 - 50% of the price of a new vehicle if you use "BUY IT NOW".

The scam works this way. The seller somehow "steals" EBAYSELLER_1 identity and their positive feedback record. Quite often, they are located in Europe, and claim they will ship the item to the US at their cost after the completion of the auction. They insist upon payment via PayPal within 24 hours of auction completion.
Of course, no vehicle exists.
The unfortunate buyer sends off there deposit or perhaps the entire amount......and never hears a word.
The con artist, on the other end, immediately closes out there Paypal account or transfers it to another "legitimate" account. There are absolutely no refunds on PayPal.
The buyer has learned the hard way, "If it sounds too good to be true........"


I have repeatedly notified Ebay of the con artists that are becoming all to frequent on the auctions. They appear to be unable to stop the thievery. I know of con artists operating in cars, trucks & motorcycles. I would imagine they are scattered throughout nearly all Ebay items.


If you are interested in purchasing a "big ticket" item on Ebay, do the following.
1) automatically refuse to consider purchasing items in which the person doesn't list there city & state/province. Auctions not based in the United States or Canada should never be considered.
2) send an email to the seller asking for details/more photos/etc.....and ask if its possible to see the item prior to the end of the auction
(Legitimate people conducting auctions are more than happy to show the item)
3) Never bid on an item that you haven't already seen with your own eyes. While many may disagree with me on this one, I'm standing firm. If you haven't seen it......don't bid on it. If the seller agrees to refund your purchase price if the vehicle isn't exactly as described....this could be the only exception (of course this still doesn't mean you should send any money).
4) Pay for the vehicle in person with either a certified check or cash. Don't turn loose of your payment until the title (free of liens/etc) is in your hand.
5) Paypal should be used only for items priced under a few hundred dollars. Remember, no refunds on Paypal use.
6) Don't take leave of common sense. If a car/truck/motorcycle/snowmobile/ATV/etc is being sold at 1/2 price or less, you should ask yourself the following. If I owned the item.....and for whatever reason.....had to come up with $$ quickly.....would I sell it back to the dealership for 70 - 80%......or sell it on Ebay at 40 - 50%?
7) Use an escrow service if there is even a hint of doubt......better yet, don't even bid if there is even a hint of doubt.
8) Never rely completely on a sellers feedback. They may have received there feedback buying $3 trinkets......hoping to sell a nonexistent item and make a big score. Identity theft is (unfortunately) happening on Ebay these days.