Seller's 10 red flags. in Community Help Boards in Community

Last Post Aug 21, 2009 2:27 PM by: afantiques

Replies: 604

Seller's 10 red flags.

Sep 9, 2004 12:03 AM

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Here is a list of things you should look out for as a seller to avoid a possible scam.
Seller's 10 red flags.
1: Buyer offers to pay you way more than the actual value of the item if you will end the auction early.
2: Buyer is in Nigeria/Indonesia/Romania (no offense to honest buyers from these countries) and wants to pay you using WU money order.
3: Buyer keeps asking you to send item before you have cash in your hands.
4: Buyer wants you to ship FedEx overnight.
5. Wants to buy off-eBay.
6. Wants to pay with a credit card using seller's merchant account.
7. Zero feedback member, usually registered on the same day they contact the seller, or only a day or two prior to the contact.
8: Interested in high-priced item (inconclusive if not in combination with other red flags)
9. E-mail written in broken English (also inconclusive all by itself, but could reinforce other red flags).
10. Buyer asks you to send the item to relatives or friends (usually in another country).

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Re: Seller's 10 red flags.

Sep 9, 2004 3:57 AM

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RIZAL!!!

This is the final version of our "red flags for sellers" list. Could it be anchored to the top? We'd really appreciate it.

Thanks in advance.

Re: Seller's 10 red flags.

Sep 9, 2004 4:14 AM

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10. Buyer asks you to send the item to relatives or friends (usually in another country).

I think it's VERY IMPORTANT to note that this is often a legitimate request. Think of all the "domestic only" auctions where people have a shipping address in the seller's country and request permission to bid.

In connection with the other flags it could be suspicious, but in itself it probably isn't.

Otherwise, excellent job!

Re: Seller's 10 red flags.

Sep 9, 2004 6:09 AM

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Great job, crafty.

Re: Seller's 10 red flags.

Sep 9, 2004 7:17 AM

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Make it:

10. Buyer asks you to send the item to relatives or friends (usually in another country THAN HIS OR YOUR OWN).

That should cover the legitimate request to send a parcel to my Grandma while I'm on vacation, or to send it to a friend in your country when you ship "domestic only".

And I agree, that's a good job, and this list should be tacked.

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Re: Seller's 10 red flags.

Sep 9, 2004 7:25 AM

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I'd like to see a space between each of the rules though .. Or maybe I'm just being anal....??

Re: Seller's 10 red flags.

Sep 10, 2004 1:47 PM

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Sorry for the delay. It's tacked.

Re: Seller's 10 red flags.

Sep 10, 2004 3:16 PM

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@rizal, I just translated this list into German, adopted and expanded it a little for our needs, and posted it on the German IT board. Are you in contact with German pinks? If not, I will ask it to be tacked by myself.

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Re: Seller's 10 red flags.

Sep 10, 2004 3:45 PM

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( Should have given you a link; how silly. It's this one:
Link )

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Re: Seller's 10 red flags.

Sep 10, 2004 4:57 PM

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red_elk, please ask them to tack it. I'd hate to overstep my authority.

Re: Seller's 10 red flags.

Sep 10, 2004 5:53 PM

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Re: Seller's 10 red flags.

Sep 11, 2004 4:05 PM

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Hey, you are missing two more flags.

11. Buyer says they have a relative who is getting married (or having a birthday) and they'd like to surprise them with a CASH gift. The buyer says they will send you $3200 and let you keep $200 your trouble. Victims lose all their money since the payment was either a forged money order, cashier's check or stolen credit card.

12. Buyer says they will have an agent come by and pick up the item, but they need to pay the agent; they will, again, send you a payment that's worth considerably more than your item (even a car!)--and after your money is gone, the payment to you will reverse.

13. (Baker's dozen) Buyer wants to send you a pre-paid shipping label for a third party carrier. They say they are using their own account and can save money. First issue is that the pre-paid shipping label doesn't cover other expenses such as boxes and packing material. Second issue is that the buyer may not be authorized to use the account. Some people "borrow" their employer's # and when the employer discovers the error during an audit, the amount will be billed back to you.

Re: Seller's 10 red flags.

Sep 14, 2004 6:39 AM

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Okay, my translation of the "red flags" is now tacked on the German IT board, too:
Link

Thank you, crafty, in the name of the eBay community over here!

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Re: Seller's 10 red flags.

Sep 14, 2004 11:17 AM

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Nice, Red Elk. I see your resident pink appreciates your efforts, too.

Re: Seller's 10 red flags.

Sep 14, 2004 11:50 AM

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( Yes, but I use to cite the sources for what I translate. So crafty has earned the honor, not me. )

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