Recently one of my friends was scammed (on a eBay auction) when trying to buy a used motorcycle. After he realized he was scammed, he proceeded to contact the adequate authorities while realizing he would never recover his money or catch the scammer. Based on his experience and the fact that I bought numerous items on eBay auctions (including three used motorcycles) I decided to create this short guideline in order to help people out.
1. Watch Out For The Price
Usually when things seem to good to be true, it's because they are. If you're looking on eBay for an auction for a used motorcycle and you see one for $2900, when the normal price averages $9000, you should proceed with caution.
Don't get me wrong, although there are people that sell their used motorcycles for a bargain (and I own one that proves it), there are also many folks out there trying to scam you. Which leads us to point #2.
2. They Don't Want Want You to Use the eBay Contact System
Many scammers want their victims to use regular e-mail accounts to exchange words ("My inbox is full" is the most common excuse), mainly because if the business goes sour and you get scammed, it's not eBay's fault. Make the deal on eBay! At least, when someone scams you during a transaction under eBay's watch dogs, the culprit gets punished.
3. Your Used Motorcycle is Traveling Around the Globe
Now here's the kicker, You decided to bid on this auction, not only because you liked the motorcycle, but also because the said item is (supposedly) near you. However, as time goes by and you start messaging the seller to find out the whereabouts of the motorcycle, he answers "It's on England." And now you're completed baffled. But wait, there's more!
4. FREE SHIPPING!
If they offer you free shipping then don't accept it! They will probably say this when you start getting impatient, usually after you ask to inspect the motorcycle. However, if you start getting angry, they argument we won't need to pay the shipping fees, because they will pay themselves, in order to reward you for being so patient.
5. Same Mileages?
Some scammers are too lazy to change their motorcycles mileage when posting an auction. It always raises a red flag when I see two different used motorcycles with the same mileage. What are the odds of that happening?
This is just some of the signs you should look for when bidding on eBay auctions. Although there are a lot of scammers out there, there are also great deals being made every minute! Also, always do a background check on the seller and ask around to know what people think about him.
See ya on the road!
Mike J. is a motorcycle enthusiast and an acknowledged expert. When he isn't driving his Harley Davidson he takes care of the popular website Buy a Used MotorCycle.
สมัครสมาชิก:
ส่งความคิดเห็น (Atom)
ไม่มีความคิดเห็น:
แสดงความคิดเห็น