Top tips on things to look out for on eBay

We love a lot of things here at Winzum, whether they be online competitions, interesting histories, or straight up legendary 21st century websites. Of the latter, one of our top favourites has got to be eBay, the online auction site that has revolutionised buying and selling goods over the last few decades.

You might have already seen our Winzum article on why eBay is the best [5 reasons why eBay is the best], and whilst we’re not saying any of that was false, it is important to approach eBay with a degree of caution too. Oh yes, there are some nasty people out there on eBay, but we’ve got the tools to help you evade them! Keep reading for a few things to look out for when it comes to eBay scams…

Is the item real, or is it fake?

Look, we all know how tempting it can be to buy an item straight away if it is vastly cheaper than you are used too, however with eBay you do need to be slightly more sensible. Before you bid or even buy it now ask yourself the question – is the item real, or is it fake?

There are a fair amount of eBay scams to be aware of when it comes to this, especially with counterfeit items that are produced to look exactly like the real thing. A quick browse through the listing should give you a clue, and if you are unsure messaging the seller can often give you a quick answer.

Don’t forget about shipping costs

In all the excitement of looking at eBay listings it can be easy to forget about the postage costs when you buy something. In many cases this won’t be the worst thing, as postage on average is only a few quid, but what about a bigger item? In these cases shipping costs can genuinely be sky-high, so definitely don’t forget to check.

And another thing: some eBay scams are built around questionable shipping costs, where nasty criminals hope to catch people out. The profits they can make from this are minimal on an individual basis, but if they trick enough people they can make a serious amount of cash.

Always do quick background check of the eBay seller you want to buy from

This might sound like an obvious one for more seasoned eBay enthusiasts, but it’s very important that you always make sure to do a quick background check of the eBay seller you are looking to buy from. One of the great things about eBay is the way it makes sure seller feedback takes centre stage, because it helps root out the fraudulent sellers.

So take at a look at seller feedback, for example, and confirm that the particular eBay seller is definitely somebody you can trust.

Beware of fake PayPal accounts

eBay and PayPal have had a long and illustrious partnership, one that helped catapult both companies right to the forefront of modern tech. There is no arguing with this, and in the vast majority of cases it is nothing but a good thing, although you do have to beware of fake PayPal accounts, especially when selling.

Some scammers might try and trick you into thinking you’ve been paid, for example. You can check a few more PayPal related fraud tips here [what is PayPal fraud and how to avoid it].