Due to the crazy demand for Xbox 360 s  - scammers have found their way on Ebay and are trying to trick people into buying Xbox boxes, pictures or links (to pyramid schemes - where one allegedly recieves a free XBox 360!). In order to avoid falling victim to this scam and loosing alot of money follow a few simple tips.

Watch out for sellers with private/negative or no feedback at all - when buying an item in that price range it is not worth purchasing from individuals with feedback issues. The risk is too big - so stick to trusted sellers with public positive feedback.

Stock is extremly low - watch out for sellers with multiple Xbox 360's up for sale as this can often indicate fraud.

ALWAYS read the description fully. This is where you can see if the auction is for the console or just a pic/box of the item.

NEVER use MoneyGram/Western Union payments - these are too risky. Use Paypal as this protects you and you can claim your money back should you not receive the item.

If you have found a seller that has an item in stock and seems trustworthy, ask them questions about the items condition and ask for pictures of the actual console for sale.

If you want to be extra safe - ask your potential seller to email you a picture of the Xbox 360 with today's newspaper next to it. That way you can ensure the seller has what he/she claims in stock. If you do not get a reply or if it takes quite long for the seller to come up with the picture, be cautious.

This is not only relevant for the XBox 360 - but also for other popular gadgets such as the IPod or the PSP.

I hope this Guide was of some help - you can find further guides regarding safety under my Guides and Reviews.