Having spent five years on Ebay, I like to think I can spot a scammer or hijacked account. Recently, whilst looking for Christmas presents, I found so many new members bidding on items that aren't going to arrive that I decided to write this guide.

• Make sure the Seller location and the item location are in the same country. Being registered in UK/Germany/Austria but shipping from China is drop shipping and is not allowed on Ebay.
• Check the feedback of the seller and not just the percentage rating !. Have they recently sold similar items? Do they normally sell plasma tv's, mobile phones, designer handbags in bulk? If the Sellers previous feedback (both received and left) is all in one language then they are probably a small trader selling personal items. If suddenly the item location is China and the listing is in perfect English then you can pretty much assume the account has been hijacked. Check each item number in their feedback... is there already a good response for the type of item you are buying (which they are now selling in bulk)? If not, then the account is probably hijacked.
• Are the payment details in the actual listing in the same level of English as the rest of the text? or are they in broken English. If so the hijacker who doesn't speak English very well has probably added the text to the end of a description stolen from someone else. 
• Does the seller accept Paypal? Western Union/Moneygram/Money Transfer payments are a sure fire way to lose your money and have now be banned from UK listings. Saying the Chinese can not accept paypal is utter rubbish. Does it say in the payment details ...

If you want to receive the item earlier, please do not send money order to me,because it will take me a very long time to receive the cash,So I sincerely hope that you can make the payment via Post International Money Transfer or western union payment which is proceeded at the post office ... (I have seen this so many times) ... SCAM/HIJACKED ACCOUNT !!!!!

• Does the item title and description match the photo? Sometimes the seller will rip numerous listings from other sellers and put the same title on them all... they dont know the difference because they dont have the item in hand. If the title is for a black Gucci Bardot bag... is the picture a black Gucci Bardot bag too? and does it describe a black Gucci Bardot bag in the description?
• Is the photograph of the actual item you are buying? or is it a manufacturer photo ripped from a website? Ok some people dont have a digital camera but then someone they know MUST have one! Make sure if it does have an actual photo that it doesn't have another sellers name plastered across it - this means it has been stolen. Also, look at all the sellers items in a list with photo's showing ... are they all a similar background? Most sellers (me included) have a specific place where they like to take there photographs. Does your seller have 20 pictures all with different backgrounds? if so they have probably all been ripped off other sellers listings. If  you click on completed items in a general search for your item, you will probably see the exact same photo on a listing by the original legitimate seller
• If you want an expensive designer item and you find one on Ebay that seems  too good to be true ... then it probably is. Hijackers/scammers don't make money from selling second hand clothes/books etc but from well know branded items that people want but can't afford. You will be tempted in by a low price and duly pay your money... but your item won't arrive!
• Email the seller if you are unsure. Ask them for a contact number and ring them. Ask them for more photographs of the actual item and even a serial number.. if they are legitimate, these are all things that they will happily supply.

I don't claim to know it all but these people are spoiling it for the good sellers on Ebay. Someone has to start somewhere as too many people are falling in the traps. Hope it helps.

Rach