From time to time you will find a fabulous, state of the art video camera or still camera being auctioned and you think, "that's to die for". Check the listing and the seller very carefully. The latest trend seems to be a seller whose user name is 4 letters and 4 numbers. They will be zero feedback and registered as a business seller.

The listing will be a stock internet write up and photos, or sometimes a copy of someone elses listing, perhaps from a few weeks ago. Keep an eye on the item in your ebay and watch how the bidding goes. During the last day or two, suddenly out of the blue, another zero feedbacker throws his hat into the ring. This is to push the bidding higher and higher. Unsuspecting innocent bidders will follow on and bid even more money. This is just what the fraudster wants to see.

If the mysterious (non-existent) 0FB bidder (the fraudsters mate) wins, it doesn't matter to the fraudster because the item will then be offered to the next high bidder . . . . Mr. Innocent.

This is where it gets nasty. The innocent ebayer is so disappointed at losing out that the second chance offer is very inviting, and they will come up with the dosh and send it, via paypal, to a temporary email address and, bingo, it's in the fraudsters account. Mr. Innocent is totally oblivious to what is going on and waits, and waits and waits. Oops! The camera that didn't exist in the first place sadly never arrives.

A similar picture is seen when Fred Fraudster lists a non existent item on someone elses listings! The someone else will likely be someone who has a high feedback rating (trustworthy) and whose listings have had a bit of a lull of inactivity for a while (They don't check their ebay regularly and don't notice the shiny new camera being auctioned). The listing will tell the bidders to contact an email address for the full details and will be offered the camera at well under the real value. Too good to be true isn't it? Yes, it damn well is and this is how these parasites will bleed you of your hard earned cash if you are not vigilant.

ONLY buy from a seller if you are absolutely happy with what's going on. There are many, many trustworthy zero feedbackers and new members out there, but they don't often have 3 grands worth of new camera for sale as their first auction!

Enjoy ebaying.

99% of the time it is used by the millions of trustworthy people out there, but then, some d**khead fraudster comes along and messes the system up.