How to Report eBay Fraud

You must learn how to report eBay fraud to several organizations if you have been victimized. There are lots of people on the internet just waiting to scam other people. The internet can be a scary place for predators preying on innocent people just like you. There are steps you can take to avoiding eBay fraud all together.  However, if you do become the victim of eBay fraud take all of the necessary steps to report the fraud at the right places. 

1. Report the fraud to the Federal Trade Commission. Local law enforcement cannot really help you unless the perpetrator is in your same jurisdiction. The FBI will only investigate if the case involves a large dollar amount. Most eBay transactions are not and so it is unlikely that they will be of any help. The FTC will not investigate and only keeps record of fraud for statistical purposes. However, it can be beneficial to report because the seller may be stealing from other people. The FTC won’t know unless you file a complaint with them. The statistical data collected from fraud victims could help tighten up security and legislation for making e-commerce safer, so you should report to the FTC in order to help protect others.
2. Always pay by paypal. Paypal offers payment reversal, so if you suspect fraud report it immediately. You can always cancel the reversal if there was a simple misunderstanding or delay that was out of the seller’s control. 
3. If you are a victim of fraud, email eBay and directly report it. They can take the appropriate actions to get your money back. eBay offers a buyer protection plan that offers a seven day period for resolution. If the issue with the seller cannot be resolved, eBay will reimburse you for the cost of the item and shipping. It is essential that you report the situation immediately so eBay can work to resolve the issue.

Tips:

• Make sure you educate yourself as best you can on the seller and the product being sold.
• Read or ask what the return policies are.  Send an email if you are unsure. Feel free to ask for pictures.
• Evaluate the response time for questions.  If the seller takes too long to get back to you, they will probably lag on helping you resolve issues.
• Read the seller’s reviews.  See if there are any common themes.  If people say there are delays or the product was not exactly as advertised, you may have future problems.