BUYERS BEWARE!

I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO BUY RUGBY TICKETS ON FOUR OCCASIONS ON E-BAY, ON THREE OF THESE OCCASIONS THEY WERE SCAMS!!!!!!!!!

AS AN AVID RUGBY SUPPORTER IT P***** ME OFF WHEN JERKS AND CRIMINALS ATTEMPT (AND QUITE OFTEN SUCCEED!) IN RIPPING PEOPLE OFF FOR LARGE SUMS OF HARD EARNED CASH. SO FOR ANYBODY CONSIDERING BUYING TICKETS OR ANY OTHER HIGH VALUE ON E-BAY BEAR THE FOLLOWING IN MIND!

IF IT SOUNDS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE IT PROBABLY IS!
DON'T GET CAUGHT UP IN AUCTION FEVER!
CHECK FEEDBACK, SCAMSTERS INVARIABLY HAVE GOOD FEEDBACK (TYPICALLY 100%). IGNORE FEEDBACK FROM ITEMS THEY HAVE BOUGHT AND LOOK PURELY AT ITEMS THEY HAVE SOLD IGNORING ANYTHING OLDER THAN 90 DAYS AS YOU CANNOT CHECK THE ITEM (COULD HAVE BEEN A 10P E-BOOK!). AS OFTEN AS NOT HIGH FEEDBACK HAS BEEN OBTAINED BY BUYING OR SELLING A LOT OF CHEAP ITEMS.
BEWARE IF YOU ASK THE SELLER A QUESTION THEY COME BACK TO YOU WITH AN EXCELLENT BUY IT NOW PRICE (SEE 1!).
IF THE PRICE HAS BEEN DRIVEN UP IN THE EARLY DAYS OF AN AUCTION ASK YOURSELF WHY? WITH PLENTY OF TIME TO GO IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE UNLESS YOU ARE A SCAMMER WANTING TO GET IN TOUCH WITH NUMEROUS POTENTIAL BUYERS?
IF YOU HAVE ANY DOUBTS GET A CONTACT NUMBER BEFORE MAKING ANY PAYMENT AND RING IT AND ALSO CHECK IT ON DIRECTORY ENQUIRIES. GET AN ADDRESS YOU CAN CHECK AGAINST THE ELECTORAL ROLE.
BEAR IN MIND PAYPAL'S PROTECTION SCHEME IS USELESS IF THE ITEM IS MORE THAN 500 OR THERE ARE MORE THAN 45 DAYS TO GO BETWEEN YOUR PAYMENT FOR THE ITEM AND THE TIME YOU EXPECT TO RECEIVE IT (I.E. RUGBY WORLD CUP!). IF A SELLER ADVERTISES "BUY WITH CONFIDENCE AS YOUR ARE FULLY PROTECTED BY PAYPAL" BEAR THE ABOVE IN MIND, IT STINKS!
DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES PAY BY WESTERN UNION CASH TRANSFER!
IF AT ALL SUSPICIOUS ABOUT THE TRANSACTION BUT YOU STILL FEEL COMPELLED TO GO AHEAD, OFFER TO MEET THE SELLER AND EXCHANGE CASH FOR TICKETS (CAN EVEN BE A REAL OR FICTIOUS FRIEND WHO LIVES CLOSE TO THE SELLER!) SCAMSTERS WILL SOON BACK OFF! IF IT COSTS YOU ANOTHER 100 OR SO TO MAKE SURE YOU ARE NOT RIPPED OFF FOR HUNDREDS OR EVEN THOUSANDS IT HAS TO BE WORTH IT!
IF YOU RECEIVE AN E-MAILPURPORTING TO BE FROM E-BAY CHECK IT OUT VIA THE SYSTEM AVAILABLE ON E-BAY.
IF YOU DO SPOT A SCAMMER LET E-BAY KNOW ASAP.
BUYON THE SAME BASIS AS YOU WOULD IF YOU WERE BUYING FROM A STRANGER YOU HAD JUST MET AND PART WITH YOUR MONEY BEARING THAT IN MIND. USE THE TOOLS ON E-BAY (SUCH AS FEEDBACK) AS YOU WOULD IF ASKING SOMEONE'S OPINION ABOUT THAT STRANGER.
UNLUCKY FOR SCAMSTERS! COPY THIS TO ANY FRIEND OR RELATIVE WHO YOU KNOW USES E-BAY. LET'SGET THE SCUM OFF THE INTERNET OR AT LEAST MAKE IT HARDER FOR THEM!

HAPPY BIDDING AND BEAR IN MIND THAT A GENUINE SELLER (AND MOST ARE ON E-BAY!) WONT MIND ANY OF THE ABOVE.