Top Ten eBay Scams

Scam One

June 15, 2004. eBay agreed to pay $9.25 million to settle a class-action lawsuit that accused its PayPal payment service of mishandling customer complaints about fraud.

The suit, said that PayPal routinely failed to respond to customer complaints about fraud or account errors.

In the settlement eBay agreed to provide customers' detailed disclosures when they register for a PayPal account investigate account errors more quickly and provide users quarterly account statements by e-mail.

Scam Two

July 24, 2004. A San Diego police officer and his wife were accused of conducting a major fencing operation out of a Chula Vista warehouse.

The Estrellas bought stolen property directly from thieves, and then sold it on eBay. James Estrella has been a San Diego officer for 15 years. Authorities said that the property recovered was valued at more than $275,000. John Estrellas received two years in jail and a $30,000 fine.

Scam Three

January 28, 2005. Gilbert Vartanian defrauded at least 10 eBay buyers of nearly $100,000, and he now faces 12 counts of mail fraud that could net him 20 years in prison and $250,000 in fines. Vartanian pleaded not guilty. Vartanian offered tickets for Knicks games, as well as for games involving the Pittsburgh Steelers, the New England Patriots, New York Giants, Green Bay Packers, Philadelphia 76ers and New York Jets.

Vartanian used his nygiants031 eBay account to place the winning bids on five auctions in which he was offering items for sale under another screen account name. This resulted in a better rating thus enhancing his creditability.

Scam Four

October 15, 200.4 A Scam known as "second chance" emerged in Britain . People who lost an auction were sent an email offering them a second chance to buy goods they bid for. When the consumer clicked on a link in the email, they were taken to a hacker's website where their credit card details were stolen. The scam cost British eBay users millions.

Scam Five

Dec 4, 2004. A group of three high school students Steven Matthew St. John, Joseph Daniel Owen and Lance Allen Miller, all 17, were arrested and charged with five counts each of felonious breaking and entering and four counts each of felony larceny. The group stole more than $100,000 worth of property and then tried to sell some of the goods, such as computers and computer parts on eBay.

Scam Six

Dec 7 2004. A seller was offering a valve on eBay which might have allowed people to divert their gas supply to avoid having to pay any bills. The item was listed with the caption “Easy to use gas bypass. Why pay for your gas when you don't have to? Think of those winter nights and the gas that you'll use and save.”

Scam Seven

November 5, .2004. Advance copies of the video game "Halo 2" were sold on eBay fetching as much as $ 265 each. The Microsoft game was one of the most anticipated in history.

Scam Eight

November 4, 2004. A 19-year-old man stole musical instruments from Stetson University and sold them on eBay, in Deland , Fla. Anatoli Seinczenko confessed to stealing over $20,000 worth of instruments and property.

Scam Nine

June 15, 2004. A Man from Toledo used the Internet auction service eBay to bilk $3,275 from victims throughout the country. eBay winners sent money orders and checks to Paul Campbell who never had the items to sell and pocket the money. Campbell was arrested after a couple paid $432 for tickets to a WrestleMania.

Scam Ten

June 24, 2004. Two men from Maineville OH, admitted a scheme to sell stolen golf clubs and electronic equipment on eBay. The men had admitted they profited about $12,000 from selling items that had been stolen from two golf stores and a camera store.

About the Author

John Parsons is founder of Corporatenarc.com. The mission of CorporateNarc.Com™ is to educate the public in consumer affairs and to provide consumers with up-to-date business information. In addition we hope to ensure better services for the consumer by exposing business fraud and corruption, as well as unfair and deceptive business practices.

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