Hi there, as they say "if it's too good to be true it probably is"!. This auction is already pulled for being a scam. Things I do to verify a sellers validity are:
1. Check their feedback and some of their previous auctions. If they have no feedback or their last auction was a long time ago, double check before bidding. People hack unused accounts and start running scams using someone's good feedback.
2. Check some of the seller's previous auctions from the feedback page. I've seen ads for GPS, Amps, etc but find that the seller usually sells craft supplies or baby clothes. Why would "grandma's baby toys" be selling 200 watt speakers??? It can happen, but check with granny first just in case!
3. Only contact sellers via your Ebay account's messages option. If a seller posts an email link or tells you to email them outside ebay, it's because they probably hacked the account and don't want you emailing the real account holder (seller). Clicking "contact member" will send an email to the real seller's registered email address so you can verify if they are really selling the items. I've notified ebay sellers of this before and they confirmed that someone did hack their account and was about to ruin their reputation.
4. Check the seller's location vs. the payment address or item location. If the seller is asking you to send money to a different country then the seller's profile says, suspect fraud. Avoid mailing payments either, you can't backcharge someone if they scam you. I ran an auction for some 24" rims on Ebay a couple months ago and it didn't meet reserve price so I didn't sell them. Unfortunately I got an email a month later from a bidder saying they got a second chance offer from ebay and sent "me" a money order for $1700.00, and wanted to know when they would get the wheels. I had to advise them that I did not send a second chance offer, and that the money they sent to someone in Illinois did not come to me in Texas. Nobody hacked my Ebay account, but they sent that person a real looking email claiming to be from Ebay and me. The person was new to Ebay so they didn't think to contact me through Ebay messages to confirm, or to ask why they should send money to IL when the wheels are in TX!
5. Never click the links in the emails Ebay or Paypal sends you (IE: Congrats, you won the DVD player, do you want to pay now?). Go into your Ebay account and pay from there in case the email is a fake web link. Some of them look exactly like Ebay's so you can easily be fooled.
6. If you are looking at items such as DVD players, GPS units or video screens, keep in mind that they may not work in your country. If the seller claims a GPS unit from the Ukrane will work in the USA or Europe they may be scammers. Video resolution varies in different parts of the world, GPS Maps don't cover worldwide and there are different standards for everything from DVD zones to operating voltage to FM tuner frequency ranges. If the seller doesn't address these topics, they may just be making up a line to scam you. Of course, even if the seller really is honest. it is not easy or cheap to return items to other countries when you find out they don't work so you could lose either way!
7. Check for stock photographs vs. pics of actual items. Anyone can go to a web site and copy a photo, at least some real pictures are more descriptive and less likely to be copied. Of course, check other auctions for your item to see if the pics appear elsewhere, as scammers can copy real photos from other auctions too!
Hope this helps, I hate to see people get scammed by these dishonest people out there. I sell my old toys for money to buy new toys and have not had too many problems, but I have avoided a few scams by following the above rules and remembering "if it's too good to be true".....
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