How to Spot eBay Car Scams

As buying household items on the Internet has become more commonplace, people have sought to buy larger things online. Car listings became so numerous on eBay that they were soon given their own site--eBay Motors. Buying a new or used car through eBay can be quicker and easier than shopping the car lots, but there are also some scams run by those willing to take a buyer's money.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Check out the seller's reputation. Read the feedback comments and look at his past auctions to see what he was selling. Make sure he has not sold the same car several times or offered the same hard luck story over and over. Feedback is the first step to recognizing scams.

2. Read through the car's description and make sure you understand everything in it. Ask questions to clarify the condition of the car and what type of warranty will be offered.

3. Pay attention to the type of payment that is accepted. Pay through protected means, such as a credit card or through PayPal instead of a wire transfer of any kind. Scams usually involve wire transfers.

4. Cut off communication with a seller who tells you that he is selling an inexpensive new or used car from overseas and will ship it to you, as it is most likely a scam. Remember that any deal like this would be prohibitively expensive for a seller and is simply too good to be true.

5. Step away from the transaction if the seller asks you to overpay and tells you that the overage, plus some, will be refunded to you.

Tips & Warnings

• Never use Western Union transfers when buying a car, or anything else, online. There is no way to know who it was sent to and no way to get it back after the money has been sent by this method.

Resources

• Buying cars from eBay Motors is a good way to get a deal, but watch out for scams