Here are some things you can do to avoid getting ripped off on eBay:

1. Check the persons feedback rating. This is where others give their appraisal of the seller.

2. Check how long the person has been a member of the day. The longer they have been a member of the better.

3. Look at the number and scope of products that the person sold in the past. If they have been selling cheap magazine clippings for a few months and all of a sudden they're selling a Gulfstream jet then this obviously would be suspicious.

4. Never send money outside of pay pal or the normal eBay processes for submitting payment. I would advise against using Western Union or some type of of obscure payment process.

5. If something looks too good to be true it probably is.

6. Beware of spoof e-mails. This is something to eBay has been having a lot of trouble with. Spammers and scam artists are crafting clever e-mails that look like they're really from eBay or an eBay user. Don't fall for this trap. Go to the eBay web site to see if you have any messages in your inbox. Even after doing this be cautious.

7. Don't ship products unless you received payment and can confirm that the payment is legitimate. People are buying things on eBay with stolen credit cards and stolen funds. It is okay to wait a day or two to let the money cool off before you ship your item.

8. Check and see if the person has had previous usernames that have been canceled. If they have had a history of using multiple usernames then this is a red flag. Don't ever buy from people who have a history of multiple usernames.

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