The Internet is rife with people trying to take advantage of others, and eBay and PayPal are no exceptions. Here are a few you should be aware of.
eBay Second Chance Offer
An eBay buyer reported that they had received a second chance offer on a rare piece on which they had been the backup bidder. Apparently the original sale had fallen through, so the piece was being offered to them. In spite of the genuine looking message that appeared as if it had come through eBay, they decided contact the seller through eBay rather than via the new message. Turned out that the original sale had been valid and the new message was an illegal attempt to get money from this buyer.
Advice: Always respond to second chance offers through eBay
eBay Money Order Scam
An eBay seller was sent a Western Union money order in payment for a sale. When endorsing the money order, the seller noticed that the back was not watermarked. He called Western Union and they told him that the money order had actually been cashed the day before. Apparently, the buyer did purchase a real money order from Western Union, made a very good copy (but without a watermark), sent him the copy, and then cashed the real one.
Advice: Make sure money orders are authentic
eBay and PayPal Phishing Attempts
These are very common. An email, presumably for eBay or PayPal, says your account will be cancelled unless you contact them. If you click the link and fill in the requested information, they'll have your password. While often just simple emails with a logo, they can appear to be very authentic. Neither organization contacts you this way to convey important information.
Advice: Forward such emails to spoof@ebay.com or spoof@paypal.com
eBay "Respond Now" Phishing Attempts
I've gotten a couple of these. Look for all the world like a genuine eBay message but I was immediately suspicious as I'd never heard from these people before. Instead of hitting the "Respond Now" button, I forwarded them to eBay who said they had not sent them. If you click on the member's name or the "Respond Now" button, you'll be taken to a page that also looks legitimate and asks for your eBay name and password. Don't respond! Go to eBay and check your messages.
Advice: Forward such emails to spoof@ebay.com