Consumer Corner: Use caution with online auctions
Dear Attorney General,Everyone seems to be buying and selling things online. I would like to try out some of the online auctions I have seen, but I don’t want to lose any money. How can I make sure that I don’t get scammed on these auction sites?
Dear Kansas Consumer,
Internet auction sites provide consumers with a global marketplace to buy and sell everything from houses to baseball cards. Unfortunately, auction fraud is also the number one internet-related consumer complaint we receive in Kansas.
Hundreds of Kansans reported losing money last year in an online auction. The complaints usually involve missing or late shipments, items that arrive not as described, bogus online payments and fraudulent dealers who lure you from a legitimate auction site with a seemingly better deal.
Whether you are a seller or a buyer, Kansas consumers should take steps to protect themselves from common pitfalls of online auctions.
- Determine how soon you need the item and whether or not you can tolerate it being delivered late or not at all. Online auctions often take longer to wrap up and ship than other online purchases.
- Always read the Terms of Use for any auction site before using it. The site may charge fees, follow different rules or offer different protections.
- Never send cash or wire money. Try to use a method of payment where you can get your money back if something goes wrong.
- Don't reply to messages that look like they've been sent by an auction Web site or payment service and ask for your password or other personal information. These “phishing” emails may look legitimate, but they are a scam.
- Avoid doing business with sellers you can’t identify, especially if they try to lure you off a legitimate auction site with promises of a better deal. Confirm the seller’s telephone number in case you have questions or problems.
- Look at the item description closely, including the fine print. Save copies of all the emails you send and receive from the auction site or seller.