Top Ten eBay Scams

Scam Onemillions.
June 15, 2004. eBay agreed to pay $9.25 million toScam Five
settle a class-action lawsuit that accused its PayPalDec 4, 2004. A group of three high school students
payment service of mishandling customer complaintsSteven Matthew St. John, Joseph Daniel Owen and
about fraud.Lance Allen Miller, all 17, were arrested and charged
The suit, said that PayPal routinely failed to respondwith five counts each of felonious breaking and
to customer complaints about fraud or accountentering and four counts each of felony larceny. The
errors.group stole more than $100,000 worth of property
In the settlement eBay agreed to provide customers'and then tried to sell some of the goods, such as
detailed disclosures when they register for a PayPalcomputers and computer parts on eBay.
account investigate account errors more quickly andScam Six
provide users quarterly account statements by e-mail.Dec 7 2004. A seller was offering a valve on eBay
Scam Twowhich might have allowed people to divert their gas
July 24, 2004. A San Diego police officer and his wifesupply to avoid having to pay any bills. The item was
were accused of conducting a major fencinglisted with the caption "Easy to use gas bypass. Why
operation out of a Chula Vista warehouse.pay for your gas when you don't have to? Think of
The Estrellas bought stolen property directly fromthose winter nights and the gas that you'll use and
thieves, and then sold it on eBay. James Estrella hassave."
been a San Diego officer for 15 years. AuthoritiesScam Seven
said that the property recovered was valued atNovember 5, .2004. Advance copies of the video
more than $275,000. John Estrellas received twogame "Halo 2" were sold on eBay fetching as much
years in jail and a $30,000 fine.as $ 265 each. The Microsoft game was one of the
Scam Threemost anticipated in history.
January 28, 2005. Gilbert Vartanian defrauded at leastScam Eight
10 eBay buyers of nearly $100,000, and he nowNovember 4, 2004. A 19-year-old man stole musical
faces 12 counts of mail fraud that could net him 20instruments from Stetson University and sold them
years in prison and $250,000 in fines. Vartanianon eBay, in Deland , Fla. Anatoli Seinczenko confessed
pleaded not guilty. Vartanian offered tickets forto stealing over $20,000 worth of instruments and
Knicks games, as well as for games involving theproperty.
Pittsburgh Steelers, the New England Patriots, NewScam Nine
York Giants, Green Bay Packers, Philadelphia 76ersJune 15, 2004. A Man from Toledo used the Internet
and New York Jets.auction service eBay to bilk $3,275 from victims
Vartanian used his nygiants031 eBay account to placethroughout the country. eBay winners sent money
the winning bids on five auctions in which he wasorders and checks to Paul Campbell who never had
offering items for sale under another screen accountthe items to sell and pocket the money. Campbell
name. This resulted in a better rating thus enhancingwas arrested after a couple paid $432 for tickets to
his creditability.a WrestleMania.
Scam FourScam Ten
October 15, 200.4 A Scam known as "secondJune 24, 2004. Two men from Maineville OH,
chance" emerged in Britain . People who lost anadmitted a scheme to sell stolen golf clubs and
auction were sent an email offering them a secondelectronic equipment on eBay. The men had admitted
chance to buy goods they bid for. When thethey profited about $12,000 from selling items that
consumer clicked on a link in the email, they werehad been stolen from two golf stores and a camera
taken to a hacker's website where their credit cardstore.
details were stolen. The scam cost British eBay users