| Apalachin
Community Press, November 2000
Tis the
Season
by Fred Hume Don't think I'm turning into the "Grinch that Stole Christmas" but I saw a little something on the Internet at eBay this past week that made me do some thinking. Do NOT interpret this as a "put down of eBay or any other Internet site or auction. It's not intended to criticize anyone in particular. It's just that, it seems to me, this time of the year tends to bring out the "beast" in some people. The time of the year that the "scam artists" do their best work. I saw the new Sony Playstation2 being auctioned on eBay within hours of going on sale in stores. This is about a $300 item (if you can get one and odds are you can't). But, I was seeing bids on eBay as high as $1,925. For a $300 dollar item?? C'mon! Get real folks. Now, If you're that desperate to be the first one on your block to have this game, so be it, and if you have $1,925 to throw away, how ‘bout throwing a little of it my way. I'm not saying that anyone was scamming on this. $1,925 wasn't the "asked" price, but bids were going that high. This got me thinking. Did all these people really have Playstations to sell, or were they just counting on the mass hysteria that usually accompanies a major release of a high demand, low supply item? And, if so, wouldn't it be a wonderful way to pick up a little extra money? Let's see. If, say, I actually had two of these games but auctioned six at these prices, by the time anyone figured it out, I could walk off with a nice pile of cash. Maybe?? Ok, let's look at this a little differently. Say I didn't have ANY to actually sell, would the hysteria be enough to let me get away with it anyway?? Or, maybe I had some unused "Frequent Flyer Miles" I didn't want or I didn't actually have them but could make you think I did. Or, how about a "cruise" on one of those big ocean liners? Could I sell that even though I didn't actually have it? VOILA! A scam is born. Wow! "Ok, send cash, check, or money order. Or you can just charge it to your credit card." "Ha," you say. "I'm not stupid. I'm not giving you my credit card info on the Internet." "Ok, send cash, check or a money order." "Ha!" You say again. "I'm not stupid, no cash, I'll send a check or money order." Ok, (giggle, teehee). You just blew it. A money order is the same as cash. If you get defrauded, go ask the pimple faced kid at the local convenience store where you bought the money order to intervene and get your money back. Yeah! Right! Send me a check?? GREAT! Now I've got your name, address, account number and interbank number. Man, I can just hear "winter in the Bahamas" callin' my name. The reality is, your credit card is your best protection. Check with your credit card issuer to see what his policy is on fraud and unauthorized use of a credit account number. They really do have the power to help you. Another good tip I learned is to have a separate credit card with a low credit limit to use online. Don't use your regular, everyday card. Even though you're legally only responsible for the first $50 of misuse on a card as long as you report it in a timely manner, you will still have credit with your everyday card if your online card needs to be cancelled while the problem is being sorted out. Lastly, how do you tell what is a legitimate offer and what might be a scam? Well, don't ask me, I don't know either. What I do know is that there is a whole army of people on the Internet that are there to help you try and make that determination. Also, these same groups are there to try to help if you do get scammed. They also provide you with ways to report anything that you may believe is an attempt at a scam or an outright fraud. They can also provide you with information on what to look for in making these determinations and also provide information on "known" scams and rip-offs not only on the Internet but also by mail or by telephone. There are laws, and these Web sites will help you know your rights and what you can do if you run afoul of a scammer or fraudulent seller. These sites also coordinate with police and many states "Attorney's General" offices. So have a save and SANE holiday shopping season, and remember, the best defense is knowledge and communication. What you don't know CAN hurt you, and silence is a scammer's best friend. Now, check out these Web sites and remember to also keep an eye on the "older folks" during the Holidays. http://www.ftc.gov/ftc/consumer.htm
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