Online trading is considered as one of the most rewarding experiences on the Internet today. Whether you want to sell or simply shop, eBay is the place to be. However as with almost everything else on the Internet, eBay is also plagued by scam artists who cannot wait to rip someone off of their hard earned money with the aid of various fraudulent activities.

Whether you are buying or selling on eBay, there are various eBay scams out there that you need to watch out for. Sure, there may be ways to get your money back if you fall victim to these scams on eBay. But then, trying to catch a scam artist is quite futile. It would be much easier if you simply avoid getting scammed in the first place. To succeed in this effort, staying well-informed is the key. If you know more about these scams, then you can take preventive measures to avoid falling prey to these scam artists.

One of the scams that go around eBay is commonly known as the fake feedback scam. Its object is to establish one’s own credit as an eBay user, or tarnish another’s reputation, for that matter. At eBay, feedback is considered to be the backbone of success for all members – buyers and sellers alike. Scam artists are also aware of that fact and thus, use it as a means to take advantage of other eBay users.

A good place to start learning about this scam is to understand eBay feedback better. ebay feedback is a process where the buyers and sellers rate one another based on the actual trading experience. Each feedback can be categorized as positive, negative, or neutral. If the transaction is a success, then you can expect positive feedback. Meanwhile, a neutral feedback means there is still room for improvement and a negative feedback implies a faulty transaction.

A short comment is also included for any additional comments that the buyer or the seller might have regarding the transaction. These comments and ratings are important indicators of an eBay member’s reputation, whether as a buyer or seller. These are included in the member’s profile together with the overall feedback score, and are often used by the other members to determine whether to transact business with the individual or not.

Most importantly, once a feedback is given it can no longer be erased. Whether it is a positive or negative feedback, it will be projected in your profile permanently. That is why it is imperative for an eBay member to obtain a positive feedback – his or her overall reputation depends entirely on these ratings and evaluations. However, it is also imperative that only fair and factual comments are left. Otherwise, it will defeat the purpose of having these feedbacks.

Then again, as much as we want everyone to be honest, there are still those who have no qualms about lying just so they could take advantage of other people. After all, this is not a perfect world. Unfortunately, fake feedbacks are indeed plaguing eBay. If you’re still wondering what is considered to be a fake feedback, it may be defined, quite simply, as a “white lie”, an exaggeration, or an outright lie. Actually, it may be all that and more. When a scammer creates multiple eBay accounts using his friend’s or relative’s name or identity in order to fabricate his or someone else’s feedback, then that is a fake feedback.

There are three types of a shill or fake feedback scam. The first one is when a seller uses multiple eBay accounts in order to increase the number of his or her positive feedback. This is more commonly know as “feedback padding”, and is used by scammers in order to fool unsuspecting buyers into bidding on the scammer’s auction by giving them a false sense of security.

The second type of a shill or fake feedback is called “feedback bombing”. Feedback bombing occurs when a person uses multiple eBay user IDs in order to intentionally damage the reputation of another eBay member by leaving numerous negative feedbacks. More often than not, victims of feedback bombing are left with no way of salvaging their reputation and thus are left with no other choice than to register a new eBay account.

The third type of fake feedback scam is called “feedback extortion”. This is the most radical type. It occurs when a scammer blackmails the unsuspecting victim into doing something by threatening him or her with numerous negative feedbacks.

Fortunately, these scam artists tend to be predictable. Therefore, spotting them is quite easy. Scammers normally use three common feedback extortion techniques. The first one is when a buyer tells a seller to give the item for free, or at a considerable discount, or other illogical demands with the threat of undeserved negative feedback being left.�

Another common feedback extortion technique is when the seller orders the buyer to leave positive feedback although the transaction was unsatisfactory. Otherwise the seller will leave underserved negative feedback to the buyer’s account.

The third most common modus operandi used by scam artist is called the feedback retaliation. This happens when the scam artist tells his or her victim not to leave negative feedback for their transaction. Otherwise, he or she will retaliate by leaving an undeserved negative feedback.

Now that you know more about this type of scam, the next question is how to prevent it from happening to you. A good idea might be to practice a certain amount of caution in your business dealings. It might also help to consider everything fraudulent until you have proven that it is indeed real. Do not depend on positive feedbacks to judge the seller’s ethics. Remember that there are far too many dishonest people lurking on the internet. Sure, the eBay feedback system is still reliable for low value items like books, CDs, DVDs, and so on. But with high value items, that would be a different story. Keep in mind that eBay’s feedback system is not foolproof.

Lastly, no matter how unscientific or illogical it might seem always trust your instincts. You might be surprised at how much it will help you. If you have the slightest hesitation about the transaction, then do not deal. After all, there are still plenty of fish in the sea!�

eBay is a secure and safe way to buy and sell items. That is, if you use it wisely and as long as you keep abreast of the current fraudulent activities. It is also imperative that you take an active part in fighting these fraudulent activities by reporting suspicious activity directly to the eBay team. Remember that eBay has a vested interest in ensuring that all transactions are conducted without scams. Thus, you can be sure that they will do their best to help fight against illegal fraudulent activities.