According to a new survey by the Internet Fraud Watch, a service of the National Consumers League in Washington, D.C., auction fraud was the top online complaint for 1998, constituting 5,236 of the 7,752 gripes filed to the Watch.
Auction sites brim with merchandise, from antiques and collectibles to cars and computers.
These virtual flea markets draw hobbyists, collectors, and shopaholics, who can find rare, desirable, and highly sought after items. And because the Internet affords anonymity, the auction sites draw scammers, too. Sellers and each winning bidder arrange payment, shipment, and delivery. Some winning bidders mail their checks or money orders but never get the promised item. With millions of transactions, online auction firms say fraud is minimal.