As many of you are already aware, there are high risks associated
with buying and selling on today's internet auctions, especially
those connecting individuals who are unlikely to even know each other.
"Let the Buyer Beware" may be a nice slogan, but in real life people
can be greatly hurt by even a single scam or deal "gone bad".

So what happens when knowledgeable collectors know (or even suspect)
that a scam is being run?  How can they even notify the general or
collecting public (or even each other)?  It's difficult!

As a case in point, there's an auction presently on eBay which I believe
to be a scam.  (I mention eBay not because it's worse or better than
other auction sites -- only that it's most familiar to MMD readers.)
The listing is for a reasonably rare organette that should fetch
$3-4,000.  But those like myself began to question the listing because
(1) it sounded familiar, (2) it's a "private" auction where the bidders'
identities are not disclosed, (3) there is no item location other than
a generic "United States", (4) the seller's account has no recent
feedback, (5) even old feedback is for buying, not for selling, and
(6) the reserve is much lower than expected.  Upon observation and
discussion, it was discovered that the pictured item was purchased
a few months ago by a known collector, and is _not_ currently for sale.
(Please email me outside of MMD if any one wants further info.)

Now here's the rub: we have no way to warn prospective bidders that
they are possibly at risk to lose thousands of dollars!  The bidders
cannot be reached because the private auction does not identify them.
Although eBay has been notified, they have not yet (at the time of this
writing) removed the listing.  The seller is expectedly unresponsive to
contact through eBay or email.  A moderated forum such as MMD is at
risk if they publish unverified information that may be later construed
to be defamatory.

So, what can be (or should be) done?  Auctions like eBay (or even
traditional auction houses) don't provide a means so that experts can
advise buyers, do they?  Should MMD?  Should MBSI?  If some Internet
"hotline" was set up, what would the liabilities be, and would it ever
work?

I fear that new collectors will be stymied by the existence of risk
and loss unless we established collectors do something -- I've already
heard too many stories, and can document too many abuses, of Internet
trade.

Shill bidding, forged accounts, overpriced items, outright fraud and
scams -- I've seen them all.  Where will it end?

Todd Augsburger - Roller Organs
http://www.rollerorgans.com/