Love to buy and sell on eBay? Don't fall victim to an Internet scam. Follow eBay's top five online safety tips for a safe, satisfying shopping experience.
  1. Get to know your seller. Contact and communicate with them and research their reputation by checking their feedback rating.
  2. Pay safely. Pay with a fast, easy and secure payment method such as PayPal. Do not pay with cash or instant money transfer services. These methods are banned on eBay because they are unsafe.
  3. Never click on a link or reply to emails that ask for personal information. eBay and PayPal will never ask you for your account or credit card details, username or password in any communications.
  4. Download the eBay Toolbar with account guard. This will protect you against clicking onto fake eBay and PayPal websites.
  5. Educate yourself before trading on the Internet. Check out the eBay Security and Resolution Center for the latest tips and advice about how to avoid common buying mistakes that increase the risk of a bad buying experience.
Consumer fraud is an issue that Western Union takes very seriously. Consumers rely on Western Union for its speed, convenience and reliability when sending money to friends and loved ones around the world. However, we know that scam artists have also tried to take advantage of our good name in their attempts to defraud consumers. In response, Western Union has worked cooperatively with companies like eBay to post messages from Western Union on their site, we've worked with organizations like AARP and the National Consumers League to promote educational efforts and, wherever possible, we work with law enforcement to prosecute the criminals who victimize consumers and our business.

Western Union strongly advises consumers not to use money transfer services when sending money to someone they don't know personally. This sounds like simple advice, but scam artists are intelligent and creative. More and more frequently, these individuals are using the Internet, mail and telephone to create the illusion of a relationship. It's important for consumers to remember that sharing a few e-mails or even a phone call, does not mean you truly know the individual on the other end of the line. And, of course, the old adage holds true…if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Western Union cares about the consumers who use our business. We know they work hard for their money. That's why we are working to educate people about the various types of consumer fraud. For more information on protecting yourself from fraud, please visit www.westernunion.com.

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