Fraud: What's an Online Auction Site to Do?

[mandy]

from Auctionbytes:

Discussion is heating up in media and among users about what could be done to crack down on online auction fraud, particularly on eBay. In order to create a framework for a discussion about fraud prevention, it's helpful to see what measures other auction sites have in place....

If eBay tightened up the requirements for selling on the site, it could mean a radical change in eBay's offerings, depending on exactly which measures they implemented. The fact that anyone can sell almost anything increases the risk of fraud, but it also makes eBay a diverse, fun, global marketplace.

full article: http://auctionbytes.com/cab/abn/y06/m03/i08/s04

The article discusses anti-fraud measures that have been taken by Bid4Assets, uBid, Overstock, Property Room, and Amazon.  The last sentence quoted above sums up the article: increased fraud risks on eBNay are a necessary evil in order to keep it a fun, diverse marketplace.  :

[iron_chick]

If eBay tightened up the requirements for selling on the site, it could mean a radical change in eBay's offerings, depending on exactly which measures they implemented. The fact that anyone can sell almost anything increases the risk of fraud, but it also makes eBay a diverse, fun, global marketplace.

I somehow suspect that the folks who have lost $$ to the scammers that eBay chooses to protect and facilitate consider their eBay experience "fun".

[bargainbloodhound]

Requirements to sell:

eBay
working email address
credit card on file

Overstock's Trusted Merchant Program
working email address
credit card on file
credit report checked
disclose annual income
disclose total debts and assets
copy of photo ID
various questions about business
...and I think there's something else I'm forgetting

Hmmm, which one does a better job of verifying?