Read The Fine Print: The eBay Photo Scam

Picture this: You promised your sports fanatic brother back in July that during your trip to the Big Apple for BlogHer you’d pick him up a NY Yankees jersey from the new Yankee Stadium as his holiday gift. When you made that promise you didn’t realize you’d have to waste precious shopping hours going all the way from Manhattan to the Bronx to get it, so you go shopping for fabulous designer boots instead and tell yourself you’ll just buy that jersey online when you get home, he’ll never know the difference! Now you’re back home and can’t find the exact jersey he wants at any online shop you can find, but you see it on eBay for a steal! Question is, are you sure you’re getting what you’re about to bid on?

Last week I cautioned against falling for holiday deals that seem too good to be true. This week’s tip is of a similar vein. Sometimes we’re in too much of a hurry to read the fine print. You know, it’s that text at the bottom of the item page or one click away from the item page that tells you all the caveats about the item, or it’s the specific wording of the item itself. Sometimes the consequences of not reading the fine print are really minimal, just a bit of time wasted, but when it comes to your hard earned dollar do you really want to take the chance that you’re being tricked out of getting what you think you’re getting for your money?

People selling image files or printed photos of the item you actually want on eBay is a scam that has been around for many years. In case you didn’t click the link to look, an eBay seller offered a picture of a brand new black 30GB Apple iPod for $110.00. So if you won the bid you received a picture of the iPod, not the iPod itself. *jaw drop* *facepalm* *shaking head* Good one.

This scam is so popular that it has been covered on the daytime court television show Judge Judy, where two women believed they had purchased cell phones from a woman who auctioned a photo of the cell phones rather than the cell phones themselves. The defendant even had the audacity to say to Judge Judy “it’s not my fault [the plaintiff] can’t read.”

eBay Scammer Gets Sued

Yes, there really are people like that out in the world. And, yes, you can take the time to have your day in court with them, but wouldn’t you rather avoid the whole situation by being one step ahead of the scammers and not fall for their ruse? I personally think Judith Sheindlin (aka Judge Judy) is hilarious, but even I don’t want to be a plaintiff in her court.

F-Secure says this is still one of the top scams of the 2010 holiday season, so if you’re bidding on and buying items from third party sellers via eBay make sure to read all the fine print. If you spot a scam report it to eBay immediately.

For more information about the eBay photo scam visit eHow.

For more information about all of eBay‘s scams visit the eBay Reviews & Guides Forum.

To report an eBay scam go to eBay’s Contact Us page then click on Report an Item or Listing under the Buying tab.

For the sake of being thorough I suggest you also click on Report a Member (the seller). You must be logged into your eBay account when going through this process.

Have you ever been the victim of any eBay scam, or spotted one?

Jersey photo credit: Steven (izoom)
Feature photo credit: Erik Hersman

Sample Sale Saturdays: Gucci, BCBG, Cole Haan

Once again, it’s Saturday.

Thank you, Jesus, that this week is finally over and it’s time for the weekend.

Unfortunately, my shopping budget this week is being spent on a new transmission.  Boooooo!

But that’s no reason for you to miss out on sample sale prices at our favorite secret sale web sites!

Bring on Sample Saturdays and Secret Sales!

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Sample Sale Saturdays: Fossil, Cynthia Rowley, Valentino Roma

Did you know that there are secret web sites where there are secret sales that are open to members only?

Doesn’t that sound deliciously exclusive?!!

These are member only shopping sites that offer sample sale prices on designer products.  (I once got an Anne Klein three piece suit with a trench coat for less than $70.  True story.)

The trick is you have to be a member (which is free, but typically by invitation only) and you have to stay up to date on when the sales are going on because there is a very limited supply and everything sells out very quickly.

Lucky for you, I have a few invitations to some of the top secret sale web sites.  Here are a few of the sales coming up this week (and how to get in)…

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Enzo Angiolini shoes: comfortable high heels. Seriously.

Shoes: Enzo Angiolioni Magnify pumps

As a general rule of thumb, I couldn’t care less if my high heels are comfortable.

I have been known to wear shoes that give me blisters – even though they gave me blisters the last 10 times I wore them – simply because they are gorgeous.

When it comes to a great pair of high heels, comfort is last on the list of reasons to fall in love.  I believe that if you look like a million bucks, there’s always more ibuprofen.

But some women are pussies. Seriously.

Some women insist on stomping around in flats and ignoring the transformative power that high heels have on every woman’s figure – simply because their feet hurt.

Nevermind that a pair of heels gives all women great legs even if you’re 50 lbs overweight.  Nevermind that a pair of high heels makes even the flabbiest of asses look shapely and puts it back up where it’s supposed to be.  (Yes, they do.  Tina Turner legs and the backside of a 21 year old coed.  Did you know that, crybaby pee pee pants?)

Oh, no.  Some women trade hot legs and tight butts for mere comfort.

Ladies, you don’t have to choose between fashionable high heels and comfortable shoes anymore thanks to the genius of Enzo Angiolini.

These are my favorite pair of shoes.  I got them last year from a friend of mine and was absolutely amazed at how comfortable they were.  That is a 4 inch heel, my friends, and I can stand (and even walk!) in them for hours without even once having to chant the “mind over matter, beauty over pain” motto.

Enzo Angiolini Shoes are the chance for every women to benefit from high heels.

Even if you normally live in flip flops and sneakers (we’ll talk about that at a later date), you’ll be able to spend an evening in a pair of Enzo Angiolini shoes without crying.

Does it sounds like I’m begging?  Weeping a little?  I am.  It kills me to know there are women out there who don’t own proper high heels – especially when there is an option like Enzo Angiolini that is affordable.

Oh yes.  Did I forget to mention that?  Enzo Angiolini shoes are not only some of the most comfortable high heels you’ll ever wear, they’re cheap. (And they’re a subdivision of Nine West so you know they’ll last forever, too.)

Hot.  Cheap.  And comfortable.  You have no more excuses to neglect your legs and ass.

The pair I have is an older style and can be difficult to come by now. (I was able to find you a pair in a size 10 on EBay.)  But there are plenty of new styles  out with the same comfortable pedigree to.

My favorite shoes from the Enzo Angiolini line:

Enzo Angiolini Women’s Ailsa Flat $28.48 on Amazon

I’m not crazy about the little bow but I love that it’s a neutral, versatile shoe.  Perfect if you don’t have a ton of high heels in your closet and need a pair that you can wear with anything.

Enzo Angiolini Women’s Grieta Mary Jane Pump $49.99 on Amazon.

Not all women like (or can pull off) a masculine looking shoe.  I love these and think they would be great to wear to an office.  Or with glasses.  (Think hot librarian.)

Enzo Angiolini Give $54.95 on Amazon

Every woman should own at least one pair of red heels.  They are almost as versatile as black and wickedly sexy.  I wear mine with black (black dress, black pants, black skirt – whatever) or jeans and a white top.  Red high heels are the fastest way to sexy without showing your boobs.

ENZO ANGIOLINI Tricks New Heels Pumps Brown Womens $40 on Amazon

Be still my heart.  I’m wearing a flat version of these as I write this and I believe I will have a new favorite pair of Enzo Angiolini shoes just as soon as UPS can get these beautiful babies to me.

That gives you a good start.  Please, for the love of all things holy and beautiful, get yourself a pair of comfortable high heels.  You cannot go wrong with a pair of Enzo Angiolini shoes – even if you’ve sworn off high heels years ago, these will make you a believer.

Check out Amazon’s complete selection of Enzo Aniolini Shoes here.