FTC Issues Free Guide On Buying In Internet Auctions

WASHINGTON — Internet auctions are one of the hottest phenomena of the Web. Yet despite their popularity among buyers as well as sellers, many people don’t understand fully how Internet auctions work, the kinds of auctions available — and perhaps most importantly, how to participate in them as responsibly and safely as possible.

Internet auction fraud has become a big problem, with an increasing number of consumers complaining about sellers who deliver their advertised goods late or not at all or deliver something less valuable than promised.

To help educate consumers about Internet auctions, the Federal Trade Commission has issued a pamphlet, Internet Auctions: A Guide for Buyers and Sellers. The guide offers tips for buyers to protect themselves against fraud, and advice for sellers on how to make Internet auction transactions as smooth and successful as possible.

Copies of the guide are available free from the Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Response Center, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. 20580, or toll-free: 887/FTC-HELP (382-4357), TDD: 202/326-2502.

More than 150 other consumer publications also are available online from the FTC at www.ftc.gov.  Click on “Consumer Protection.”