Fraud Facilitation listings - I think eBay should ban these items!

[chrisdrake.com]

Loads of people sell "Empty Boxes", often for a lot of money - e.g. https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/EMPTY-BOX-ONLY-Nvidia-RTX-2080-Founders-Edition-8GB-NO-VIDEO-CARD-NO-GPU...

These boxes are used by fraudsters who sell substitute low-value and counterfeit goods dressed up to look like genuine items.

I think eBay should not allow the re-sale of empty boxes.  The pain that is causing everyone is just too great.

[padi*0409]

Perfectly legal and adheres to eBay's policies to sell them if the title says "Empty box" - or even in the description.

It would maybe account for a few dodgy sales BUT if a seller has many fake items then the chances are they will also have fake boxes/packaging as well.

[repentatleisure1952]

[digital*ghost]

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@chrisdrake.com wrote:

Loads of people sell "Empty Boxes", often for a lot of money - 

These boxes are used by fraudsters who sell substitute low-value and counterfeit goods dressed up to look like genuine items.

I think eBay should not allow the re-sale of empty boxes.  The pain that is causing everyone is just too great.

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It used to be banned - they said they lifted the ban because their fraud detection had improved. 

Lol.

[shoppingbag*]

Unless you can prove that the people buying these are engaging in fraudulent behaviour then there is no case. To assume someone is going to commit a crime, is not good enough proof that they are actually going to.

[chameleon54]

I get where you are coming from and can see how the box in your link could potentially end up being used for scamming. The problem is for every empty box that is used for unethical purposes there are probably 50 or more sold for very genuine reasons.

Many empty boxes are collectable. I sold an empty box for $20 to a collector a couple of weeks ago and have sold rare empty boxes for up to $50 . Think wooden cigar boxes, rare matchboxes, old grocery items etc. In fact I have seen a rare Kellogs corn flakes empty box sell for over $700 on ebay. ( Toolie birds, plastic toy back plate... ) Why should the collector of empty Corn Flakes boxes ( yes they exist ) be prevented from buying and selling on ebay, just because a few people choose to do the wrong thing ?