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Criminals have figured out how to rip off not only inexperienced buyers on eBay but also very experienced buyers. How are they doing it? As you know, many buyers rely on seller ratings when they’re buying on eBay. When it happens, there is an assumption that the person is a safe seller. So these criminals are capitalizing on that. They set up a site selling hundreds of very expensive items while offering great customer service. After a period of time, the seller gets a “power selling” rating and starts selling more expensive items. It’s usually electronics such as cameras and computers that are sold for a great price. People start buying up all kinds of these items and they trust the seller because of the outstanding rating. But there are no electronics. The seller collects the money and takes off, leaving hundreds of people victimized. When asked about this practice, eBay had no response. Just make sure you’re being careful on the site. Clark always makes sure he never buys anything more expensive than what he is willing to lose. Know your price point and be willing to lose it, because it very well could happen.

Automakers have been lobbying decision makers in Congress to avoid improving fuel economy. Why? They’re claiming that they can’t accomplish what the public wants. But that’s simply not true. In fact, it happened before. Automakers said it would be nearly impossible to raise the fuel efficiency of cars above 12 miles per gallon. But they raised it to 27 miles per gallon. These companies should be building more fuel efficient models because that’s what people want. Not to mention the fact that it’s the smart move for our country.

You’ve probably heard about the Nigerian scams that constantly flow into your Inbox and some how rip tons of people off every year. Well, there is another side to this story. A reporter traveled to Nigeria to investigate and found that those “Nigerian scams” may have nothing to do with Nigeria. Chris Hansen, of NBC, traveled the globe and found the people who are actually sending these phony lottery, car and cashier’s check scams. The No. 1 hotspot was London. So, these scams aren’t just from Nigeria. Just remember that if you get an e-mail offering you money, delete it immediately. If you receive a cashier’s check automatically assume it’s a phony until a bank or institution confirms otherwise.

Everything you buy these days has an MSRP, or manufacturer suggested retail price. But that is not necessarily what you will pay for it. Basically, the marketplace decides in the end. But, right now, the Supreme Court is hearing arguments that manufacturers should be able to fix the price of something. If the Supremes agree to this measure, a manufacturer sets the price and no matter where you buy it, the price is the same. That means the cost at Marshall’s and Stein Mart will be the same at Macy’s and Dillard’s. Clark hopes this does not happen. It will take away the consumer’s ability to comparison shop. Legal eagles think the Supremes will rule in favor of the manufacturers because it will cause people to buy other brands. We’ll keep you posted.