Buyer and Seller Safety With Online Classifieds

Submitted by hwoodgate
Tue, 8 May 2012

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The online classifieds industry is booming and growing larger by the day compared with traditional newspaper classifieds that are slowly disappearing into the abyss. The reasoning for this shift is simply explained in convenience and functionality. After all you can search online and quickly find what you're looking for, whereas in a newspaper you have to sift through them one by one trying to find what you want.

However, this convenience comes at the price of security which many people don't realise until they experience it first hand and become the victim of fraud or identity theft. The large online classifieds and auction websites introduce many measures to minimize fraud with a variety of mechanisms including:

- Validation via email (insecure).
- Validation via land line telephone
- Validation via SMS cell / mobile phone.
- Payment verification via Credit Card
- IP Address location algorithms
- Physical address validation

Yet these security measures come at a price to the website operators by making their websites more difficult to use and reduces user participation. The increased complexity leaves many people who are not very technology savvy lost and confused so they find themselves on simplistic websites that accept listings without validation.

The simplicity is great for user participation, but it is also fantastic for fraudsters who take advantage of the lack of security on these sites.

This is quite concerning particularly when the demand for this simplicity is increasing with the increased use of smart phones where simplicity is paramount. In recent times many start-up's are working on exclusively mobile oriented local classifieds systems that are extremely simple to use, but there appears to be a lack of consideration on security with a pure focus to simplicity, user interaction and growth.

So how does one identify a potential fraudster when it comes to buying and selling online? Well there are a number of key indicators that everyone should be aware of:

- The mention of utilization of a 'buyers agent'.
- Unable to contact via telephone due to being on an oil rig, mines, etc.
- Underpriced items, if the price is too good to be true, it probably is.
- Discussions of using the so called 'eBay Protection Program' when the sale isn't on eBay.
- Offers to purchase a large ticket item without an inspection, such as a car, bike or boat.

Ultimately the best and safest way to purchase online is to buy and sell locally, meet the opposing party in person, and exchange payment with cash, but this does not mean that if you are buying and selling big ticket items that will ultimately be paid by cash or cheque that any communication with a buyer via e-mail is safe. Many scams target big ticket items due to the increased participation and communication involved between the parties and therefore probe for information in a manner that leads to identity theft. This is particularly rampant amongst used car sales online.

If you must buy from someone that you cannot meet, you must be extremely cautious and buy from reputable persons only. Look for sites with user reputation systems, review other listings by the same person, and see how long that particular user has been a member of the website.

Buyer and Seller safety is of the utmost importance in this growing industry however it is often overlooked by newcomers in the space, however even the most stringent security measures can be bypassed by fraudsters via identity theft and stolen credit cards, so you cannot assume safety when it comes to buying and selling online with any website, big or small.

Hayley Woodgate is degree qualified in Media, Marketing and Public Relations and has more than ten years experience working alongside some of Australia's largest companies. While having worked in a number of sectors, her main area of expertise is the automotive industry and is currently heavily involved with the Australian used car sales market assisting people how to safely sell cars online free.

Source: ArticleTrader.com

Teenage racer packs a BMW Z3 M Coupe with a V10

This Bulgarian teen by the name of Denislav Shishev is all set to make a good and addictive commitment with the BMW. So said since the last thing a person is ever likely to do is convert a broken down Z3 Coupe into a V10-packing pocket rocket without showing any love and affection for the Roundel.

When the car is equipped with the M5’s 10-cylinder engine which produces a quite impressive 442 hp of peak power, then this surely will be a substantial jump from the E30 M3 that he currently has to carry on with his track pursuits.

And if you think you too feel like trying something of this type yourself, you can check out the pictures below that should let you have an idea of the entire thing. Also, you should be in the mood to loosen your purse strings.

Source: carscoop

Making of a milestone

By Samuel Ee

TWENTY-FIVE years after the first BMW M3 captivated boy racers and serious enthusiasts alike with its power and electric handling, the Munich-based carmaker marked this milestone at the Ascari race track in southern Spain. M is the motorsports division of BMW and for over a quarter of a century, it has produced four generations of the M3, which is based on the 3 Series.

As part of the celebrations, some pristine examples of these high-performance coupes and convertibles were taken out to be driven on and around Ascari.


The first M3 was built in 1985 for homologation purposes because BMW wanted to go racing. To enter the touring car series, it had to satisfy regulations that called for the production of at least 5,000 units. So the M3 was born.

A four-cylinder engine was created by lopping two cylinders off BMW's famed 2.0-litre straight-six unit. A four-pot was lighter and more suitable for competition, with a shorter crankshaft that did not vibrate at high revs.

The displacement was also expanded to 2.3 litres for more power.

But because the first M3 - codenamed the E30 - had an engine, transmission and suspension designed by race engineers, it was a road car that was built more like a race car. It also pioneered features like electronically adjustable dampers, with the driver able to choose from three settings using a knob on the lower centre console.

Little wonder then that it was a hit. The M3 E30 not only won admirers for its macho looks (thanks to flared wheel arches and big tail spoiler), but also championships across Europe. BMW's initial scepticism about being able to sell the 5,000 units quickly vanished and almost 18,000 were sold over its five-year production cycle.

Today, the original M3 still manages to electrify.

Around the Ascari circuit, it is wonderfully direct, with a mechanical rawness that can only be experienced in an era before electronics completely took over. With excellent balance and low weight (1,200kg), it is a joy to work its manual gearbox (with the dogleg first gear) around the smooth-flowing track.

But it requires more effort on the twisty mountain roads of the nearby Sierra de los Merinos. The steering is heavy and the engine strains to climb the inclines as briskly as a modern-day automobile.

The M3 E30 was replaced by the M3 E36 in 1992. The second-generation M3 was a completely new car, packing a 2.5-litre six-cylinder engine that had more power in line with customers' wishes.

Yet it was more refined with looks toned down by BMW board members who decided a less aggressive-looking car without spoilers was more appropriate. It was also available as a four-door saloon and this visual difference combined with the dynamic changes to make the jump from the first generation to the second generation extremely significant. All these made the new M3 seem like a big step in a different direction.

On the track, it still feels suitably contemporary and nimble, partly because its engine was later upgraded to a 3.2-litre straight six with double Vanos variable valve timing.

The SMG Sequential M Gearbox - the first to be offered by any manufacturer in the world - was also introduced.

In 2000, it was replaced by the third-generation M3 E46. It had a brand new 3,246cc six-cylinder engine with an impressive 343hp and 365Nm of torque - figures few naturally aspirated units could boast. Zero to 100kmh took just 5.2 seconds and the driver could choose from sporty or high-comfort engine response with the flick of a switch.

The second generation of the SMG transmission also debuted on this car and its Drivelogic feature offered a slew of gearshift programs as well as launch control for the optimum blast off.

But it was also bigger and heavier and on Ascari, its weight is discernible. However, it is also cultured and more comfortable, thus bringing a new level of refinement to the M3 lineage.

The M division made its biggest jump with the fourth-generation M3 though. The straight-six engine made way for a 4.0-litre V8 in 2007 and the car was clothed in sleek new styling.

With 420hp and a lightweight, largely aluminium chassis, it heralded the beginning of a new M era. Until the limited edition BMW M3 GTS arrives here early next year, that is.

This article was first published in The Business Times.