Saturday, April 6, 2024

Is Government Auction Com Legit

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That ‘bargain’ Could Be Bogus

These schemes seem pretty transparent, but they work. I attended one travelling auction in which the auctioneer raked in $93,000 in a single hour. The auctioneer claimed one diamond ring was excellent quality and worth $15,000. A man in the audience bought it for his wife for $7,500. I approached him and offered to get the ring appraised for him. The appraiser said the ring was poorly cut, yellowish in color and had imperfections so bad they were visible to the naked eye. The value? Just $6,500, a thousand less than the man paid. This particular customer was so caught up in the auction that he also bought five oriental rugs, some furniture and a painting. His grand total? $20,000. The poor guy actually planned to delay his retirement to pay for the purchases.

Another travelling auction advertised “original signed Chagall lithographs.” Again, I had one appraised. The piece turned out to be a fancy color copy. With the help of a magnifying glass, you could see the cheap dot matrix printing. And get this: It wasn’t a Chagall. It wasn’t even a copy of a Chagall. It was a composite of images from other Chagall works. So, if you raise your hand at a travelling auction, make sure your “bargain” doesn’t turn out to be bogus.

Do Your Homework:

Government Auctions Review: Stay Away I Warned You

WARNING DANGEROUS: GOVERNMENTAUCTIONS.COM is a rip off. I have to tell because I do not want anyone else to get hurt by them. Here’s the story…They unbelievable jewerly deals Where they show you jewerly along with appraisal cards by a company called GLA which stands for Gem Labs of America, they make you beleive that what is on the card is what the jewerly is worth and Wow when we got it we ran right over to the jewerly store where our jeweler turned our smile to a FROWN! Our jeweler said this jewerly was only good for the bottom of a fish tank. Real Gems yes but quality was not for jewelry not like the appraisal on the card from GLA stated it was worth $11, 316.00. My jeweler said he would give me $1.50 for the silver ONLY. Need I say more. STAY AWAY I WARNED YOU.

Us Department Of The Treasury

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Outstanding Customer Service Gorgeous Jewelries

I have been auctioning on this website for over 3 years. I bought 25 pieces of Jewelries and collectible items. The Jewelries are gorgeous! The designs and qualities are impecable! The price I won the bids are worthy for my time. The price and quality are way much better than non gold, silver Jewelries at Macy’s.I read about negative comments from other reviews sites but I have never had a bad experience. First of all, reviewer said they are fake jewelries as their jeweler said. Please read the item description before you bid. They are very honest and detailed descriptions such as. Main material is sterling silver, rhodium plate. Ruby treated with dye and heated ect. I recently just bought another10 more pieces of Jewelries a few days ago as Birthday and Christmas gifts. I am extremely pleased, happy and satisfied! They delivered in beautiful, well packed jewelry boxes and exactly as they was shown on the web even more beautiful in my hand. Most of all, customer service is outstanding! Any request or concern sent via support, it solved in a heartbeat even in the weekend! Great communication! Transaction, I have never had any problem paid via Paypal! The refund is fast! Thank you for keeping customer service satisfaction is your number one priority! I would recommend your business to my friends without hesistation.Nursebetty

How Do Online Auction Sites Make Money

Welcome to Government Auction.com , LLC

Online auction sites make money through listing fees, advertising fees, and buyers premiums. Think of buyers premiums as a commissionits a price above the winning auction price. Youll usually find buyers premiums with online auction sites that use auctioneers. Other websites like eBay charge insertion fees, final value fees, and fees to upgrade listings.

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Best For Government Surplus Items: Gsa Auctions

GSA Auctions

When buying government surplus items, you want a legitimate website, and not one simply pretending to have affiliation with the U.S. government. GSA Auctions is a government website where you can buy Federal property like boats, helicopters, luxury vehicles, medical equipment, and even NASA Shuttle/Hubble items.

  • Its an actual government website

  • Use proxy bidding to indicate your maximum bid

  • Payments made to the U.S. Department of Treasury at Pay.gov

  • Must verify your information with Experian to register an account

  • If the auction doesnt meet the minimum reserve, you dont win the auction even if youre the highest bidder

  • Reserve price is never listed

GSA Auctions is the best online auction website for government surplus items because its an official government website run by the General Services Administration. Youre not paying a markup to a website pretending to be affiliated with the government. Every listing has a minimum reserve price, which means even if youre the highest bidder, you may not win the auction.

Because GSA Auctions wants to maximize the money earned, you will never know what the reserve price is. GSA Auctions returns proceeds to federal agencies and the Treasury.

There are no buyer fees, although some items may require a deposit to bid. You cannot sell items on this site because its only for government property.

Auction categories include:

Best For Auto: Copart

The best online auction website for autos is Copart because you can buy vehicles for parts or in drivable condition 100% online and have the vehicle shipped to you. Many of its listings dont require you to have a dealer’s license to purchase, which means ordinary buyers can bid on a vehicle.

  • If a listing requires you to have a business license, brokers or authorized representatives can bid for you

  • Individuals, businesses, and dealers can buy and sell vehicles

  • Offers both clean and salvage titles

  • Must have a membership to bid on a vehicle

  • Fees can be high

  • It takes effort and consistency watching auctions to know whats a good buy

There are more than 175,000 vehicles on Copart, which is an online auto auction site operating in 11 countries. It gets the nod for the best site for auto auctions because individuals, businesses, and dealers can buy and sell used, wholesale, and salvage cars, exotics, trucks, boats, ATVs, and SUVs. You can even buy and sell freightliners. Both clean and salvage titles are available on the site.

Each listing provides detailed descriptions, photos, and conditions of each vehicle. There also is a calculator to determine shipping costs to your location. Its not clear where Copart will ship, but there is a fair chance youll have to secure third-party shipping or pickup.

There are three memberships available, and you must have a Basic or Premier package to bid:

Guest
$100,000 buying power per day
Bid on multiple vehicles at a time

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What Measures Do Auction Sites Take To Protect Buyers And Sellers

Most auction sites offer dispute resolution for buyers and sellers and limit what methods of payment are available. For example, most auction sites dont allow wire transfers but allow payment by debit card, credit card, or PayPal. The Fair Credit Billing Act helps protect buyers when using their credit cards.

Use the auction sites in-house communication system if available. This way, should a dispute arise, the site can see the exchange between buyer and seller. Never take communication or payment offline to avoid fees because that limits your protection.

Best For Business Equipment: Bidspotter

BidSpotter

Buy and sell industrial, commercial, plant, and machinery equipment through BidSpotter, which is an online auction site dedicated solely to business equipment. Sellers are professional auctioneers, and usually have companies available to ship you your items after winning.

  • Its free to create an account, and you only pay for your winning item

  • Most auctioneers have rigging/removal/delivery companies they work with to get you your assets after youve won

  • Some auctions allow pre-bidding so you can participate even if youre not available live

  • To sell, you must be a qualified and licensed auctioneer or consign your items to one of their auctioneers

  • Some auctioneers require a deposit and buyers premium

  • You must register for each auction to view and participate

BidSpotter is owned by Auction Technology Group, which had 3,600 auction houses using its technology and listed 14 million lots in fiscal year 2021. Eight billion dollars worth of items sold per year makes it one of the largest online auction websites in the world. Its the best online auction website for business equipment because it doesnt cost anything to bidyou only pay for your winning item. The auctioneers can even set you up with a company to ship the equipment to you.

Categories of equipment available include:

  • Agricultural equipment

Also Check: Irs Tax Exempt And Government Entities Division

Tips For Participating In Government Auctions

  • The general rule for auctions is that the highest bidder wins, and cancellation is not possible. Check with the auction site ahead of time to find out if you can cancel a bid.

  • Each auction website operates differently. In some cases, the government agency itself runs the auctions. In other cases, the agency operates the shopping site, but a third-party company handles the auction itself.

  • Find out what forms of payment auctions accept. There is no uniform payment policy across all the different auctions. Some auctions accept credit card payments or personal checks. Others, such as the Internal Revenue Service , don’t accept either of these. Most auctions accept cashier’s checks.

  • For real estate auctions, you may need to work with a broker or real estate agent to bid or make the purchase. Also, for real estate auctions, find out if financing is permitted. Many times it is not and the full purchase price is due when you win the bid.

Government Auction Com Overview

  • Government Auction Com was first mentioned on PissedConsumer on Jan 14, 2021 and since then this brand received 2 reviews.

  • Government Auction Com ranks 259 of 451 in Auctions and Marketplaces category. The overall rating of the company is 1.0 and consumers are mostly dissatisfied.

  • Recent recommendations regarding this business are as follows: “DO NOT RECOMMEND”, “No one in there right mind should join this sight”.

  • Government Auction Com was first mentioned on PissedConsumer on Jan 14, 2021 and since then this brand received 2 reviews.

  • Government Auction Com ranks 259 of 451 in Auctions and Marketplaces category. The overall rating of the company is 1.0 and consumers are mostly dissatisfied.

  • Recent recommendations regarding this business are as follows: “DO NOT RECOMMEND”, “No one in there right mind should join this sight”.

  • The price level of this organization is high according to consumer reviews.

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How We Chose The Best Online Auction Websites

We looked at 28 online auction websites available and narrowed it down to the best options based on several features and considerations. We considered fees for both the buyer and seller, the sites online reputation, real customer reviews, and available categories. Some sites are free for buyers, and others require a membership to bid on items. Those membership fees should be reasonable.

United Kingdom: Bumblebee And Wilsons Government Auctions

1779 Eight Reales First Silver Dollar Coin

If you live in the U.K., there are many websites used by police to sell seized or lost and found items. One of them is Bumblebee Auctions , which acts effectively as a shop front the police force and local authorities, which can use to dispose of various types of property. It is an official police website used by multiple forces across the country. Users bid on items in the same way as they would on sites such as eBay.co.uk.

Another good website is Wilsons Auctions, which you could access HERE.

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Best For Real Estate: Auctioncom

Auction.com

We chose Auction.com as the best real estate online auction website because users can buy bank-owned and foreclosed homes at auction prices. Some listings have bids starting at just $1, and some properties arent for sale yet but are likely to head to auction.

  • Many deals close within five weeks

  • Offers a mobile app

  • Access photos and local market data for each property listed

  • Properties sold as-is

  • Most listings are cash-only

  • Some listings require the buyer to pay a buyers premium of 5% or $2,500, whichever is higher

With 6.3 million registered buyers and $52 billion in sales to date, Auction.com is a leader in the online real estate space. It operates in all 50 states and helps buyers purchase foreclosed, short-sale, and bank-owned residential properties quicklymany deals close in a little over a monthmaking it the best for real estate auctions.

Most vacant properties have photos of both the outside and the inside. Occupied properties dont usually show inside photos, and instead share outside and aerial views.

Each listing is sold as-is, so a buyer should perform due diligence before bidding on a property. They should also secure financing before bidding because closing can happen quickly, often in under five weeks.

Not all properties have a buyers premium, but there is always an earnest money deposit. You can filter the listings to avoid a property with a buyers premium.

Do Not Place This Bid Yet Make Sure Its Not An Auction Scam

Auctions can be a great way to buy an expensive item at a deep discount. However, scammers know that promising a good deal is a great way to lure unsuspecting victims. Even if an auction looks legitimate, potential bidders should beware. BBB Scam Tracker received multiple reports of fake phishing auctions for consumers personal information and money.

How the scam works

Suspicious calls from Amazon: what to do?

You see an ad for a website that auctions off cars, RVs, boats, and other big-ticket items. You visit the website and everything looks legit. The site might even claim to be affiliated with the government. You register to bid, which may include sending the auctioneer a copy of your drivers license, along with other sensitive personal information.

After registering, you place a bid on an item. To your surprise, you win the item for a prize that seems almost too good to be true. The auctioneer gives you instructions on how to transfer the money. Once youve paid, the auctioneer will likely disappear and become uncontactable. The item you won is never delivered. Unfortunately, you have just given money and personal information to a scammer!

How to avoid auction scams

If you spot an auction website that appears to be a scam, report it immediately to BBB.org/ScamTracker. Your report can help other consumers avoid falling into the traps of scammers. To find reputable companies, go to https://www.bbb.org.

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Additional Precautions For Online Auctions

  • Be familiar with the auction site before you participate in the auction. Find out what protections the auction site offers buyers. For example, some sites may offer protection in the event that you do not receive your item or the item is significantly different from its description in the seller’s listing. Carefully check each site’s policy, do not assume one site’s rules are the same as another.
  • Before bidding, find out all you can about the seller. Many Internet auction sites provide feedback on sellers by other buyers. This area is helpful when researching the seller’s reputation. Pay particular attention to numerous negative comments about the seller, especially if these comments concern the same issue, i.e. the product never arrived. Be aware that because this information can be easily manipulated, some of the positive feedback may be self-created “shill” testimonials.
  • Make sure you know how to contact the seller in case there is a problem. Get the seller’s name, physical street address, email address and phone number. Avoid doing business with sellers you cannot identify, especially those who try to lure you off the auction site with promises of a better deal.
  • Protect your privacy when bidding. Never provide personal information such as your Social Security number, driver’s license number, or bank account information.

The Best Online Auction Websites For 2022

eBay is the best overall online auction website because its free for buyers, both seller and buyer have protections from fraud, and youre not restricted to just the United States. You can buy and sell on eBay from most countries.

  • Buyers and sellers from all over the world

  • Its free for buyers

  • Offers both seller’s and buyer’s protection

  • Seller’s fees arent uniform across categories

  • Final value fees can be as high as $750, depending on your category

  • Displays third-party advertisements and listings from other sellers on any eBay pageincluding your listing

Launched in 1995, eBay is one of the oldest and largest online auction platforms, with 142 million active buyers worldwide. Its the best overall online auction website because buyers dont pay anything to use it unless its an international buyer who may have a currency conversion fee. Plus, both seller and buyer have protections in the event of fraud.

Categories on eBay include:

  • Specialty services
  • Baby essentials

Anyone can sell on eBay, although there are restricted and prohibited categories. For example, you cant sell lockpicking or locksmithing devices. eBay also doesnt sell any of its own items, which means you have no competition from them as a seller.

When selling on eBay, you can use photos and video to showcase your items.

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