# Is it too good to be true



## Chris2284 (Aug 10, 2013)

So I was in Ebay and I found this http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-gram-gold-bullion-bar-999-9-fine-gold-/171099215681 I know that a gram of gold goes for way more, but this is a top rated seller. Is this a real offer or not?


----------



## mls26cwru (Aug 10, 2013)

you need to slow down and stop looking at ebay for a while. if you don't know if it is a deal or not, you have no business buying it (and most stuff on ebay is not a deal in any way). look around the forum, there are threads that show how much gold and precious metals are in what.... since you don't know what is worth while and not, i suggest looking at the 'types of PM scrap' page and start getting acquainted with different types of scarp. do your research before you jump head long into this. familiarize yourself with what is out there and learn what you can get from what material. you will also find out what is worth processing and what is not. 

and after that, if you decide to process material, do your research into that as well... don't worry, the information is all here and is not going anywhere. be smart and use the information at hand... and dont forget to use the search box to look for info (hint: its in the upper right corner)


----------



## Chris2284 (Aug 10, 2013)

There is no refining involved with piece all I want to know if this is a scam or not.


----------



## Harold_V (Aug 10, 2013)

Chris2284 said:


> So I was in Ebay and I found this http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-gram-gold-bullion-bar-999-9-fine-gold-/171099215681 I know that a gram of gold goes for way more, but this is a top rated seller. Is this a real offer or not?


Yes, it's a real offer. The question should be, is the offer worth your attention? No one, perhaps not even the seller, can verify that what the offer claims is what you'd receive (it may not be gold). 
Crooks have gone far out of their way to sell fake gold ingots, even so far as to drill and plug legitimate ingots, filling the holes with tungsten. 
If you'd like to own some pure gold, you'd be best served to do business with a reputable dealer, and forget ebay. That's not to say you may not have good fortune in bidding and winning---for you may, but there is risk. One can limit that by becoming knowledgeable. 

You might also consider doing your homework (reading Hoke's book and other good and valuable information that is referenced on this forum) and learning to process scrap for recovery of values. 

Harold


----------



## Chris2284 (Aug 10, 2013)

Thank you so much for your help. Now I know what to do in cases like these!


----------



## heliman4141 (Aug 11, 2013)

Just thought id mention,
I looked over the bid and saw nothing odd at all. I buy & sell on Ebay all the time & it is not unusual for a dealer or seller to start a placement add with a low .99 start bid. I do it myself all the time. Its fun watching the bidding start early, if the bullion add is placed close to what one wants to begin with then it won't capture the buyers attention as its hopeless to get a real deal obviously. They do this knowing it is not going to sell under spot price, no way. What it does do is get a bidding war started with low ball bidders & the seller is hoping one of them will get bidding fever. It happens. But either way no one is going to allow a gram to go by for .99 cents the deal is too good so everyone will jump on Gold or Silver going for under spot prices. If I saw bullion start at .99 cents & the add ran all the way to the last 10 seconds without a bid rest assuer id bet on it & bet high at the last 5 seconds, ive done that & have won some unusual steals. Its all timing, some things just get overlooked & missed on Ebay. As the others stated tho it is a buyers beware situation IF you have no clue what it really is you want. The new Ebay buyers protection plan is a huge leap of safety for buyers now as Ebay will remburse fraud or any situation where the buyer has been took. It does not however cover buying junk unless its a gross lie etc...A good example would be someone selling so called Gold chains etc. in a large amount. You may bid & buy them & receive 30lbs. of Gold tone looking chains but 90% are highly magnetic which obviously means costume jewelry & not even Gold plated. And if lucky one finds 10% of real Gold or Silver chains in the lot. This is the kind of very easy manipulation that goes on all the time on Ebay. Buying a nib bar in the assay is safe obviously & the selling price for this is premium always.
This 1 gram Gold bar did sell for the going rate of $45 dollars so I don't see the great deal? All I see is a standard bid start low & end up where I knew it would at $45 dollars USD. Once you have haunted Ebay long enough you will see this as a very very common way to start an add.
The ONLY way to win on Ebay and by win I mean cheaply is to never bid high at the start or place a hi bid knowing if someone else bids you will automaticly bid higher up to the limit you set. One does not get a deal doing that what that does is ensure you win at any cost. The thing to do is bid at the last 5 seconds on an already redicussly low add that way ensuring no one has the time to rethink about re bidding. This however does not mean you will win as the last bidder may have done just what I mentioned & placed a high limit bid what that will do tho is make somebody get stuck paying more then they were hoping to pay. Ebay is akin to gambling in a Casino............LOL. If you know the product then you already know its upper limit value. If its already there then its time to move on & look at more adds. 8)


----------



## Harold_V (Aug 12, 2013)

heliman4141 said:


> Just thought id mention,
> I looked over the bid and saw nothing odd at all. I buy & sell on Ebay all the time & it is not unusual for a dealer or seller to start a placement add with a low .99 start bid. I do it myself all the time. Its fun watching the bidding start early, if the bullion add is placed close to what one wants to begin with then it won't capture the buyers attention as its hopeless to get a real deal obviously. They do this knowing it is not going to sell under spot price, no way.


Under virtually all circumstances, I'd agree with you---but I've witnessed a piece of Gallé art glass sell for well under $100 (on ebay), so, while uncommon, it does happen. The piece in question would have had a market value of at least $300. 

My comments in regards to the piece in question still stands. It can be fake, in spite of the fact that everything appears to be in order. That was my point. To buy from ebay with the idea that nothing can go wrong is simply not true. Fact is, my wife got screwed out of $1,200 on a piece that was misrepresented. The seller refused to make it right, in spite of the fact that ebay found in our favor. Long before there was full coverage. 

Buyer beware. *ALWAYS!*

Harold


----------

