ALERTS:

No reports as yet

ADVICE:

1) Even if you are not offered the option, insist on registered mail or, better yet, FedEx. Australian Customs told me that mail insurance simply isn't worth the price you pay, because it is no easier to trace than standard, uninsured mail. You can only track your goods through registered mail or a specific shipping company.

2) No matter what country you are buying from, you do have legal rights if you think you've been defrauded. Most Australian police fraud departments have reciprocal agreements with their overseas equivalents. If your goods are over a certain value, they will investigate immediately. If not, they will approach the international police for you and ask them to have a semi-official sniff 'round. You may not be able to press charges, depending on the case, but you will know once and for all if the goods have been sent or not.

3) Buyers who claim they have no further legal responsibility once they have mailed the package are wrong, and their position is not legally defensible. By taking your money they have entered into a contractual agreement with you, and they responsibilities are only discharged when the goods have arrived in your hands. eBayers who say on their listings "I take no responsibility for..." would have no standing in a court of law, should it go that far. Ignore them, and insist on them taking further action until you, the buyer, have been satisfied.

4) In the words of Hunter S Thompson: "don't take any guff from these swine", no matter how rude or confrontational they are. At the end of the day, you are the customer and they are the salesperson, and the weight of the law is on your side. Never be afraid to play hardball, involve the authorities or contact a lawyer for advice... and make sure you tell the seller you have done so.