eBates scam?
So I can't tell if eBates is a scam or not...but here's some math - any thoughts?
Here's how I have earned $1000 in my eBates acct (although I haven't seen a check yet)
First I set out to create two eBay accounts (which is allowable by eBay rules, ONLY 1 can have eBay bucks though!) and of course an Ebates account.
With Seller A, lets create a real listing for a $10,000 high end acoustic guitar on auction for 7 days with a $0.99 starting bid and a $10,000 Buy It Now option and allow for payment on delivery, (this is important). So far so good. For this Ebay will charge you $0.25, with a Final Value Fee of $50 ($100 post April 16, 2011 due to eBay fee changes). As soon as your listing is posted, copy and paste the listing number so that you can very quickly FIND your item. So then open a new browser window and head over to Ebates, log in and click on the eBay referral link. You’ll notice that since you set up a musical instrument, that you are now eligible to earn 1.5% cashback! In eBay paste the listing ID and select Buy It Now!
Go through and pay with eBay, but do NOT pay with PayPal, instead make sure you remove any eBay bucks you may have earned and then select Pay Upon Pickup. Next go through on both accounts and make sure everything looks paid for and delivered by marking both from the buyer and sellers accounts as payments received and delivered.
Next wait for the $150 to hit your Ebates account. Minus the $50.25 from eBay, you just made $99.75.