Is it my imagination?

yes & isn't it just plain illegal to "sell" something that you don't even have? Perhaps not, but if you take payment on an item 'for sale' that's not even in your posession - definitely not kosher.

Bob-

Don't stockbrokers do that everyday? :-))

I think this is how Enron and Global Crossing started their upward climb and cliff downfall.

This tread really does open ones eyes and if still centers on buyer beware no matter what you do.

There is no question in my mind that people play the arbitrage game and the selling what you don't own game both here and on ebay. That's why you have to be very careful about auctions. I've seen lots of auctions terminated early and then re-listed with different reserves, etc. Its a wild market out there, so lets be careful boys and girls. Of course there is nothing wrong with buying low and selling high, as long as you buy first and sell later. Otherwise it IS fraud (unless of course you are selling stock short or buying futures). Oops, there's the "f" word. Maybe its only deceptive, unless you accept $ and don't deliver the goods. I'm not a lawyer. My 0.02.

I think what you are seeing more and more is people buying things off of ubid.com and selling them here and on ebay. I was recently looking to purchase an amp (parasound 855HCA), processor (Harman Kardon Signature 2.0 or Sony 9000), and usb audio device (Onkyo SE55). Looking through the classifieds here I ran across 3 different people selling these items they purchased off of ubid stating full warranty. But who really has the warranty? The person who bought it from ubid or the person who buys it from the person who bought it from ubid? I know that you can make money doing this, but I think that they should identify these items as such or be listed under a dealer. I use audiogon to purchase upgrades and to learn more, not make money off fellow members. I always thought that is what ebay was for.