Does eBay have a service to facilitate Craigslist purchases?

[4pugnus]

I responded to a Seattle Craigslist ad for a John Deere tractor at an amazing price. The seller tells me the tractor is in Nebraska and can be shipped to me in 2 or 3 days with eBay acting as a middleman. I am supposed to provide the seller my contact info which she will forward to eBay and then eBay will arrange for the payment and delivery and give me 5 days to inspect the item and accept/reject it. Supposedly the eBay involvement protects both the buyer and seller. Does eBay actually do this sort of thing? Especially for an item advertised elsewhere? I smell a scam but figured I'd ask.

[inceptions · Accepted solution]

If the item is not listed on eBay and if you don't buy the item through the eBay listing, it has absolutely NOTHING to do with eBay.

Go back to craigslist and read the warning posted at the "avoid scams and frauds" link located on every page on the site.

You can read eBay's warning here:

http://pages.motors.ebay.com/buy/security/index.html