Recommendation

Caution

Overall Summary

Suspicious

Why we think so

This eBay listing offers a new AMES Professional Commercial and Residential Multimeter from seller 'jrmkew.' The seller has completed over 500 sales, maintains a perfect 100 feedback score, and has no specific complaints or reports of scams or counterfeit activity linked to their profile. Item pricing ($39.95) is far below Harbor Freight's official $94.99 price for this model, which is the only major legitimate retailer. The listing uses original product photos and provides standard payment and shipping options. What stands out: the seller does not accept returns, and Harbor Freight is the exclusive official distributor of this multimeter. Cheap pricing from an independent seller is unusual, so while no direct scam evidence appears in the seller's history or feedback, buyers should use extra caution. Carefully inspect received items for genuine markings, compare to Harbor Freight photos, and pay with a protected method (PayPal, eBay payments). Use eBay Money Back Guarantee if any issues arise. 🛡️

Confidence Score

69%

Risk Insights

⚠️

Extremely Low Price vs. Official Retail

eBay listing: $39.95 (new)

Harbor Freight (official): $94.99 (new, same model)

No other major retailers sell this model new

✅

Seller Profile is Clean

100 feedback score, 500+ sales

No known scam complaints or counterfeit reports

🚫

No Returns Accepted

Erodes buyer recourse if item is fake, faulty, or different than described

Must rely on eBay Money Back Guarantee if issue arises

Contradictory Signals

The combination of a clean seller record but an unusually low price for an item only available via one authorized retailer suggests risk, even in absence of prior complaints.

Signal A: Seller has a perfect feedback record and no direct scam complaints.

Signal B: Product is offered at less than half official retail by an unauthorized seller with no return policy.

Category Scores

Identity 85/100

Reputation 72/100

Technical 65/100

Content 80/100

Legal 60/100

Business Validity 60/100

Red Flags & Warnings

Seller is offering a product below half the standard retail price and outside the exclusive authorized sales channel.
Return policy is 'no returns', unusual for new electronics and reduces recourse for problem orders.

🔎 Detailed Checks & Analysis

Seller identity and history

Score: 85/100

Passed

"Account activity and longevity look typical for an established eBay seller."

Reason: The seller 'jrmkew' has a 100 feedback score with over 500 sales and no public scam complaints.

Review and feedback authenticity

Score: 75/100

Passed

"Public feedback profile supports authenticity but should be cross-checked for any recent neutral/negative trends."

Reason: No abnormal clustering of negative reviews, evidence of review manipulation, or high volume of unverified feedback.

Product description consistency and details

Score: 80/100

Passed

"No obvious signs of copy-pasted or generic descriptions. Matches authentic AMES product details except price."

Reason: Listing includes detailed info and multiple photos that match what is expected for this model.

Price and fulfillment pattern

Score: 50/100

Failed

"Unusually low price especially for a 'new' item from an unofficial source; this is a suspicious pattern."

Reason: Price is less than half of Harbor Freight's official retail and product is officially exclusive to Harbor Freight.

Product authenticity and counterfeit risk

Score: 60/100

Failed

"Low price and unofficial retail channel are primary risk signals; minimal known history of counterfeits for this model."

Reason: No confirmed reports of counterfeiting for this model, but risk cannot be ignored since item is not from authorized distributor.

Return policy, legal compliance, and recourse

Score: 60/100

Failed

"eBay Money Back Guarantee provides some protection, but you'll need to document any issues on arrival."

Reason: The seller does not accept returns, which is risky for electronics and potentially limits your recourse for errors or counterfeits.

Your Next Steps

1

Examine detailed seller feedback for pattern of negative or neutral comments, especially in recent months.
2

Inspect the received product closely for mismatches with official Harbor Freight images (markings, logos, packaging, and included accessories).
3

Contact the seller with any authenticity concerns before confirming receipt.
4

Use only eBay-supported payment methods to ensure Buyer Protection eligibility.
5

If you receive an item that appears counterfeit, not as described, or defective, immediately file a claim through eBay's Money Back Guarantee.

Evidence & Citations

AMES DM1010 only sold officially by Harbor Freight (Price: $94.99)
Harbor Freight is the official (possibly only) authorized retailer for this exact model.
No scam or counterfeit reports on seller 'jrmkew' (public sources)
Checked feedback history and external sources; no scam pattern found.
eBay Buyer Protection and return policy for non-return sellers
eBay Money Back Guarantee covers 'not as described' even if seller doesn't accept general returns.

🕵🏻 Keep investigating

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