eBay is taking tougher measures to stop fraud in the buying and selling of PlayStation 3 consoles in the US and the UK.

The rules changed as recently as yesterday, when eBay forbade British eBay sellers to sell PS3 units on the site until February 2007, when presumably they’ll be able to sell pre-orders.

However, those hoping to cash in on a shortage of units by purchasing multiple units and selling them for silly prices have been pre-empted by eBay, which will only allow each seller to list one PS3 that must have been bought in the EU.

Sellers must also send the item within 30 days, and accept payment via PayPal.

In the US, restrictions are even more stringent. Only sellers who have been in 50 auctions, and have a feedback rating greater than 97% can sell PS3 pre-orders. They must also guarantee dispatching within 30 days, as well as providing a photo of their pre-order receipt, and may not sell them as “buy it now” items.

GamesIndustry.biz is also reporting that Japanese gamers are rumoured to be driving up prices on PS3 auctions to disrupt the practices of sellers who bought units specifically to resell them.

>> Read - Gamesindustry.biz