Paranormal Objects on eBay

I may have found a new hobby…

A friend recently commented on the entertainment value of browsing through eBay’s Paranormal section in search of haunted objects. Not to bid on said items, but for the entertainment value of seeing what people are trying to sell, and if people are actually willing to bid on it, “Please pay to take my ghost problem.”

Some items and stories seem to be of decent quality, like this recently sold item supposedly contains the spirit of a little boy. The old owner claims the doll needs attention or the attached ghost will start misbehaving:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/PARANORMAL-HAUNTED-DOLL-POSSESSED-BY-9-YR-OLD-BOY-MICHAEL-/231063914110?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35cc7b867e#ht_310wt_1200 

Supposedly haunted dolls seem to be a popular listing (some of which are clearly not as old as the current owner claims them to be, do some research when buying antiques, haunted or otherwise), as does tacking the phrase ‘witch owned’ onto such dolls. There’s apparently a Wicca belief that dolls can contain protective spirits, but how many of these dolls are just labeled this way to boost sales? It might seem like a lot of work, but if a super short story could get you another ten bucks, would you write it?

Some people just tack Haunted and other Tags onto their items to get as many hits as possible. This doll was also listed as Steampunk, and I assure you, it’s not:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Antique-Doll-Head-Creepy-Gothic-Haunted-Halloween-Steampunk-Zombie-Torso-/300977569489?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4613a93ed1#ht_101wt_1170

Some items seem to hold legal problems, such as the supposed human remains contained in this item. Depending on circumstance selling human remains may be illegal. Were the police ever notified that these remains were found?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/GHOST-BOX-CONTAINING-BONES-AND-DOLL-FROM-STANLEY-HOTEL-SITE-OF-THE-SHINING-/161115395054?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item258339d3ee#ht_326wt_1170

And some seem just to be for giggles. Like these paper boxes the poster claims contain ghosts with 2-dimesional personalities, as indicated by the ribbons on the boxes:
 http://www.ebay.com/itm/The-Ghost-Box-Own-your-own-ghost-/121172825396?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c36769534#ht_994wt_1170 

Others are hilariously dubious, like these cheap mass-produced earrings that the poster claims will allow you to see ghosts:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Haunted-10kt-Gold-Stud-Earrings-/181229333220?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a321c2ae4#ht_158wt_1170

Of course I caution anyone greatly if they are considering an item that may be possessed or cursed:
1) Obviously, first off, there’s a lot of scams, people selling cheap replicas of antiques with a creepy story tacked on to boost sales.
2) If it is real, the current owners are trying to get rid of it for a reason. You don’t really know what you’re trying to bring into your home.
3) If you live with other people, it’s not fair to them to bring a possessed/cursed item into your home, even if you think you can handle it.