Sorry to hear about your kicker. I have had that same great expeiance of showing up ready to head out and the motor is gone

If you purchase items on ebay such as small outboards, gps units, depth finders, etc.. ask the seller for the serial number and the name of the person who origanally purchased the item. If it is a new unit such as the one above they should be able to give you this info. You may also contact the the manufacturer with the serial number and name to see if the item was reported stolen or if the name matches. Some companys have the ability to make notes and attach them to records for each unit so notify the company if your item is stolen.
Also on ebay be careful of units that are not complete such as small outboard with no tank or broken clamps, gps units with no power cables, sounders with no transducer, etc... as these can be a tip off the the item may be stolen.