Big Ebay Scam

[2BigKIdz]

Check the completed auctions of the IPod 30 gig. These people paid no less than the others did (from other sellers that are still selling today). I averaged 5 of those auctions and it came to an average of $276 a piece. The thing retails at Amazon.com for $299.00 or $299.99. IF he'd have sent them, it would not have been a loss for him in any way, shape, or form.

If it is, there are about 100 people on ebay as I type willing to take the same loss.

A few years ago I tried selling a Pokemon (for Gameboy) that I had bought overseas. I think it was Jade, but wouldn't swear to it. Within 2 days, my auction was pulled and I had a letter directly from Nintendo informing me that I was selling illegal merchandise. It was made overseas and had the Nintendo trade mark as well as the Pokemon trade mark on it.

If Apple had a problem. These auctions would be history as well.

Edit: and that amount did not include S&H. It looks like the standard for this item is roughly $15. This means, you save around $9.00 on average to buy it on eBay.

It's certainly not enough that I'd ever risk it!!! Of course I'm always amazed that $50 gift cards to various restaurants/store sell for like $48. Why bother? Lots do though!

You're right. I was thinking they would be selling higher than retail due to demand and lack of supply (like the x-box 360) and him having paid retail of $299. My mistake!

 

[poohandwendy]

2. Apple sets the price on iPods. If you don't sell for what they tell you to, and they find out, you won't be selling iPods anymore.

Not true, unless you are one of their distributors. You can sell an item for whatever you want after you purchase it. I think, given the sellers power seller status and feedback at the time these people were bidding, they really had no reason to believe this was a scam artist.

Just wanted to comment on the Power Seller status. I am a PS on Ebay and the criteria is a) over 100 feedback, b) with an average above 98% positive, and it also has to do with how much $$ you sell within a certain period of time. IIRC, you have to average around $1000 per month for 3 consecutive months to gain Power Seller status. (or something like that, I can't remember). Even if you maintain a perfect feedback rating after you become a PS, you lose the cute little Power Seller logo if you drop below the $$$ criteria for a certain length of time. So, you have to keep selling alot to keep it. (sort of unfair for those who are really reputable and sell alot, but sell less expensive items, IMO)

So, generally speaking, it is a sign of trustworthiness...but you cannot be sure thats omeone isn't going to start scamming people like this out of the clear blue. You just never know.

These people were scammed in a huge way, with no way to know that this seller was not reputable. It's a shame because there are many, many Ebay sellers who are legit and are not looking to steal from people. I hope the police are able to put the thieves responsible behind bars, where they belong.

 

[LoraJ]

I don't think anyone has stolen their user name. There is a blog linked in the feedback section for people to post on to get everyone united in catching this person. The Naples police have been to the residence, but no one answers the door. I guess this person had over 1000 auctions listed from the end of November till the beginning of December.

Still looks like a hacked account to me. Look at the old feedback. The possitive feedback was left by people with all sorts of different feedback status. They also bought and sold. I see no complaints about not using paypal, so I would guess they used to accept that.

I would think the address that the cops have is the address the thief had them send the mo to, or they put a fake address in the account.

Someone hacked into my co-workers account last week. He started getting emails about auctions being listed. He reported them and they were immediately taken down.

It's possible good guy turned desperate though. Who knows. Hopefully they'll find out.

 

[boomhauer]

I've lost all respect for Ebay. They suck. I listed a few items on there a couple months ago and they didn't sell, yet they still come after you for a listing fee. No big deal, but still kind of lame.

Ebay could care less about the people. They put feedback forum on there to look like they care, but they really don't. The answer is always the same from them:

"Sorry - Nothing we can do."

Give it time. I give Ebay another 2 years until the BBB steps in and closes them down. I was watching a news report about them a few weeks ago and the amount of consumer complaints they've received is astounding.

 

[bicker]

eBay is precisely what it is supposed to be. It isn't their place to guarantee transactions. They follow a very clear protocol for fostering a marketplace where sellers and buyers can find each other. From there, it is up to the buyers and sellers to protect themselves, and as many folks in this thread have pointed out, many of us buyers don't feel that we are in a position to adequately protect ourselves in an open market like that.

I listed a few items on there a couple months ago and they didn't sell, yet they still come after you for a listing fee. No big deal, but still kind of lame.

Our sales people fly around the country to pitch our products to customers. If the pitch doesn't go over, we don't expect to get our money back from the airline, the rental car company, nor the hotel.

Give it time. I give Ebay another 2 years until the BBB steps in and closes them down.

No. eBay is fulfilling their promises fully. What would bring eBay down is more and more buyers and sellers realizing that there is no such thing as a free lunch -- that with the lower prices and overheads come greater risks that they take onto themselves, and that's just not worth it.

 

[boomhauer]

No. eBay is fulfilling their promises fully. What would bring eBay down is more and more buyers and sellers realizing that there is no such thing as a free lunch -- that with the lower prices and overheads come greater risks that they take onto themselves, and that's just not worth it.

What free lunch would you be referring to? The fact that people are upset that they dish out $300, get nothing, and then Ebay turns around and says "Sorry - Caveat Emptor. Nothing we can do about it."

 

[boomhauer]

Our sales people fly around the country to pitch our products to customers. If the pitch doesn't go over, we don't expect to get our money back from the airline, the rental car company, nor the hotel.

A little bit different, wouldn't you say?

I'm not saying I don't understand why they do it. However, there are services like Ebay that don't charge you if you don't sell your product. That's precisely why I use those services now, and not Ebay.

 

[bicker]

What free lunch would you be referring to?

The free lunch is paying less for something than what you would pay at a reputable business.

then Ebay turns around and says "Sorry - Caveat Emptor. Nothing we can do about it."

Just like the landlord of a building that houses a business that you have a dispute with.

A little bit different, wouldn't you say?

No, not different at all, and that's really the point. Folks must understand that it is the exact same thing, or they're surely going to be disappointed.

However, there are services like Ebay that don't charge you if you don't sell your product.

That's great. There are positives and negatives of all offerings. Glad you found one that was more to your liking. Hopefully, it'll provide you enough traffic to sell your products.

However, this is all missing the point, which is that in such situations, folks must understand that by using services such as these that they are taking many risks unto themselves that are specific to use of that specific type of service. That's the point I was making.

 

[boomhauer]

The free lunch is paying less for something than what you would pay at a reputable business.

Just like the landlord of a building that houses a business that you have a dispute with.

So Ebay isn't a reputable business?

What should that landlord do? Continue to let a bad business stay in their building?

I understand your point, and I understand that from a technical standpoint, Ebay may not be wrong. However, that doesn't make them ethically right for the lack of concern they show for their cliental. That's my point, and specifically why I don't deal with them anymore.

 

[bicker]

eBay is reputable. Some buyers and sellers on eBay may not be.

And as we can see here, within a week of this specific seller 'turning bad' eBay evicted the seller.

 

[boomhauer]

And as we can see here, within a week of this specific seller 'turning bad' eBay evicted the seller.

But what is Ebay doing to assist the buyers who lost money?

 

[bicker]

What should a landlord do? Nothing. It's not their place. The buyer's grievance is with the seller, not the landlord.

 

[boomhauer]

What should a landlord do? Nothing. It's not their place. The buyer's grievance is with the seller, not the landlord.

If I were the landlord of an apartment complex, and there was a drug dealer in my building, I'd kick them out. They're breaking the law.

This guy on Ebay was stealing money from people - Breaking the law. Eventually, they kicked him off (good for them), but they won't assist the buyers who lost their money. They obviously aren't obligated to, but they certainly have the ability to.

 

[bicker]

If I were the landlord of an apartment complex, and there was a drug dealer in my building, I'd kick them out. They're breaking the law.

And again, within a week of the first complaint, eBay terminated the seller's account. Perhaps I'm missing your point? They did exactly as you're suggesting the should have done.

Eventually, they kicked him off (good for them)

No. Not "eventually" -- within a week -- an incredibly small amount of time.

but they won't assist the buyers who lost their money.

Go back and read your message about the drug dealer in the apartment complex. Where did you say anything about the landlord doing anything more than kicking the dealer out?

eBay kicked the guy out. That's what they should have done. That's what they did.

They obviously aren't obligated to, but they certainly have the ability to.

You're mistaken. They don't have that ability, without taking the loss onto themselves, which wouldn't be fair to them, since, again, the whole point of eBay is that, in return for lower prices and lower overhead, buyers and sellers take more of the risk of doing business onto themselves.

Personal accountability... that's the issue here.

 

[boomhauer]

Go back and read your message about the drug dealer in the apartment complex. Where did you say anything about the landlord doing anything more than kicking the dealer out?

eBay kicked the guy out. That's what they should have done. That's what they did.

You're mistaken. They don't have that ability.

Perfect example - I bought an item off of someone from Ebay about a month ago (last time I used them.) The guy stiffed me. Ebay has the seller's personal information - They could have given it to me. They chose not to. I don't understand that. As soon as someone goes against the rules, they should be able to do the same.

 

[krdisneybound]

absolutely terrible. if he was a reputable seller and you believe that he got a bad deal on something, he sure went after a lot of people that did not deserve it. What a way for revenge.

I am a seller and buyer also, but I only pay with pay pal thru a credit card and then if I don't get the item I dispute it on my credit card and get a credit

I definitely see why some people stop buying on e-bay when this happens - really bad for legit sellers

 

[krdisneybound]

Perfect example - I bought an item off of someone from Ebay about a month ago (last time I used them.) The guy stiffed me. Ebay has the seller's personal information - They could have given it to me. They chose not to. I don't understand that. As soon as someone goes against the rules, they should be able to do the same.

if you are part of a transaction, you can get the sellers information right away by requesting it. it can be gotten within seconds by using the request sellers ID on the left side of your "my e-bay" page. I do it all the time

Even if you just bid on an auction and not win it, you can get this information

 

[boomhauer]

if you are part of a transaction, you can get the sellers information right away by requesting it. it can be gotten within seconds by using the request sellers ID on the left side of your "my e-bay" page. I do it all the time

That's actually probably the seller's fault. Ebay would only provide me with a phone number, but the number was out of service. Obviously, not Ebay's fault.

It's funny - I've only been screwed over by someone on Ebay once, and I've bought MANY things on there. That report I saw about them on MSNBC a few weeks back about all the people with horror stories just really turned me against them.

 

[krdisneybound]

JUST A POINT OF ADVICE​

If you buy on E-bay make sure the seller takes Pay Pal and pay with one of your credit cards and then you can request a credit if you don't receive the item - make sure you read the whole auction - there are good sellers there

 

[bicker]

Ebay has the seller's personal information - They could have given it to me. They chose not to. I don't understand that.

That's actually probably the seller's fault.

That's for acknowleding that. It wasn't eBay's fault that you cannot get information they don't have. They didn't choose not to give it to you.

As soon as someone goes against the rules, they should be able to do the same.

Understand that some of this information is protected beyond what you would want, and that eBay doesn't make these rules. TRUSTe does.

TRUSTe® is an independent, nonprofit enabling trust based on privacy for personal information on the internet. We certify and monitor web site privacy and email policies, monitor practices, and resolve thousands of consumer privacy problems every year.

These rules protect all of us. eBay doesn't get to decide when these rules don't apply. Only government officials get to make that determination.

It is very important to understand the nature of the marketplace whenever you buy something, whether it be online, in a store, or on the street.