Think a scam is going on!

[leahjade]

This guy has a bunch of the same item (different colors) on ebay that I keep bidding on and losing. And almost every time the items comes back up relisted. Each item gets 2 or 3 bids on (by the same couple of bidders). I was wondering if the owner has friends bidding trying to up the bid prices. How would I find out if something shady is going on?

 

[Justsyd2]

Do you think maybe he has multiple items, that's why he's relisting them? Other than reporting to Ebay, I don't think there is anything that you can do about it.

 

[Lucille1963]

It is called Shill Bidding and it is a crime. Report it to ebay, they can get banned for it.

 

[famgel]

You are right I believe that also, that's why I only buy "Buy it now" items on Ebay - I can't be bothered!

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

It is called Shill Bidding and it is a crime. Report it to ebay, they can get banned for it.

I never knew this had a name. Here is Ebay's take on it..

http://reviews.ebay.com/Shill-biddi...-to-spot-and-avoid_W0QQugidZ10000000001263364

 

[Dancemom03]

Are these small ticket items or things over $100? Is it impossible for him to have multiples? I know I have certain things that I relist every week but that doesn't mean the ones that sold before them weren't legitimate auctions.

What's the seller's feedback look like? Does the same bidder win every time? If you click on the bid history page, then click on the bidder's sheilded id, it'll tell you how many bids, and in what category, the other bidders have placed in the last 14-30 days. It'll also give you a percentage of how many of the bidder's total bids were with this one seller. If you click on the seller's completed items, it's easy to check all his past auctions for patterns on the bid history pages too.

Please look at those numbers before reporting anyone to ebay. It's easy to suspect something but I'd have to be darned sure before reporting a seller unless I knew for certain. If the same bidder is always bidding and only bids on this seller's auctions that looks suspicious but just relisting an identical item (unless it's one of a kind) is a common practice and happens everyday.

One suggestion... After watching his auctions for awhile now, you probably have a good idea of what the items end at. Why not wait until 8 seconds before end of auction and snipe a few dollars higher than the average to win? Or even email the seller and request a buy it now option at a fair price? You never know...

 

[KibbyCat]

What about this (that recently happened to me):

I bid on and won an item from a seller that had multiple auctions with different varieties of the same type of item. When he sent me the invoice, I emailed him to let him know that I was still watching another couple of his auctions, and if his combined discount applied, I'd be paying later, if I happened to win.

I lost both of the auctions and the next day was ready to pay for the original winning bid when I got a "Second Chance Offer" from the guy, saying that the winner refused to pay for the item, and did I want it?

I felt suspicious about it, but went ahead and took the offer because it was a unique item that I felt he couldn't have had multiples of and that I would be paying more for if I bid on a similar auction from another seller.

However, now that I've read this thread, I'm wondering if that guy had a fake account (or a friend) bid me up and "accidentally" win because I wasn't willing to go higher than my max bid. And he had to use the "Second Chance Offer" feature so that he could get the next highest amount of legitimate money.

Hmmmmm......?????

This was a few days ago, and I haven't received my items yet. Should I report him?

 

[ceecee]

It may be he has multiple items, a lot of people do. I have gotten second chance offers before as well and have bought them. If the seller has multiple items it could be he sent you a second chance. The seller has to pay a fee for each item listed and a final value fee for each item sold, so shilling while it does take place, I don't think it's that common, more likely the seller just has multiples. It's easier to list same items as well!
As far as not getting your items in "a few days" even priority mail is 2-4 days providing they ship the same day. Some sellers only ship once or twice a week, check the ad again to see HOW the seller is sending the item.

 

[jessica52877]

I used to sell all the time on ebay. Now I only do it here and there but I don't have multiple accounts or friends bidding up my items. I don't have time for nonsense like that. I usually have more then one item and as soon as one ends then I'll list another and/or offer second chances to the next highest bidder. I used to have the same people bid over and over until they won on certain items also. So seeing the same user ID to me means nothing.

Ebay was a business for me and still is for alot of different people. I never bought just one of anything to sell.

Good luck! I agree with really check things out before you report someone just because you feel like it might be fishy.

 

[3boymthr]

What about this (that recently happened to me):

I bid on and won an item from a seller that had multiple auctions with different varieties of the same type of item. When he sent me the invoice, I emailed him to let him know that I was still watching another couple of his auctions, and if his combined discount applied, I'd be paying later, if I happened to win.

I lost both of the auctions and the next day was ready to pay for the original winning bid when I got a "Second Chance Offer" from the guy, saying that the winner refused to pay for the item, and did I want it?

I felt suspicious about it, but went ahead and took the offer because it was a unique item that I felt he couldn't have had multiples of and that I would be paying more for if I bid on a similar auction from another seller.

However, now that I've read this thread, I'm wondering if that guy had a fake account (or a friend) bid me up and "accidentally" win because I wasn't willing to go higher than my max bid. And he had to use the "Second Chance Offer" feature so that he could get the next highest amount of legitimate money.

Hmmmmm......?????

This was a few days ago, and I haven't received my items yet. Should I report him?

Well, I've sent second chance offers when the winning bidder didn't pay or said they didn't want to pay. I've also received a second chance offer from a local seller who was selling furniture and didn't want to deal with a person who lived in NYC.

 

[KibbyCat]

Well, I've sent second chance offers when the winning bidder didn't pay or said they didn't want to pay. I've also received a second chance offer from a local seller who was selling furniture and didn't want to deal with a person who lived in NYC.

Good point. If the winning bidder contacted him right away, I understand why he'd immediately offer me the 2nd chance. So that he's not out the relisting fees. This was a unique item that he did NOT have more than one of, so I know he wasn't just trying to sell me a second one for the max bid.

 

[disneymom2003]

What about this (that recently happened to me):

I bid on and won an item from a seller that had multiple auctions with different varieties of the same type of item. When he sent me the invoice, I emailed him to let him know that I was still watching another couple of his auctions, and if his combined discount applied, I'd be paying later, if I happened to win.

I lost both of the auctions and the next day was ready to pay for the original winning bid when I got a "Second Chance Offer" from the guy, saying that the winner refused to pay for the item, and did I want it?

I felt suspicious about it, but went ahead and took the offer because it was a unique item that I felt he couldn't have had multiples of and that I would be paying more for if I bid on a similar auction from another seller.

However, now that I've read this thread, I'm wondering if that guy had a fake account (or a friend) bid me up and "accidentally" win because I wasn't willing to go higher than my max bid. And he had to use the "Second Chance Offer" feature so that he could get the next highest amount of legitimate money.

Hmmmmm......?????

This was a few days ago, and I haven't received my items yet. Should I report him?

Second chance offers can be legit. Sometimes people bid on things and then have buyers remorse. If that happens you should be able to buy it for what your last bid was on the item.