If eBay thinks you're shilling

[dennyxl]

If eBay thinks you're shilling, will they contact bidders on the auction in question and tell them not to bid? Anybody ever hear of this? I know I haven't.

Here's the deal: I have an item priced to start at $450. Last night this guy writes saying he'll buy it for $350. I play a little dumb and tell him no, I'll let it run the full duration. He writes again telling me it's not worth what I'm asking. I know it's worth at least double, and judging from his bidding habits he knows what it's worth too.

I'm thinking he smells like trouble and I should block, but I don't right away and in less than an hour he bids the $450! Then a newbie who registered yesterday outbids him and he writes again, this time all ticked off and accusing me of shilling. I figure this is a sign from heaven and block this whack job while I have the chance.

Today he writes in a much kinder, gentler tone saying eBay emailed him and told him not to engage or bid which scared him. Now he's saying if I remove the block, he'll try to win the item. Keep in mind I didn't tell him he was blocked.

So I say good riddance to the guy. I've already caught him in one lie and have no reason to trust anything he says, but I was wondering if anyone has ever heard of this kind of communication from eBay. If that is something they do, I might want to follow up on it with them. If they don't, I'll just let sleeping dogs lie.

[indianfield]

Sounds like something he made up, don't it?

[dennyxl]

He's a legend in his own mind.

[pmc76]

Well, wouldn't he know he was blocked if he tried to bid again? I've never been in that situation but I assume he would get some kind of eBay message telling him he wasn't allowed to bid on the item? Maybe that's the "email" he's talking about?

[dennyxl]

You might be onto something there pmc, but he was definitely accusing me of shilling last night before today's claim of receiving the "email". The ironic or weird or pathetic part, however, is that if he did bid again today (and that's how he found out he's blocked), he did so only after saying he wouldn't be party to being scammed and also claiming the item wasn't worth as much as I was asking in the first place.

[pmc76]

Well, for somebody who doesn't think the item's worth the asking price, he sure seems interested in it. http://www.buildaforum.com/inkforums/img/smilies/wink.gif

Sounds like he was initially trying to test your knowledge of the item. When that didn't work, he decided to go the intimidation route. Now that he's blocked, he realizes neither worked.

What kind of feedback does this guy have?

[dennyxl]

Surprisingly good FB: both received & given. Just short of 100 with a 100% rating and all good-excellent comments.

[twisttolife]

Today he writes in a much kinder, gentler tone saying eBay emailed him and told him not to engage or bid which scared him. Now he's saying if I remove the block, he'll try to win the item. Keep in mind I didn't tell him he was blocked.

NO eBay does not do that. He is full of it and double trouble..Keep him blocked!

[Floridachickadee]

Definately sounds like something he made up.
Tried to bully his way into getting a better deal on an already great deal and it back fired and now he's gonna grovel because he realized he wasn't dealing with an idiot as he'd hoped, and now is screwed himself out of a good deal...

I hope he ends up having to pay full price for this widget!

[Floridachickadee]

If eBay thinks you're shilling, will they contact bidders on the auction in question and tell them not to bid?

Definately not, they'll suspend your account and thus cancelling all bids, listings etc. Till you can prove otherwise... which could be difficult as they usually stick to their decisions, even if they're wrong (or so I hear... never been accused of shilling, or attempted it myself, so only going by what I've read on ebay boards)

[biggfredd]

He's lying about the message. He tried to bid again and was told he was blocked (that message I've seen).

FYI, if he bids again using a different ID, that's ground for NARU.

[dennyxl]

Thank you all for the input, especially, fredd, the part about bidding with a different ID being NARUable. That I was not aware of. I haven't responded to any more of their grovelings, they're just not worth it, but it might be worth sending them one more message telling them they could be NARUd for using a 2nd account. I'll have to think about that one.

The story does take another interesting turn! I'm looking at his FB and one comment in there refers to him as she. So it looks like he may be a she - and SHE writes to me this morning saying her husband is the one who flew off the handle and if I'll lift the block, I can deal with her and she'll bid and pay right away.

I gotta tell ya, where else can you have this much fun for so little scratch. http://www.buildaforum.com/inkforums/img/smilies/biglol.gif

And don't worry, I ain't lifting the block - ever.

[pmc76]

Haha ok, so now "they're" playing good-cop-bad-cop with ya?

What's next? "It wasn't me it was my evil twin??" http://www.buildaforum.com/inkforums/img/smilies/smirk.gif

[twisttolife]

That I was not aware of. I haven't responded to any more of their grovelings, they're just not worth it, but it might be worth sending them one more message telling them they could be NARUd for using a 2nd account.

Perhaps leave it alone. Sounds like they don't have another account, so why give them any ideas!http://www.buildaforum.com/inkforums/img/smilies/tongue.gif

[pmc76]

^I agree. As much as you might be tempted to mess with them, why invite trouble? Since you're not planning to lift the block, you have no reason to communicate with them any further.

[cjturtle]

I wouldn't communicate with them either. They are full of it to the max and you did the right thing by blocking them.

Disclaimer: This is id (cjturtle) is not my eBay id. Someone else on eBay already had this id. My eBay id is not even close to this one.

[oldstufftwo]

Why did you block this guy?? It sounds like he was just trying to get the best deal possible. Someone who was very interested with great feedback. Don't be so paranoid. You may have just messed up a good deal??

[LisaMarie]

If I thought he'd pay, I'd let him bid personally. If his feedback is great, I'd consider him just one more bidder on my item. If he's bidding on it, the price you're going to get is only going to go higher by letting him bid. Just my 2 cents

[oldstufftwo]

If he's bidding on it, the price you're going to get is only going to go higher by letting him bid.
Exactly my point

[cjturtle]

but he was definitely accusing me of shilling last night before today's claim of receiving the "email".

I would refuse to do business with anyone who accused me of that.

Disclaimer: This is id (cjturtle) is not my eBay id. Someone else on eBay already had this id. My eBay id is not even close to this one.

[dennyxl]

Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get me.http://www.buildaforum.com/inkforums/img/smilies/wink.gif

It's certainly a valid point that this bidder will drive up the price, however, there are a couple rather important points for me. The first, as cjturtle alluded to, is my integrity. I'd rather not deal with someone like this. The other point is trust. They're already proven to be liars. While we always take the risk that a buyer could do a chargeback on any transaction, the risk here, if feel, is substantially higher.

My dad was a builder/remodeler and dealt with the buying public up close & personal for many years. He had a saying that I've fallen back on more than a few times: "Some of the best jobs I ever had were ones I never took."

[wintergirl47]

No way would I continue any kind of relationship with him/her. Sounds like a true scammer to me. Your cost to relist if it doesn't sell is minimal v. the kind of trouble someone like that could cause. Been there, done that.
winter