A Warning???????

[Inland RV Center, In]

CAUTION

Someone sent us the following message. He has zero posts and wishes to remain unknown.

Andy



KGAAIRSTREAM
Registered User
Posts: 0 current listing on eBay

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My apologies for not getting the packet to you last week, but I'm still compiling information for it as we speak. The individual I'm referring to has a listing on eBay currently, and I have written proof that he is working in concert with three other individuals in a shill bid ring to manipulate the prices of his Airstream auctions. What would you advise me to do with this information?

[BobbyW]

If they have written proof, it should be reported to eBay. They frown on manipulated auctions. People have gone to jail for this, under federal law, if it crosses state lines.

-Bobby

[67caravel]

There's not that many A/S auctions going on right now, shouldn't be too hard for us to figure out which auction it is...

Unless, of course, we're being scammed by KGA. Some folks get a kick out of this sort of thing...

X

[till]

That would explain why simple parts go out of control on the pricing.

[ipso_facto]

In our times, something like this would not surprise me.

[ALANSD]

I have done 100 or so EBAY transaction, not many by some standars...but 98 went perfectly, and two were awful. One was a set up, took the money no item ever came, no response to any emaiols. The other was just an idiot who did not pack the cd player i bought, just dropped it into a box and shipped it. Of course it arived broken, and he could care less.

[jaco]

In ALANSD's above example both the "shysters" were sellers.

In Inland Andy's above offering it appears the "shysters" were sellers and phony buyers.

ebay is of course most honorable and wishes all bad guys would disappear.
And I hope all evil stops tomorrow. But I know it wont and ebay knows that dishonesty can not be controlled within their format.

So what is the answer? What does anyone propose?
A good thread on this very subject has been removed from the forums, it was a warning from Inland Andy. And he was exactly right.
In another thread a few days back another member warned of yet another member (by name) who he accused of acting as a broker or a dealer thru ebay and on these forums. Is that a crime ? Was the accuser damaged or was thaere just an ax to grind? I think it unwise to accuse members by name of anything. If the accusation is unfounded, not only is the poster libel perhaps but so might be the forums IMHO.

How in the world can shill bidders be stopped?
How can they be detected? What law can be thrown at them?
The example mentions written proof, but is it admissable, (depends on what it is and how it was obtained) My brother is a Bunko detective (fraud div. major metro PD) he says real tough to convict the vermin.
Truth is you place your bids and you take your chances at most any auction. It is simply a gamble. In ALANSD's example it carries a 2% chance of being taken. I have been burned on ebay 10% of time but with far fewer transactions.
I would not rule out buying an Airstream off of ebay, but it would be difficult if not near my own location. I would probably never buy one sight unseen. I would trust no one I was not familliar with. or as President Reagan said, Trust but Verify. This would limit my success on ebay for big ticket items.