[westin]

Here's what it is: they are boosting positive feedbacks to gain the trust of potential buyers through bogus completed transactions.
Example: Look at auction http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1,1&item=4598829211

He has almost 100 positive feedbacks even though he is a new member. But looking at his feedback it's weird that most are private and/or the satisfied customer has been recently kicked off ebay. Why?

They are buying into auctions that promise feedback boosting. Our original auction seller in question purchased http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5644856376&category=20924

If you had no life (like I it seems) and did 5 seconds of tracing you'd see most if not all are related to these 1 penny "great sale, love this customer, can be trusted" ebay auctions. It's very incestuous.

I'm not saying anyone is a crook. Maybe they want to get their legitimate real world auction off and running by getting a boost, sort of an ebay feedback "loan" so they don't scare off potential paying customers. But if history has a way of repeating itself with these ebay schemes, you can be guaranteed that many are using feedback boosting by buying screensavers and good thoughts of the day to lure unsuspecting buyers into clicking the plasma TV or Ellsworth Truth that does not exist.

 

[westin]

I think that this Item that he won may have something to do with it.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5644856376&category=20924

"How to Get 100 Feedback in 7 Days! FREE SHIP"

That's the same item link I posted.
Again, not to say everyone who buys 100 feedbacks is a crook, but I wouldn't want to shopping for an Ellsworth Truth with full XTR, and come along an "honest" seller with 200 feedbacks who only wants $1500.

Oh, by the way, the seller has 3 of these bikes so tell your friends. I'll make you a package deal if you pay right now. Come on. I've got 200 positive transactions this week alone.

 

[Hudnut]

I think that this Item that he won may have something to do with it.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5644856376&category=20924

"How to Get 100 Feedback in 7 Days! FREE SHIP"

 

[RonSonic]

That's the same item link I posted.
Again, not to say everyone who buys 100 feedbacks is a crook, but I wouldn't want to shopping for an Ellsworth Truth with full XTR, and come along an "honest" seller with 200 feedbacks who only wants $1500.

Oh, by the way, the seller has 3 of these bikes so tell your friends. I'll make you a package deal if you pay right now. Come on. I've got 200 positive transactions this week alone.

He's a crook, or a liar. The difference is only one of consequences not of intent.

Ron

 

[LBmtb]

There's some sneaky people out there. I find it's good to check past auctions (if they're still available for viewing) and check the date they registered. Someone that has had 30 auctions spread out over 5 years and has 100% feedback will be a lot more reliable then someone with 100 positive feedbacks from the last month.

 

[heatstroke]

At first I thought this may not be a scam, just might be someone trying to start a business with no feedback so he wins a bunch of 1c auctions...
but then I realized he is trying to sell 100 items all costing 300 = $30,000....& he only takes cheques and MOs.
At least no one has purhased any.

 

[grtpmkn]

westin: Thank you so much for pointing this out. I haven't seen this type of "scam" yet, but it really irks me. Even if they really are just trying to raise the number, they should have to do it the old fashioned way.....EARN IT!!!! It's taken me 7 years to get to my current number of 630 and I feel that this type of thing really degrades that system. Hopefully eBay will catch on to this and not let it continue.

 

[RJend]

I think that this Item that he won may have something to do with it.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5644856376&category=20924

"How to Get 100 Feedback in 7 Days! FREE SHIP"

It's interesting that this seller is from Naples, FL. All this week its been in our local news as to how a couple of eBay Naples residents scammed iPod buyers out of BIG bucks - the seller had great feedback until the non deliveries began. They've since skipped town and btw, they only accepted checks or money orders.

 

[Some Guy]

Maybe he read about it and thought it must be easy? This guy isn't too well so far, luckily, as it's definatly a scam. $30 000 of stuff listed but he won't accept paypal?

 

[Fisty]

LOLOLOL~! No paypal?! Now that is one stupid crook.....doh!

 

[el_chupo_]

Smart actually. Paypal requires a bank account. Banks require definite ID, Addresses, etc. You add paypal, you scam people, and CC companies will be all over you.

Matt

 

[Some Guy]

But it does make it even less likely people will be silly enough to buy from you.

 

[Fisty]

Both are right. The schemes are much more involved with electronic pay and far more successful in results and lack of "fingering the culprit". Much of it is done frome outside U.S./Canada making catching the culprit virtually impossible. They often phish out unsuspecting ebay members and grab their accounts and change account email addresses etc. They are now even raping members who are active sellers and man it is rampid. If you do happen to run across a suspicious auction(s) report it to paypal and or ebay via email and they investigate promptly. As of late there has been an avalanche of this type of activity and Im sure Ebay/Paypal are very concerned. Many I have seen are listing high end bikes with low starting bid , no reserve and free shipping.

 

[tkrutis]

Im done with EBAY,know to many people that got scammed,to many POS's out there.Will pay the couple extra bucks and go catalog or even better the LBS for some old fashoned cash on the counter and walk out with the products.

 

[westin]

Im done with EBAY,know to many people that got scammed,to many POS's out there.Will pay the couple extra bucks and go catalog or even better the LBS for some old fashoned cash on the counter and walk out with the products.

He was just kicked off, and I bet the powers (ha) at ebay are tracing his buddies. Or not. They should change the name of "eBay" to "Buyer Beware."

 

[Fisty]

Naw its like finding a needle in a haystack and like prosecuting the Pope. Keep watching and you will see the same auctions back again and again under different ebay users. Report it when you see it to help protect our fellow bikers who may fall victim.