Jeez, Mr Barnum was right. One of the bidders has a feedback rating near 300. I guess the lure of something for nothing proves irresistible to some.
Tom Sanders wrote:
> Sadly, it is still up even after three folks have reported it to
> E-Bay and it now has two bidders.
> Tom
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> *From:* Phil Sieg [mailto:triodelover@comcast.net]
> *Sent:* Friday, March 03, 2006 10:54 AM
> *To:* Jerome & Elizabeth Moos
> *Cc:* Tom Sanders; classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
> *Subject:* Re: [CR]Caution! Look closely at the chrome Paramount item
> #7223752937 being offered on E-Bay
>
> Jerry et al,
>
> Most of these hijacks we have outed have been fairly obvious. All
> have a couple of things in common:
>
> * low- or no-feedback seller
> * one-day auctions
> * payment by direct wire transfer.
>
> In addition, discrepancies about the location of the seller and
> location of the item have been noted. Yesterday Peter's rip-off was
> in China. Today's seller has a UK e-mail addy while selling a bike in
> Oklahoma.
>
> One more thing they have in common is their general incompetence as
> con artists. Who gets taken in by these, anyway? I doubt it would
> pass the smell test for even a moderately web-savvy teenager. It's
> not like the costume jewelry con profiled in the NY times a couple of
> weeks back.
>
> Most legitimate new sellers in our area of interest that I've noted
> lately tend to run their auctions for the usual 5 to 7 days. Most
> have gotten hip to Paypal, although a few Luddites remain. And most
> start out small, for the very reason you point out - they need to
> build up feedback. People will take a chance more readily on a $25
> item - or even a $100 one - than they will when things move into four
> figures.
>
> FWIW, I think extensive positive feedback as a buyer would provide
> reassurance to most people.
>
> Jerome & Elizabeth Moos wrote:
>
>>More likely someone hijacked John's auction. This kind of thing is getting out of hand on eBay. The sad thing is, what is a legitimate new seller to do? If you have not yet established feedback, lots of buyers will avoid you, suspecting you are one of these crooks. Since I never sell on eBay, I suppose if I did, no one would bid except maybe list members, unless my extensive feedback as a buyer were enough to reassure bidders. And those entirely new to eBay don't even have that. Too bad a few crooks have to screw things up for so many others, but I guess that story is as old as the human race.
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> Jerry Moos
>> Big Spring, TX
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
> --
> Phil Sieg
> Knoxville, Tennessee
--
Phil Sieg
Knoxville, Tennessee