Ray, This is the last I'll say on the subject simply because it has nothing to do with bikes, just fraud. But the seller was disbarred and I got my money back. This link from '01 explains what happened:
http://google3-cnet.com.com/
Kevin Moran
Bloomington, Indiana
USA
> Now that sounds like an extremely interesting
> cautionary tale. Kevin, care to give us the
> details? I don't think you'd be breaking any laws
> :)
>
> Ray Dobbins
> Miami FL USA
>
> Kevin Moran <gridplan@yahoo.com> wrote:
> You're not beating the system, you're manipulating
> the
> market. I can tell you that bidding up your own
> auction, or colluding with people to do so, is a bad
> idea. Someone did that to me on eBay about 8 years
> ago and both eBay and the DOJ made an example of
> him.
> Not only did they get him for wire fraud (a felony),
> but when he sent the item through the mail, he was
> also guilty of mail fraud (also a felony). He should
> have known better, too. He was a lawyer until he was
> disbarred over the incident.
>
> Kevin Moran
> Bloomington, Indiana
> USA
>
> > Shill or clever. With ebay fees through the roof
> for
> > every turn you make you can easily run up a big
> bill
> > with something as simple as a bicycle. What with
> > posting fees and reserve fees quite a bit more
> then
> > the .25 cents per post that they started with back
> > in 96.
> >
> > Now if you can figure a way to beat this system,
> > let's say by posting an item at a very low price
> > with no reserve then turning around and bidding it
> > up youself to your real reserve price.
> >
> > Just wish I thought of it first.
> >
> > Ray Homiski
> Elizabeth, NJ
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Classicrendezvous mailing list
> Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
>
http://www.bikelist.org/
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________________
Be a better friend, newshound, and
know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile.yahoo.com/
_______________________________________________
Classicrendezvous mailing list
Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
http://www.bikelist.org/