Re: [MV] HUGE Brother (eBay) is watching

From: J. Forster (jfor@quik.com)
Date: Thu Jun 26 2003 - 17:58:47 PDT


Mel Miller wrote:

> To John,
>
> I know that Ebay management cannot protect everyone when transactions go bad
> - they need the help of their customers and of law enforcement.I suggest you
> take these actions.

> First, leave flaming negative feedback on the transaction.

That approach gets no results beyond retaliatory negative FB. There is NO protection
against that.

> Second, a complaint to Ebay management directly is part of the process. This
> allows them to flag the other Ebayer for further action. If your complaint is the
> second or third like it in the offending members file, action may be taken
> internally.

Nice in THEORY. There is never a meaningful response in practice. Proof on request.

> Third, you must contact your local Police Department's(PD) fraud unit with all the
> details of the transaction. They
> have the power to then contact Ebay, get the miscreant's info and contact the PD
> in the offenders area and hopefully get them to take action.

The police in Delaware, or wherever, will say it's a civil matter. A pointless waste
of time.

> It is not a perfect system, but it is hard to catch people intent on fraud in any
> case. The best we can do is deal with people with good feedback and run like H
> when our instincts tell us something is fishy!

What I did do, and which produced remarkable results today, was emailing the CEOs of
a bunch of the deadbeat seller's suppliers, suggesting they did not want to do
business with mail fraud artists. I also filed a complaint with the USPS Postal
Inspectors. You can now do that on line. Time will tell if I get my money. I would
much rather have the item I won.

-John



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