Ebay scammers

[mikeandronda]

By MICHAEL GORMLEY, Associated Press Writer <br /><br />ALBANY, N.Y. - Eight eBay sellers were ordered to pay nearly $90,000 in restitution and fines after admitting they bid up products online to inflate the prices. <br /><br />New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer said more than 120 people will receive restitution in the settlement of the three cases, which wrapped up last week in state courts. <br /><br /><br />Spokesman Darren Dopp said the cases stemmed from specific complaints, but the office has not conducted a broad investigation of the online auction industry and doesn't know how widespread the practice of phony bidding is. <br /><br /><br />One buyer, Brad Clarke, 48, of Peachtree City, Ga., already has received a check for $3,089 after overpaying for a 1999 Jeep Cherokee sport utility vehicle he bought on eBay from a New York seller in 2002. <br /><br /><br />"I'd always been suspicious because it seems like an easy thing to do, to just keep bidding up," Clarke said. "But I was still just completely shocked and very surprised." <br /><br /><br />Three sellers were accused of making 610 bids on 106 of their car auctions under the user name "Mother's Custom Automotive NY Dealer." They are paying more than $28,000 in penalties and restitution, Spitzer said. Their lawyers declined to comment. <br /><br /><br />In another case, the operator of an art auction house and two former employees were accused of bidding on more than 1,100 of each others' eBay items for more than five years to drive up the prices. Some paintings sold for thousands more than they were worth. <br /><br /><br />Spitzer said one of the sellers pleaded guilty to a felony charge, the other two to misdemeanors. They were ordered to pay more than $50,000 in restitution and fines. <br /><br /><br />The other two defendants were accused of making 170 phony bids on their sports memorabilia items. They agreed to pay $10,000 in penalties and restitution. <br /><br /><br />Some peoples Children..............

 

[Kenneth Brown]

Re: Ebay scammers

Uh oh, maybe we ought not be bidding on that "Mercury Force" any more. Nah, keep the bidding going

 

[RedRangerVIP]

Re: Ebay scammers

Where there is a will.... the jerks will find a way!! Need to get Force man rield up a bit. What's good for the goose is....

 

[deputydawg]

Re: Ebay scammers

I don't get it, why would this be wrong? The buyer was in no way obligated to keep bidding. People at aucctions do it all of the time. Maybe it is because they bid each others auctions up instead of their own? Why would the court order their money back if they are the idiots that kept bidding?<br />I don't get it.

 

[WillyBWright]

Re: Ebay scammers

I believe it's called Fraud. There is no intention for the up-bidder to actually buy the thing he's bidding on. It's collusion between the seller and the up-bidder to trick a person to paying more and more and more. It goes beyond salesmanship ... kinda like a reporter staging the news rather than just reporting it.

 

[mellowyellow]

Re: Ebay scammers

it's called "shilling" the auction and is illeagal.<br />that's why u should always wait until the very <br />last possible second b4 u bid on an item. then<br />they don't have time to shill u. or you can use<br />this service who does it for you:<br /> http://www.auctionsniper.com/

 

[sangerwaker]

Re: Ebay scammers

I feel the same way MY. I use hammersnipe.com when I will be away from my computer at the close of an auction.

 

[deputydawg]

Re: Ebay scammers

It really wouldn't be classified as fraud because the bidder in no way compels the sucker bidder into placing a bid. People bid their price of their own free will.<br />Shilling makes sense, but it is not a law in Nebraska. Poeple do it all of the time with their families estates and things. They want their friends to get the most out of their families personal property auctions, so they run up the out of town antique buyers. All legal here in this state.<br />I admit it is wrong to bid with no intention of buying the products bid on. But when I click the bid button, I am telling the auction that this is the price I am willing to pay. If someone goes over what I am willing to pay, I stop bidding. Goes back to one of the biggest problems with our society today. Poeple not willing to take responsibility for their own actions. It is my responsibility and no body elses what I bid on items. I know my top dollar and that is it.

 

[mellowyellow]

Re: Ebay scammers

it is ILLEAGAL! read e-bays rules...

 

[KaGee]

Re: Ebay scammers

Originally posted by Kenneth Brown:<br /> Uh oh, maybe we ought not be bidding on that "Mercury Force" any more. Nah, keep the bidding going

You guys are BAD!<br />LOL

 

[deputydawg]

Re: Ebay scammers

I'm not saying it is not wrong, it is. I am also not saying it is not illegal, just not in my state. But I can't feel too sorry for the suckers that bid on the items. They bid of their own free will. Nobody compelled them to bid higher.<br />If the seller wanted more money, why not list a reserve? Except that they work on peoples greed. Auctions go high because i becomes a competition to see who wants to spend more money.

 

[mellowyellow]

Re: Ebay scammers

it is illeagal in every state on ebay...period!<br />farm/estate auctions are not ebay sir.

 

[kenimpzoom]

Re: Ebay scammers

Originally posted by deputydawg:<br /> I'm not saying it is not wrong, it is. I am also not saying it is not illegal, just not in my state. But I can't feel too sorry for the suckers that bid on the items. They bid of their own free will. Nobody compelled them to bid higher.<br />If the seller wanted more money, why not list a reserve? Except that they work on peoples greed. Auctions go high because i becomes a competition to see who wants to spend more money.

I agree with you. Sounds like the court is protecting people from thier own stupidity.<br /><br />Although I think it is really wrong, and would be really POed if someone did this to me, it certainly wouldnt cause me to pay more than the item is worth.<br /><br />Ken

 

[johnson-liner]

Re: Ebay scammers

I agree with DD. The people (suckers) who are receiving restitution deserve S-Q-U-A-T. The seller definitely should be fined, but the idiot who bids more than the product is worth SHOULD NOT be compensated for being an idiot. If that were the case...the majority of the people here at work would be rich!

 

[waterone1@aol.com]

Re: Ebay scammers

As usual, people want to be protected from everything. I don't need ebay or anyone else to protect me from paying too much at an auction, that is my responsibility. If people would not be so gullable, the practice of "shilling" would stop.....if the seller or their friends were "stuck" as the high bidder enough, the practice would die off.

 

[neumanns]

Re: Ebay scammers

An auction is between two or more people competing to PURCHASE the item. The seller is free to have a reserve or minimum bid he could also just set an asking price but to shill bid is to cheat steal and lie all bundled into one. In regards to the legality issue the saddest thing is to involve the courts in telling someone they should not cheat and lie this should be common sense beat into them by there parents. I would not want anyone who shill bids to even ride in my truck for fear they would pick up the loose change lying around or perhaps even search for valuables they could find.<br /><br />As for the yahoo that was "lured" into bidding to much...A fool and his money are soon parted.

 

[mellowyellow]

Re: Ebay scammers

y'all is missing the point... lawsuit isn't about<br />paying more than the cars was worth, in fact the<br />case shows the buyer still got a good deal.<br />however, they should have gotten a GREAT deal!<br /><br />if u wanna sell something, just be honest.<br />not rocket science guys...<br />same goes for the many on ebay who pad shipping.<br />it's called deceipt!<br />how can you be cool with that???

 

[KaGee]

Re: Ebay scammers

Agrees with MY.<br /><br />I never buy from anyone when the shipping is overly padded.

 

[spratt]

Re: Ebay scammers

Originally posted by KaGee:<br /> Agrees with MY.<br /><br />I never buy from anyone when the shipping is overly padded.

My vote also...I have only bought a couple items there, but I always first look at the shipping costs. If someone is selling a computer mouse for .01 cents (and they do!!!) but charge $14.95 to ship it, guess who is making the profit there? Certainly NOT the carrier!!!

 

[KaGee]

Re: Ebay scammers

Especially when the item comes parcel post with a stamp for under a buck!