Ebay Seller = Huge Scam?

On Sat, 22 Dec 2007 08:24:10 -0800, "Richard C." wrote:
"Nomen Nescio" wrote in message
.. .
Five timers in past 2 weeks, I was the highest bidder until a few seconds
before deadline.

Then, miraculously I get a notice that in the last few seconds, some
mysterious buyer overbid me by several HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS, rather than
the $10 which is supposed to happen.

On several of his lots, I bid $333 or so, then get his message that
someone paid $690!! In last few seconds!1

=======================================
You sound like a troll!

If you bid $333 or so, the most the next bidder could go would be $350 (or
so).
You obviously do not know how eBay works.

THAT IS WHAT THE OP IS COMPLAINING ABOUT, DUMMY!!

There is no way that in last few seconds, from a high bid of $333, that the
seller can legally sell for $610, as detailed.

=========================================

This is happening repeatedly, which is highly suspicious.

I see in newsgroups, apparently this type of activity is happening with
some other regular sellers.

Is this legal?

Certainly it discourages normal people from bidding, especially when
combined with supposed "private bidders"

Pro tem, I am not bidding on suspect sellers.

No wonder so many people distrust Ebay.

In , on 12/22/2007
at 07:35 PM, ElParagon said:

If you bid $333 or so, the most the next bidder could go would be $350 (or
so).
You obviously do not know how eBay works.

THAT IS WHAT THE OP IS COMPLAINING ABOUT, DUMMY!!

There is no way that in last few seconds, from a high bid of $333, that the
seller can legally sell for $610, as detailed.

You gotta watch flinging "Dummy"'s around like that. Your statement is
incorrect.

IF (and please notice the caps, 'cause that makes it a BIG IF) the OP was
the only other bidder and his max was indeed $333, no, the item would have
never sold for $610.

If, however, many other bidders would have waited until the last seconds to
bid (which is common, and a proven strategic eBay tactic called "sniping"),
then this is very possible. No doubt there were other bids. In fact,
there had to be AT LEAST 2 other bidders involved other than the OP.
Someone bid $600 as their max and the other bidder bid at least $610. (I
forget where the $10 increment starts ... it may be the underbidder was at
$605).

I read that possibility in the post now twice removed, didn't you?
rhetorical

Why not look for the obvious explanation before yelling foul? And, an item
number or direct link would have been nice, eh? Someone suspected troll ...
perhaps this is correct.

Nick

On Dec 22, 12:35 pm, ElParagon wrote:
On Sat, 22 Dec 2007 08:24:10 -0800, "Richard C." wrote:
"Nomen Nescio" wrote in message
.. .
Five timers in past 2 weeks, I was the highest bidder until a few seconds
before deadline.
Then, miraculously I get a notice that in the last few seconds, some
mysterious buyer overbid me by several HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS, rather than
the $10 which is supposed to happen.
On several of his lots, I bid $333 or so, then get his message that
someone paid $690!! In last few seconds!1
=======================================
You sound like a troll!
If you bid $333 or so, the most the next bidder could go would be $350 (or
so).
You obviously do not know how eBay works.

THAT IS WHAT THE OP IS COMPLAINING ABOUT, DUMMY!!

There is no way that in last few seconds, from a high bid of $333, that the
seller can legally sell for $610, as detailed.

=========================================
This is happening repeatedly, which is highly suspicious.
I see in newsgroups, apparently this type of activity is happening with
some other regular sellers.
Is this legal?
Certainly it discourages normal people from bidding, especially when
combined with supposed "private bidders"
Pro tem, I am not bidding on suspect sellers.

No wonder so many people distrust Ebay.

ElParanoid, Nomen,
You're just a lousy bidder. Maybe you just want to steal stamps to
make up for being a loser. Remember Edmonton?

"ElParagon" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 22 Dec 2007 08:24:10 -0800, "Richard C."
wrote:
"Nomen Nescio" wrote in message
. ..
Five timers in past 2 weeks, I was the highest bidder until a few
seconds
before deadline.

Then, miraculously I get a notice that in the last few seconds, some
mysterious buyer overbid me by several HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS, rather than
the $10 which is supposed to happen.

On several of his lots, I bid $333 or so, then get his message that
someone paid $690!! In last few seconds!1

=======================================
You sound like a troll!

If you bid $333 or so, the most the next bidder could go would be $350 (or
so).
You obviously do not know how eBay works.

THAT IS WHAT THE OP IS COMPLAINING ABOUT, DUMMY!!

====================================
Which means he was making it up, putz!
====================================

There is no way that in last few seconds, from a high bid of $333, that
the
seller can legally sell for $610, as detailed.

=========================================

This is happening repeatedly, which is highly suspicious.

I see in newsgroups, apparently this type of activity is happening with
some other regular sellers.

Is this legal?

Certainly it discourages normal people from bidding, especially when
combined with supposed "private bidders"

Pro tem, I am not bidding on suspect sellers.

No wonder so many people distrust Ebay.

ElParagon points to a possible bidding scam. What about looking at the
quality of the collections on sale. Here is a
Valuable Denmark Stamp Collection, No Reserve!
http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...ayphotohosting

Take a look at the qualtity. Many of the stamps pointed out have missing
corners, missing perfs, creases and a common 4sk stamp has been put in place
of the first Danish stamp from 1851.

To me the scam lies in the quality or rather lack of same. Looks like a
made up collection. You take some old albumleaves, add left over stamps from
approval books, do nice colorful scans and all of a sudden the troll has
created a valuable collection out of nothing.

Merry Christmas
Sven

On Tue, 25 Dec 2007 16:18:25 +0200, "Svend" wrote:

ElParagon points to a possible bidding scam. What about looking at the
quality of the collections on sale. Here is a
Valuable Denmark Stamp Collection, No Reserve!
http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...ayphotohosting

Take a look at the qualtity. Many of the stamps pointed out have missing
corners, missing perfs, creases and a common 4sk stamp has been put in place
of the first Danish stamp from 1851.

To me the scam lies in the quality or rather lack of same. Looks like a
made up collection. You take some old albumleaves, add left over stamps from
approval books, do nice colorful scans and all of a sudden the troll has
created a valuable collection out of nothing.

Merry Christmas
Sven

You are completely correct, on all points.

It seems that Ebay just wants to have volume crooks, I mean sellers, selling
their contaminated garbage to unsuspecting suckers, so that they and Ebay
make lots of money, and to hell with real collectors.

"ElParagon" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 25 Dec 2007 16:18:25 +0200, "Svend" wrote:

ElParagon points to a possible bidding scam. What about looking at the
quality of the collections on sale. Here is a
Valuable Denmark Stamp Collection, No Reserve!
http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...ayphotohosting

Take a look at the qualtity. Many of the stamps pointed out have missing
corners, missing perfs, creases and a common 4sk stamp has been put in
place
of the first Danish stamp from 1851.

To me the scam lies in the quality or rather lack of same. Looks like a
made up collection. You take some old albumleaves, add left over stamps
from
approval books, do nice colorful scans and all of a sudden the troll has
created a valuable collection out of nothing.

Merry Christmas
Sven

You are completely correct, on all points.

It seems that Ebay just wants to have volume crooks, I mean sellers,
selling
their contaminated garbage to unsuspecting suckers, so that they and Ebay
make lots of money, and to hell with real collectors.


Hey, hey. Careful with the wording. Let people draw the conclusions
themselves. In the end that leaves them in a better position to judge what
they see on the net./ Svend

In , on 12/25/2007
at 03:12 PM, ElParagon said:

To me the scam lies in the quality or rather lack of same. Looks like a
made up collection. You take some old albumleaves, add left over stamps from
approval books, do nice colorful scans and all of a sudden the troll has
created a valuable collection out of nothing.

You are completely correct, on all points.

It seems that Ebay just wants to have volume crooks, I mean sellers,
selling their contaminated garbage to unsuspecting suckers, so that they
and Ebay make lots of money, and to hell with real collectors.

Interestingly, Sven pointed to pictures of the problem areas within this
collection. LARGE, detailed pictures at that. So, please tell me, what
exactly is this seller hiding and/or how is he trying to deceive? Ok, sure,
a misplaced stamp and some problematic early stamps. Hmmmm. Looking at my
own collection, I have some of these myself! I'm trying to get better and
study the catalog before I add a stamp to a spot. However, I often later
find its wrong; color? Later print with the same design? Now I have to
check perfs.... And I correct my errors, later, as I find them. In
addition, I've got "place holders" all over the collection, while I wait for
a better item to come along. Some of these are really bad. Better than an
empty hole. Usually

I'm not trying to defend this seller. Honest. I've chased many items
offered by them and never won a single item. Yet, I've won "hundreds" from
other sellers. So, they do seem to get top-dollar for their items.
However. this could simple be due to their apparently large, loyal
following. And the quantity of diverse material they offer. 99.8% feedback
with a total of 6705?

The seller makes no claims about the collection except for the subjective
statement that it is "valuable". To some, it is and/or will be. They are,
afterall, stamp dealers. At $41US, I'm interested! Ack, there are 4+ tage
to go ... it will go much higher. And, there will probably be multiple
snipers at the end so as to raise certain paranoid posters' suspicions even
higher.

You guys need to lay off the coffee and find some real "huge scams" to
report. No wild claims in the description and over 100 large images in
which to spot the collection's flaws? There's nothing to bark at here. Not
even a tree. As it was with the original poster's item.

Nick

Hello Nick

Would you describe your collection as valuable? taking into account:
"Looking at my own collection, I have some of these myself! I'm trying to
get better and study the catalog before I add a stamp to a spot. However, I
often later find its wrong; color? Later print with the same design? Now I
have to check perfs.... And I correct my errors, later, as I find them. In
addition, I've got "place holders" all over the collection, while I wait for
a better item to come along. Some of these are really bad. Better than an
empty hole. Usually "

If you accept, that a stamp dealer's use of the term "valuable" is always
subjective then how can you ever trust the dealers. This question is
relevant both when you sell and when you buy. I am sure that dealers know
very well how to become respected and how to make customers come back again
and again to buy more or sell more. One manner of achieving this is to use
the term "valuable" when it is justified and not when it is not justified as
in this case.

have a nice day
Svend

In , on 12/27/2007
at 04:04 PM, "Svend" said:

Would you describe your collection as valuable? taking into account:

Yes. It is to me and I'm sure it would be to someone else, then not so to
others. And if I would ever list the whole thing, or perhaps some
particular parts on eBay, I would have no problem using the work "valuable".
And bidders would be welcome to disagree, particularly if I've included
ample pictures, including my hole-fillers. They wouldn't change my
mind/term, tho.

If you accept, that a stamp dealer's use of the term "valuable" is always
subjective then how can you ever trust the dealers.

Please. You look at the 100+ pictures (which you apparently did) and decide
for yourself if this is a valuable collection. To you. If you disagree,
that's all you have, a disagreement. Not a scam. The dealer has left you
enough information (100+ pictures) for you to make up your own mind. It's
not like he's trying to get you to take his claim of "valuable" as gospel.

It seems easy enough to me. Look at the 100+ (excellent) pictures and
figure out what it's worth to you.

very well how to become respected and how to make customers come back
again and again to buy more or sell more.

Huh? Are we looking at the same dealer? Again, let me repeat (my
previously posted text):

So, they do seem to get top-dollar for their items.
However. this could simple be due to their apparently large, loyal
following. And the quantity of diverse material they offer. 99.8%
feedback with a total of 6705?

They seem to be doing well. So, reversing your logic a bit (I'm allowed to
be creative, too, eh?):

One manner of achieving this is to use the term "valuable" when it is justified
and not when it is not justified ....

Since they seem to have achieved a rather large scale of (continuing)
success, I have to assume that "most" of their customers are happy and them,
agree with their use of words such as "valuable".

I'd like to discuss something else now. You can keep barking up an empty
tree if you'd like, but I'm tired of telling you it's empty. If you think
you see something, ok. It's not going to look any less empty to me.

Nick