EBay Caution
 

I have recently noted concern for shilling on a Ebay seller by the name of "e-fu" with (2191 stars). I have now bid on this T206 Frank Chance card twice, as it has been set back up for auction recently (having ? not sold the first time). I started to look at "e-fu" completed auctions and over 12 different auctions have an under 10-min bidder "new" bidder with 0-5 stars. Searching his completed auctions, this is seen is various different eras of cards--from T206, W515, T202, and even 1959 Topps football. All have had final minute bids by either "i***a" (24 stars), "e***u" (6 stars) or "b***8" (0 stars).

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...:X:RTQ:US:1123

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=STRK:MEWAX:IT

http://cgi.ebay.com/1923-W515-1-FRAN...d=p3911.c0.m14

http://cgi.ebay.com/1959-TOPPS-PAUL-...d=p3911.c0.m14

I have received contact from the seller regarding card condition initially, but no contact regarding reselling of card recently.

Now either someone has a hugely variable collection just starting to purchase from eBay, or this seller is shilling.

Has anyone ever contacted eBay regarding shilling, and can you offer ideas on how to start this investigation? Has contact with eBay been effective?

Thanks

Perhaps e-fu is Bill Goodwin?

Just Noted
 

Another auction just about to end

Previous (also with the "i***a"

http://cgi.ebay.com/1909-11-T206-NAP...d=p3911.c0.m14

and

http://cgi.ebay.com/1909-11-T206-NAP...d=p3911.c0.m14

The same seller posted a Carrigan PSA 5 twice in a span of a month. I emailed him, but received no response.

I did not bid.

Rawn
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...#ht_1196wt_941

Shenanigans. Remove one of the three letters from his screen name and use the resulting acronym as the title of your next message to him.

This i***a is very familiar to me. I have been bid up on the cards I collect (52 topps) way too many times for my liking. After reading this post, it looks like I may have overpaid for quite a number of cards and lost out on cards I wanted as the underbidder because of unethical behaviour. It pisses me off!

ebay....
 

This might be the worst thing about ebay. It is more difficult for "community policing" since they took away our ability to see bidders and winners.

I agree with LEON when they took away when you could see who was actually bidding on the item it does make it harder to track for shield bidding. I think everybody should be able to see who wins. If you got out bid and wanted it bad enough you would at least know where it is ,and could tell them you are interested if they ever go to re-sale.

In looking over completed listings, just recent ones, have noted >30 episodes of shilling his own auctions. Ebay complaint filed with 10 obvious cases to include 4 resales (T206 Chance, T206 Lajoie, T206 Carrigan).

I guess now I just have to make others aware of these unethical practices

How does obvious stuff like this get through? He doesn't even change the wording or scans. I see edwolf1963 bought a card from this seller, could you tell us about the transaction?

Ed's transaction went fine, very glad to hear.

Rawn

Hello - told Rawn that I bid on one card (Stanage) - got the card, no issues. Didn't look at bid pattern to see who else was in or if shilled up..? The price, as I recall, was in-line with VCP recent prices. Agree with Leon as well. I'm sure eBay probably doesn't care - feels they win as they get another FVF and re-list.

very good to know..thanks. Would be more helpful if I actually went on the site ever again, which I won't. That place is a cluster F and I wouldn't give them the satisfaction of buying or selling another thing from them. The feedback system is terrible and I couldn't agree more about the shill bidders. Letting a non paying buyer give a negative is ludicrious. When finally pull their heads out and change it, I won't be there, so i could care less about the shill bidding. If you don't like it. Quit E-bay like i did. Death to E-bay.:D

My favorite part is location: GREAT DEALS, CA. I don't think that's a town.