Warning from eBay:

[samosa4u]

I received an email from eBay today pointing out that I recently sent another eBay user my email through their messaging system. They told me not to do it again and did not take any actions against me. Now here is my question: do they actually SPY on their users or did the guy I sent my email to report me? The thing is, we were considering doing a TRADE (it's not as if we can trade through eBay), but it didn't go through. Did he get ticked off because I changed my mind and report me? Now this guy is a really big seller and he was the one who first asked me for my contact information. If eBay was spying on that conversation, then he should have gotten a warning from them too, right? If he did not receive anything from them, then does that mean he reported me? What do you guys think? What are your experiences?

Thanks

[botn]

They are not spying however they have pretty sophisticated systems to look for the exchange of contact information or making attempts to sell outside their site. As for trading, ebay sees that as a sale outside of the site.

[Bestdj777]

He didn't report you. You likely just triggered some of their search terms.

[VoodooChild]

I'm not a computer expert, but eBay probably runs some sort of "script" (if I'm using that term correctly) that checks for the @ symbol. I bet if you spelled it out like "John.Doe at gmail dot com", you wouldn't have been flagged.

[bmattioli]

They "Spy" and corresponding outside of EBay is a big no no to them..

[rdwyer]

I got a weird email from eBay today. It was warning me that a particular auction was ending which I had looked at. Nothing more. It was for a altered reprint that I had no interest in. They're definately spying on their users.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by rdwyer

I got a weird email from eBay today. It was warning me that a particular auction was ending which I had looked at. Nothing more. It was for a altered reprint that I had no interest in. They're definately spying on their users.

In the last couple of weeks I have received countless emails from them about auctions I have looked at, my OWN auctions LOL, and others I am sure I haven't.

[RedsFan1941]

sometimes you bite the 'bay, sometimes the 'bay bites you

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by BruceM

They "Spy" and corresponding outside of EBay is a big no no to them..

^^This^^ They will suspend your account for doing deals outside eBay. They will now also send you messages asking you to do deals outside of eBay to try and entrap and suspend you.

I have got away with doing trades on eBay through messaging with no problem as long as eBay gets their cut. How I do/done it is to tell the other person to list their card on eBay and they buy my card and I buy theirs.

[irv]

Originally Posted by VoodooChild

I'm not a computer expert, but eBay probably runs some sort of "script" (if I'm using that term correctly) that checks for the @ symbol. I bet if you spelled it out like "John.Doe at gmail dot com", you wouldn't have been flagged.

I have tried a few different options and E-Bay has caught them all.

When I PM/message an E-Bay member and receive their reply e-mail, replying info in that seems much easier.

[Peter_Spaeth]

No problem though if you want to retract 100 bids.

[Beastmode]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

No problem though if you want to retract 100 bids.

This. E-bay has far more to lose in a legal tussle over e-mails in your messages. It's already clear they are violating contract law with respect to retractions. The minute they come after a seller for a minor offense, the counter suit for allowing someone to bid and then retract would be far more harmful to them.

I would not be intimidated at all by dumb and dumber lawyers over at e-bay.

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

Originally Posted by Beastmode

This. E-bay has far more to lose in a legal tussle over e-mails in your messages. It's already clear they are violating contract law with respect to retractions. The minute they come after a seller for a minor offense, the counter suit for allowing someone to bid and then retract would be far more harmful to them.

I would not be intimidated at all by dumb and dumber lawyers over at e-bay.

Actually they are following the UCC to a "T." The UCC states unequivocally that a bid is NOT a contract until the item has been called sold and may be retracted at any time until the item is called sold.

Also it is not possible to sign away your UCC rights, so if you accept someone's bid you HAVE to accept their retraction regardless of what you say your policy is, even if the bidder has agreed to your policy!

However there is nothing saying that you have to continue accepting bids from someone who has retracted bids in the past.

I know this won't be a popular post but I am 100% confident on my knowledge of the law on this issue since it was beaten into me in class very recently You can search elsewhere on this site for a discussion between myself and a lawyer/member on this very issue. I think it was an interesting discussion, and germane to the interests of a lot of the users here.

[Zach Wheat]

Originally Posted by VoodooChild

I'm not a computer expert, but eBay probably runs some sort of "script" (if I'm using that term correctly) that checks for the @ symbol. I bet if you spelled it out like "John.Doe at gmail dot com", you wouldn't have been flagged.

I believe they also check for phone numbers in messages through their automated system.