LEW LIPSET - BLOCKED BIDDER

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Posted By: Scott Elkins

To make a long story short, Lew always bragged about his auctions ending early - before 11:00 PM EST, if I remember correctly. Well, the LAST auction I bid in of his I had won a lot according to his website when I went to bed at 3:00 AM EST for two bids lower than my max. The next morning I awoke all eager to receive my invoice for the lot of Wilson Franks cards and get the money out. To my amazement, the invoice was for my MAX bid - TWO BIDS ABOVE WHAT LEW'S WEBSITE TOLD ME I WON THE LOT FOR EARLIER THAT MORNING!

To finish the story as quickly as possible, I decided (after speaking with some Hobby friends about the situation) NOT to pay for the lot after being blatantly SHILLED by Lew. I received threatening e-mails from him telling me he was going to tell Rob Lifson and others in the Hobby that I was a non-paying bidder. I told him to go ahead b/c I won lots in Major Auctions ALL THE TIME and paid extremely quick, but I was not going to pay for something that I was blatantly SHILLED on! I have not dealt with him since nor would I ever. He called the house a few times during this ordeal and even got smart with and threatened my fiance'!

ALSO, THE LOT OF WILSON FRANKS CARDS I DID NOT PAY FOR WAS INCLUDED IN HIS VERY NEXT AUCTION. I FOLLOWED THIS LOT CLOSELY AND IT WENT FOR EXACTLY TWO BIDS BELOW MY PREVIOUS MAX BID (WHAT I HAD ORIGINALLY WON THE LOT FOR!).

Lew has done a lot for the Hobby, but he didn't do it for free and is no Hobby Saint nor God. He knows a lot, but treats people like crap. Knowledge is great, but you need to remember the Golden Rule. ALSO, SHILLING IS THE SAME AS STEALING OR TRYING TO STEAL WITH ME - just not an honest thing to be doing, I don't care who does it!

Scott