Last minute bid that turns out to be a hoax

[awwwsm]

During the last 14 seconds of my auction a new bidder, with a (0) rating and only having joined on June 30/05, jumped in and outbid the high bidder by $5.00. I have tried with no luck to email this person. Finally I requested the phone number and tried to phone only to find out that the phone is disconnected. I suspect it is someone just playing a joke. Repeated e-mails, to ebay to address this, have only produced a canned message. Can I not offer the bid to the next person at this point? Have any of you had this happen? Frustrating!

[zarzuella]

When did the auction end? I'd go ahead and offer it to the second highest bidder if you have false contact info.

Ann

[llee2]

Probably a competitor trying to steal you bidders. You should report the user as having false contact info. They will only get NARU'd once eBay verifies the dead phone line.

Lincoln

[awwwsm]

The sale ended July 5 and the incident happened 14 seconds prior to the end. I have tried contacting ebay with the info and seem to be just going around in circles without human contact. Getting form replies. Any help as to who/where I should contact? Someone else is going to be stung the same way unless this person is caught.

[imagi.nation]

awwwsm:

Have you tried clicking on "Live Chat"?

Your experience with eBay support is not unusual. eBay does not have the resources to handle personal inquiries in a timely manner.

Your experience is not an unusual one. Every day items receive bids from people with no intention of purchasing them. All you can do is file the invalid contact report with eBay, file an Unpaid Item Dispute and send a Second Chance Offer to the underbidder(s).

You are lucky if this is the first time this has happened to you. I, for instance, receive a Non Paying Bidder (NPB) at least once a week.

Good luck,
Ernie
imagi.nation

[imagi.nation]

Oh... and of course put the bidder on your Blocked Bidder List (BBL).

[mirakbiz_inc]

Don't forget to file a NPB

[awwwsm]

Thanks for the tips. I cannot do a NPB until July 12. By that time he will have scammed more people. I would think that there should be a way to notify ebay sooner that this has happened and he has false info on file.

[recped]

I've had plenty of newly registered zero feedback last minute bidders. Just like bidders with tons of feedback 5 - 10% are deadbeat bidders as for the rest their money is as good as anyone else's.

2 days and you're freaking? relax, wait a day or so more and then make a second offer to the next bidder.

Ben
"What else could I do? I had no trade so I became a peddler" - Lazarus Greenberg 1915

[zarzuella]

Block bidder, offer to underbidder, file UID as soon as you can.

http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/identity-invalid-email.html

Use the contact link on the left of this page, select the appropriate reason (invalid contact information) and keep sending it every day or so until someone acts on it. Different eBay personnel will treat these complaints differently - eventually someone will act on it. Not much else you can do now. Good luck

[awwwsm]

Thanks Zakzuella. The link you sent me must be buried deeply as I sure was not able to find it. I have filed a report. Meantime I see three other people have given this person a bad rating so he is (-3) now. I would think that ebay would remove him after that many. It appears he is ripping off those selling Star Wars items.

[mirakbiz_inc]

They will only remove him after 3 NPB from DIFFERENT sellers, so do your part as aoon as possible.

[awwwsm]

Thanks mirakbiz_inc (915). I posted a report and he is now history. Hopefully he does not re-register with another name and another address. We do not need people like him spoiling eBay. I also asked for a refund of the charges and assume they will be posted shortly. I plan to relist the item and hope that it sells for asking price since this rather tarnishs the item. I appreciate the comments all of you have offered.

[awwwsm]

Can you believe this? I relisted my item after being scammed last week by a phoney bidder who later was removed from ebay after scamming three other people. So I just got a "buy it now" offer from another person, in same area of the world, also with a disconnected phone number (which I believe is the same number the other person had)plus a non functioning email and a (0) rating with having just joined ebay July 11. Coincidence? I don't think so. How does a person protect themselves from this? I know not all people with a (0) rating are doing this but can you block them from bidding? Also this is costing me money to relist, etc. so I would appreciate any help any of you can give me. Thanks.

[whoscloset]

Could it be the competition harassing you?

[awwwsm]

Would it not be unusual for two people with (0) rating and just joining ebay to scam me twice? I would think so. One of which is no longer with ebay. Other people selling Star Wars also had it happen so doubt it is competition which, if honest, is welcome.