kraftdinner
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posted on April 8, 2007 11:55:14 AM new
What do you do when you see a person that runs Private Auctions only in order to scam people?
This person sells dolls. They refurbish vintage hard plastic dolls by replacing wigs, touching up facial paint and replacing lost clothes with home made or piece-meal clothes and sells them as rare and mint. This person will never post questions regarding their dolls and as I said, their auctions are 100% Private so you can't contact the bidders to let them know of the scam. This person has already been accused of shill-bidding on another ID (which they dropped), but it still continues. What can you do to warn others? So many unsuspecting buyers are being taken in by this crook, I just feel awful every time I see a new auction of hers. 
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ladyjewels2000
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posted on April 8, 2007 12:38:04 PM new
I believe it is still against ebay rules to write bidders about something they are bidding on unless you are the seller.
What do you mean by private auctions? Can you see their FB - it's my understanding that sellers can't have private FB any longer - so if that's the case - report them to ebay.
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kraftdinner
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posted on April 8, 2007 12:45:03 PM new
Ladyjewels, if I see someone getting scammed, I could care less what eBay rules are. 
Private auctions are when nobody can see who's bidding on your auctions or who won or if shill-bidding is going on.
This person has been reported to eBay many times (not only by me) but nothing happens. They're making good money off her sales, so why would they do anything?
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hwahwa
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posted on April 8, 2007 12:51:23 PM new
I just found one seller with private auctions,the feedback file is public but you just dont know which auction the bidder bidded on.
He sells antique swords and the feedback from several bidders basically said the same thing,they are repros.
I dont feel that sorry for the Ebay bidders,real antiques are expensive and rare,if they manage to win an antique 16th Japanese samurai sword for 200 dollars,is that too good to be true or not?
They should know better,they think they are smarter than the dealer,the truth is the dealer has the merchandise,you cant ooutsmart a professional dealer,how does he manage to survive so long if he is giving away his antiques?
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Lets all stop whining !
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hwahwa
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posted on April 8, 2007 01:14:28 PM new
Not all shill biddings are caught and punished.
If he asks his friend to bid on his auctions and his friend does not use his pc,lives in a different address and register with Ebay with different credit card etc,Ebay cant prove shill bidding just because others suspect it.
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Lets all stop whining !
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kraftdinner
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posted on April 8, 2007 01:15:47 PM new
It sounds like your guy is promoting obvious fakes, Hwahwa. It seems a bit different than this crook. This person promotes her dolls as vintage and mint, so only a "seasoned" doll collector would know they're not. Real mint dolls are rare, so people are willing to spend hundreds of dollars on her dolls. I truly believe the buyers aren't aware they're refurbs. If she stated they were refurbished, that would clear up EVERYTHING for buyers, imo.
She has a doll up now that's unbelievable. Everything is replaced and redone and the doll has 4 bids already (it was just listed). It LOOKS fabulous. She really does a great job but that's not the point.
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hwahwa
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posted on April 8, 2007 01:53:43 PM new
does she accept Paypal?
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Lets all stop whining !
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kraftdinner
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posted on April 8, 2007 05:18:22 PM new
Yes, Hwahwa. Why do you ask?
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hwahwa
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posted on April 8, 2007 05:48:36 PM new
If she accepts Paypal and then bidder found out they are item not as described,they will complain to Paypal.
There are several sellers who sell fake antique swords ,common sense,how can these swords just keep coming?Any serious collector should read a book and find out how rare they are,esp those in good condition.
Doll collectors should do the same.
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Lets all stop whining !
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pixiamom
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posted on April 8, 2007 06:06:51 PM new
Kraftdinner, I understand how frustrating this is for you. Doll customers who are disappointed may decide not to buy on eBay again. This happens offline as well as online. My Grandmother was a seasoned antique collector from 1920 on. Recent appraisals of her netsukes (not her primary interest) uncovered several repros. My advice to online and offline newbie collectors is to never spend more for an object than its decorative value unless you are shopping with a seasoned collector.
Edited to add: Why not write an eBay guide on how to spot refurb dolls?
[ edited by pixiamom on Apr 8, 2007 06:26 PM ]
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ST0NEC0LD613
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posted on April 8, 2007 06:23:31 PM new
Admit it. It is really you. Your patching them up with your macaroni and cheese.
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fluffythewondercat
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posted on April 8, 2007 06:24:28 PM new
Oh, I love vigilanteism.
As any seasoned antique dealer will tell you, often buyers don't want to know the truth. They want a pretty story instead.
With some, if you insist on telling them the truth, they will call you a liar.
My advice is to butt out.
fLufF
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kraftdinner
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posted on April 8, 2007 08:06:12 PM new
Pixiamom, I agree that it's very frustrating to see people getting ripped-off, but like you say, even seasoned buyers can't always tell. P.S. I'm not sure what a buyers guide is. Where do I find out?
And good point too about people not always wanting to know the truth, Fluffy, but butting out isn't an option that I'd ever take if I knew someone was getting shafted. That would be like ignoring someone getting stabbed and running away. I don't back down like that and hope nobody else would either.
Excellent detective work with the mac & cheese thing Carrot Top. 
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pixiamom
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posted on April 8, 2007 08:26:53 PM new
EBay encourages people to write eBay guides and relevant guides are found on the found search page, on the left just under the matching categories. If you have a useful, relevant topic, it can increase sales. I know of a postcard seller who has a very helpful guide on how to repair postcards and it has increased her sales substantially. I would be upset if someone notified me unsolicated of eBay fraud but would give greater weight on how to spot eBay frauds in a published guide.
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hwahwa
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posted on April 8, 2007 08:55:26 PM new
You never know who these bidders are,they may know damn well these are not the real things or refurbished things but they intend to resell it with 'YOUR STORY'.
There are plenty of dealers looking for things to resell!
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Lets all stop whining !
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kraftdinner
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posted on April 8, 2007 11:04:25 PM new
Thanks Pixiamom.  This is the first time I've ever run across anything like this but it sounds like you guys have heard of it all before. Is it that common? Now I feel stupid. 
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pixiamom
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posted on April 9, 2007 12:57:56 AM new
Fakes and frauds are far too common on eBay - sometimes it takes a really good eye and considerable expertise to spot them so no, I don't think you're stupid at all.
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fluffythewondercat
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posted on April 9, 2007 12:32:10 PM new
but butting out isn't an option that I'd ever take if I knew someone was getting shafted. That would be like ignoring someone getting stabbed and running away. I don't back down like that and hope nobody else would either.
Please tell me you don't actually equate fraud on eBay with attempted murder.
fLufF
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P.S. To my loyal fans, all one of you: Keep an eye out for an appearance in Jared Sandberg's column in the Wall Street Journal Weekend Edition.
[ edited by fluffythewondercat on Apr 9, 2007 12:33 PM ]
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aintrichyet
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posted on April 10, 2007 04:16:44 PM new
Fluff! ...
inre "P.S. To my loyal fans, all one of you: Keep an eye out for an appearance in Jared Sandberg's column in the Wall Street Journal Weekend Edition."
...please keep us informed/provide link, to said article!
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