[Boatanchors] Re: false STUFF

Fri Sep 23 18:08:56 EDT 2005

Any place can be a location for misfortune. Now people must realize that an
electronic auction is run by computers, not by people. I had inside contacts in
the CA location of EBAY. For all practical purposes, it is a machine, not a
human run business. Think of it in this manner, as that is very close to the
truth.	

The reason so many illegal items got on EBAY to be sold, from hookers to human
organs to illegal cable and satellite decoders, was that nobody checks what is
going to be posted, before it gets posted,  to determine if it is legal, let
alone accurate or honest. Remember machine! 	

I was suspended after six months of trying to contact a human. Why? Because I
posted three items for sale, one sold, two did not. EBAY charged me for all
three items. Even though I sent them copies of all e-mails, every possible piece
of information proving my case, it made absolutely no difference. Every reply I
received was signed by a new person! made me wonder if the names were being
randomly generated by the computer.	

You will notice almost all replies are form letters! Remember machine. 	

Because I had the telephone number of a programmer who 'used' to work for them,
I was able to contact him. he had to put in a request for a supervisor, as none
were present. Just a handful of humans. None of whom were handling phone calls
or screening seller posts. 	

When the supervisor called me, he resolved the issue in four minutes. Yet six
months had elapsed, I had been suspended, my account damaged etc. None of which
was my fault. I had done absolutely everything possible to correct it, but the
EBAY computer wanted money, nothing else, no matter what, if it was owed or not.

One reply I received told me to pay the bill and then apply for a refund! Can
you guess what I suggested they do with that one? Why should I pay for something
I did not owe, especially when once they had my money, I had no way to get it
back!	

How did I stop them in the first place from simply taking the money? Easy. They
can not force you to use a credit card. I refused. I was sent an electronic bill
by e-mail, remember computer run! They do not send anything by regular mail; not
a copy of a transaction, no a bill, not a receipt, nothing. They told me so. All
you get is e-mail. 	

I had to go to a certain place on the EBAY site and print a copy of the bill and
send it with my check. Unless I included that printed statement, they, meaning
EBAY, would not know what the money was for! Are yo wondering why a human could
not see my ID number of the check? No humans!	

I hope I have gotten you to think of EBAY as a big machine people, because that
is what it is. You are not dealing with people here, what humans are they, you
will probably never speak with and have a problem solved, get help or anything
else.	

It is up to the buyer to watch himself/herself. Because if fraud happens, EBAY
will not help you. They will give you names of others to contact; Postal
Service, Attorney General etc. You are on your own people. 	

Once upon a time when EBAY was young, and yes I was there then, the percentage
of dishonest sellers was low. But as time went on and people figured out that
EBAY was just a big dumb machine that did not know or care what was going on,
they started to exploit the system. Sellers became about 70/30 honest, and it
continued to drop to now being about 55/45 honest.	

So if you plan to buy, protect yourself, as nobody else will!	

The seller numbers? Easily faked. The EBAY software has holes large enough to
drive an eighteen wheeler through with room to spare! Once again, they do not
care! You protect yourself. If you don't want to get burned, then do not go near
the fire. it is that simple.	

Some did not get stung because they bought unpopular items that nobody really
wanted. Theft generally takes place wehre it is a high volume - low price or
very popular 'hot' items. Move fast!	

EBAY is just the means by which people across the country can now easily cheat
each other and get away with it. Did you ever wonder where EBAY 'really' is? Who
actually owns it?	

----------
From: Dave Roscoe <w1dwz at rcn.com>
To: boatanchors at mailman.qth.net; john <johnmb at nc.rr.com>
Subject: Re: [Boatanchors] Re: false STUFF
Date: Friday, September 23, 2005 5:43 PM

I do not wish to be contrary either,  but I really take offense at the
statement  "ebay is nothing more than a cesspool of ripoffs "

Perhaps Ron  somehow ran into the wrong people.

I have been active on eBay for almost 7 years with almost 1000   Positive
buy/sell transactions.
With one or two exceptions  , all were pleasant and satisfying on both ends.
I have met and become friendly with some wonderful people , who are
interested in the smae things that I am.
I have located and bought items that would take a lifetime of searching to
find.
Yes, there is a fee for this.
Miniscule , by my judgement.
Consider what a World-wide ad would cost to cover such a broad market
virtually instantaneously.
But what a tremendous system , when in the space of a few hours, an old CW
bug that is in the way,  and collecting dust in my shack for years , is sold
to a Japanese Ham , who is ecstatic to finally find this model , pays
instantly via PayPal , the funds are in my account , and I am on the way to
the Post Office to mail it to him. All in an hour or two.
All for pennies on the dollar in commissions and fees.

My two cents worth.

Dave W1DWZ

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "john" <johnmb at nc.rr.com>
To: <boatanchors at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Friday, September 23, 2005 5:18 PM
Subject: [Boatanchors] Re: false STUFF

> >Well, not to be contrary, but ebay is nothing more
>  > than a cesspool of ripoffs
>
> That's certainly not my experience (in over 400 transactions).
>
> I've gotten so much good stuff, that I would have never been able to find
> otherwise.
>
> John K5MO
>
>
>
> -- 
> No virus found in this outgoing message.
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>
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