Should eBay Allow Regulators to Take Down Listings?

by: ValueAddedResource

I can tell you from experience that eBay's Global Asset Protection department/PROACT (partnering with retailers offensively against crime & theft) is a huge waste of time. It's the department where fraud and counterfeit reports are sent to languish in paper pushing limbo never to see the light of day again.

I reported a $160k+ triangulation fraud scheme operating on eBay using hacked/compromised accounts.  My complaint to my state attorney general's office was met with a response that the AG would forward it to the ''special department eBay has set up to work with law enforcement''.  That special department then immediately sent a boilerplate response to the AG's office saying ''we've reached out and addressed the concerns'' and that was good enough for a rubber stamp ''case closed.''

Even though the fraud continued for almost a year after that, I was never able to get any further response or assistance from PROACT.  The only assets they are there to protect are their own.

The department exists solely so eBay can say they ''make every effort'' to address concerns about fraud and fakes without any accountability for actually doing anything about those concerns.

I'm not entirely comfortable with the idea of giving government regulators free rein in these matters either, but given what I have seen of eBay's lack of willingness to take serious action themselves, it's not surprising that regulators may be looking to step in.

by: Covid-20

Ebay.  hahahahaha
The laughs just keep coming.
Check THIS seller out who I had reported at least three times to the lead bottomed customer service personnel who are so eager to keep you safe within buying on their platform.

https://www.ebay.fr/itm/114801710601?ViewItem=&item=1
14801710601

Courtesy of Google Translate:

𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗜 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹) 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗮𝘆 𝗯𝘆 𝗣𝗣𝗔𝗟:
𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗗𝗜𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗟𝗬 𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝗣𝗔𝗟 (𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝗕𝗔𝗬) 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗦𝗘𝗡𝗗 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗺.𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗶@𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲.�
�𝗿: 𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲. 𝗢𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘄𝗶𝘀𝗲, 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲.
𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗱𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝘀.

Meanwhile, this clown has relisted this item MORE than NINE times with his paraphrasing of virtual intent to guarantee a headache transaction.  
Despite my several reports, Ebay has continued to allow this seller to list with impunity.
''Thank you for reporting this!'':  ''We got this handled''  ''We are on it!''
These are MANAGERS I have spoken with!

As stated previous, Ebay is a petri-dish of corruption and foul play.  Selling OR buying on its platform will give you an ulcer tying to deal with the fallout of theft.

Ebay literally invites fraud in the form of an invitation scribed on linen stationary. Any retort on their behalf stating they are ''doing the best that they can'' is utter garbage. They are reptilian and simply cannot be trusted.  

by: 1 Angry Artist

It is always a mistake to allow Big Government intrude into what are basically private transactions between a buyer and a seller.

One of the 7 Biggest Lies:   I'm from the Government and  I'm here to help you.

by: pace306

I'm not sure why this is a "stretch" / surprise to anyone.

eBays game here ISNT to protect anyone - its to prove to the government (whom ever they may be at the time) that THEY (eBay) are the good guys (once again) and that (like usual) its the big bad seller who is abusing eBays platform to sell harmful goods to innocent buyers.

No more, no less.

eBay isnt altruistic, they arent kind or considerate, what they are - are law breakers, who use the disguise of being a "good guy" to make it appear that they dont need oversight - sellers do.

And after all, eBay has been letting this kind of thing happening with VERO for ages. eBay may take the actual listing(s) down but its ordered to / told to / suggested to by brands - and sellers NEVER get the benefit of the doubt, the relevant laws are ignored and sellers are harmed.

On eBays side, money changes hands, the brands get special treatement (placement, the hidding of feedback) and more.

Makers who do this include: Marshall, Sony, Onkyo, Denon, Casio, Skullcandy, Cobra, Kenwood, Fossil and more.

Quid pro quo baby - its just business as usual

The now defunct verowatch,com had a complete list - but eBay was caught (with its hand in the cookie jar) and disbanded it. Theres a few other companies that used to have this authority as well - but eBay now mostly focuses on stealing money via Managed Payments as apposed to using VERO to do so.

Another day, another eBay con game.

BTW - so that no one cries ... Amazon does it too.

by: Snapped

The question ought to be, why aren’t the ‘regulators’ looking at all the reasons ‘listed’ that might justify taking down eBay?

by: toolguy

Off Topic, eBay has my blood boiling again!

Buyer buys and then 3 hours later changes mind and wants a refund.

I accept, Mangled Payments is still processing the incoming payment yet has completed the refund??????

May 11, 2021 06:07:06
Refund for order number 09-07044-55328
Trulok Digital Countersink Gage 100 Degree .360-.560 Range Inspection Tool
---> Completed<--- Cancel ID:5240133071
-$119.57

May 11, 2021 02:24:56
Order for order number 09-07044-55328opens in a new window or tab
Trulok Digital Countersink Gage 100 Degree .360-.560 Range Inspection Tool
--->Processing<---
$119.27

by: toolguy

Refund Requests

If you;re in Mangled Payments and a customer changes their mind it's best to wait until their payment clears before making a refund, otherwise eBay takes your cleared payments as payment for the refund and you are left with a possible negative balance. It's just more of eBay's shenanigans to hold your money as long as possible.

Once a cheerleader now a resistance fighter!

by: toolguy

Mangled Payments vs Paypal

Paypal, I got my money in 5 seconds

Mangled Payments, I get my money in 5 days, if I'm LUCKY

by: Rexford

I am not an enemy of the government and I think that society actually needs good working government  but it sounds to me like eBay is using the government for something that they do not wish to deal with.

Is this going to be akin to paralegals at big law firms hired by luxury brands to make the call on whether something is genuine or not. (Vero?)

by: Bill

Toolguy,

That is why I will never sign up for mangled payments. They told me a few weeks ago I had until the 21st and I never have heard back from them. I will never evr sign up with them and I am making more money  on HipStamp. eBay is a dead dinosaur.  

by: Plain1

By allowing anyone outside of ebay management to do anything regarding sellers is just wrong. It goes against Free Enterprise. Outside sources shouldn't be allowed to do anything directly, This should go through ebay management and let ebay handle whatever has to be done. But just who decides what is "Dangerous" whatever that means? And just what qualifications do these outsiders have?
If this article was reported by the BBC, maybe it concerns only items on the UK website.
This is just one step closer to the infringement of Free Commerce, being free.

by: Jono77

I have reported one seller over 50 times for the sale of digital downloads on eBay.

They have listed hundreds of digital downloads for the last 2 years. When I ask eBay if I can do the exact same thing I am told NO and that the seller will be investigated but nothing ever happens.

eBay are incapable of acting on their own policies even when when constantly alerted. Every eBay agent I have spoken to is completely baffled as to how this seller is being allowed to continue selling digital downloads.

by: eastwestphoto

I hope their a lot smarter than the automated program eBay uses, as eBay source code is badly written in JavaScript. So many glitches lately.  

by: spooky

I have reported one of the biggest antiques sellers on eBay over 100 times for shill bidding. IT is hard to figure out accurately but eBay may have given them a warning a couple years ago as it briefly stopped but now there back doing it in every listing. This is a huge seller generating 10K fees a month so I am sure eBay wants to protect the criminal enterprise. Maybe Rhode Island law enforcement will take a closer look.

by: beuler

With a half dozen new payment processors at the table, ebay brought the wolves into the hen house. Apple doesnt like that, Google doesnt like this, once that door is opened, in come the the rest of the wolves. Feathers will fly, ebay has lost control of the farm.