The Newest Ebay Scam

[Airborne-Hunter]

Last week I became of the newest scam on ebay and I thought I should share it on the forum here. It starts with an online chat group, usually on facebook. The group targets one specific item on ebay. Usually a particularly nice item with an offer function and then gets each individual in the chat group to use their own account to spam the seller with offers around a specific price point the group has predetermined. The group then tries to use these offers as leverage against the seller to justify a significantly lower price. If the seller counters too high the group in unison returns with offers around another specific point. Variations on this scam include the facebook group having multiple people write to declare the item a fake to attempt and leverage the seller. Another they write the seller with offers to end the auction early with everyone around a specific price point to justify a sale at that price point. This scam is particularly prevalent in the WW2 field gear section on ebay. In the last seven days, sellers I know have seen three of these type of attacks and they have been picking up in frequency over the last several months. Ebay is aware and at least one chat group has been found with damning evidence. In short this is an unfair and generally illegal negotiation tactic and falls under white collar fraud. This is generally called the bludgeon attack. Best ABN.

[dave307]

Thanks for the info.

[iron bender]

This is interesting. I hadn't sold anything on ebay in a long time until a few weeks ago. I was instantly hit up by four different bidders with low ball, similar number offers. That had NEVER happened to me before. Glad I ignored them as my auction did well. Thanks for the heads up

[Skysoldier80]

Very interesting.  I quit selling most Militaria on eBay a while ago.  The last time I did, a year ago, I had two people try to lowball me on an offer and ignored it.  Then I had them run the bids up into the last 24 hours then both write me to to cancel their bids, this I was charged for Ending the item because of the BS. 
 

I only have tried to sell twice In two years and won’t do it again on eBay. Just use to buy.

[scottiques]

I am not privy to the full information on your particular incident, but not all is part of a scam.

 

Under current conditions there are not a lot of buying options, so SOME of it may be a reflection of attempts to buy at holesale vs. retail by dealers.

 

Scott

[KASTAUFFER]

This type of thing doesnt really influence the price of good stuff. It will sell regardless of what some idiots say in a FB forum.  One exception seems to be Helmets! 

 

Kurt

[gwb123]

This is interesting.

 

It's hard to imagine that this is a group effort, as only one buyer would benefit in the end.  Unless they all take turns?  Hard to imagine in a highly competitive collecting environment.

 

I'd more suspect it is one buyer with multiple on-line accounts. 

 

One explanation that would make sense would be if this was an organized effort by a shop or other reseller trying to build their inventory.

 

As far as chat groups, it's possible that there are ones out there with some very gullible followers.  Sad to say we have seen it on here, where one loud person declares a legitimate item to be fake or doctored.  Then a chorus of their friends all chime in with "Of course, now that you have pointed that out, it's obviously a fake!"  I've seen a number of perfectly good items, usually patched fatigue uniforms, that get tossed aside based on unfounded fears and half formed opinions.

 

One positive of eBay in particular and other on-line auctions is the sheer volume of viewers.  My best advice to a seller would be to hold on and let the auction run.  On higher value items there are plenty of people that will look them over and decide for themselves whether it is fake or real.

[Cap Camouflage Pattern I]

Small World.

 

I know who harassed you because I was in the chatroom where they coordinated it.

 

I am not excusing or condoning it, in fact I condemn it. I just want to explain it. 

 

They are a group of aspiring reenactors who for some reason I don't understand feel they are entitled to or owed a good deal. They seemed to be trying to stick it to the man and annoy you as much as they were trying to actually convince you to sell it for $300.

It was started by an 18-20 year old and joined by a 19 year old, 15 year old, and a 14 year old jumping on the bandwagon, encouraged on by a couple others. In other words, stupid teens. Not to excuse their behavior, but I have also done stupid things as a stupid teen, as I'm sure everyone has. Hopefully they will mature and look back with regret.

To the best of my knowledge this was the first, last, and only time they did something like this.

But if your friends have also experienced it as well as iron bender and Skysoldier80 it seems they are not the only people to think of this tactic. 

 

George