Yeah, don't ever ask ebay chat. They'll either be fools who know nothing, self righteous or nosy. Either way, there is no good there. Better to ask people who really know and are far less likely to turn you in. My stress level went way down once I stopped running to them when a problem arose.
I feel your pain about the lost feedback. It happens more often than you think. Don't even bother trying to appeal it. It will fall on deaf ears and likely get them to watch for you even more.
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