trading standards letter!!!

[cpm]

Originally Posted by isitworththestress

I heard it first on national radio news and it was probably on the TV news. So I doubt it is bogus. But ebay had nothing to do with it, which I found as funny as they were advertising their new six million dollar security system at the time.

Does not matter. If the story was bogus it could still have been released to the entire media as such.

I find it extremely funny, "ebay had nothing to do with it." In that case how did the CPS come to realise there was shill bidding going on, on eBay, whilst eBay were unaware?

Originally Posted by isitworththestress

The basic story is the seller sold a clocked van, the buyer reported them to trading standards, who went after the seller and ebay sat there looking red faced, probably wishing they had paid the extra fifty pence for the on switch of that six million dollar security system.

eBay's security system against shill bidding and other offenses has in actual fact been in place for quite some time. Their modern system dates to at least early 2007. Shill bidding was always an issue and dare I say rampant since eBay's very early days. But eBay was quite lax on the issue for a while at the outset. They could detect shill bidding on their system, albeit manually. They also could take matters further against offenders if they wanted to.

Originally Posted by isitworththestress

The good thing about it is how little the seller had to do to have his accounts.

I don't understand what you mean by this?

[isitworththestress]

Originally Posted by cpm

Does not matter. If the story was bogus it could still have been released to the entire media as such.

I find it extremely funny, "ebay had nothing to do with it." In that case how did the CPS come to realise there was shill bidding going on, on eBay, whilst eBay were unaware?




eBay's security system against shill bidding and other offenses has in actual fact been in place for quite some time. Their modern system dates to at least early 2007. Shill bidding was always an issue and dare I say rampant since eBay's very early days. But eBay was quite lax on the issue for a while at the outset. They could detect shill bidding on their system, albeit manually. They also could take matters further against offenders if they wanted to.




I don't understand what you mean by this?

They did not go after him for shill bidding, that was just a break for them I suppose. They went after the one account holder, but no idea how they did it. But read several versions of the article and most of them have the same slant, that ebay were sat on their thumbs, if they knew about it then they did nothing about it.

If you look up the article on google there is one of them that links to the article on ebays new system that is supposed to be able to deal with this sort of thing. But it does not seem to be working.

And the last part for those that fear ebay security, it is not unbeatable, as I am sure if a lot of those on here got a job on ebay working out their security this could be fixed in an instant. But ebay seem very reluctant to really prevent anything happening. Trading standards on the other hand will, as long as they get the glory that will keep their offices open.

[cpm]

"eBay seller fined in court for bidding against himself to rig online auctions"

[cpm]

eBay's system against shill bidding does work.

But what cannot be fathomed is that generally eBay's platform is flawed. It lets users make mistakes before making the user aware that the user has contravened a certain eBay rule or law. Same with PayPal, PP will deal with you indirectly before slamming on a suspension or limitation on you. The user experience is absolutely terrible. Then they enforce their heavy handed approach of denying the user access.

[oompaloompa]

look it is usually a TS job when they catch you red-handed at a market stall. Its all about proof, even if you use a real address and dont overdo it, they are unlikely to take it far, unless they get alot of complaints.

and anyway the chavs have to wear stuff too..we dont want them going out naked..

[isitworththestress]

Originally Posted by cpm

eBay's system against shill bidding does work.

But what cannot be fathomed is that generally eBay's platform is flawed. It lets users make mistakes before making the user aware that the user has contravened a certain eBay rule or law. Same with PayPal, PP will deal with you indirectly before slamming on a suspension or limitation on you. The user experience is absolutely terrible. Then they enforce their heavy handed approach of denying the user access.

I have watched too many sellers using the flaws in the ebay system to either shill bid or to clean up their feedback by buying their own goods.
Some of the sellers are so blatant about it, that I am wondering if ebay have any system defense at all. If you think about it, in the case of buying your own goods to clean your feedback, it is like the seller paying protection money to ebay, as if you do not do it then they will send the boys round.