I'm being stalked by an ebay bad guy.

truthteller

Several weeks ago, I had up for auction several foreign coins on EBAY. 99% of the coins are sent only in the US, as is mentioned in my disclaimer. However, one buyer ignored the disclaimer and bid on a coin. I politely emailed that although he was the high bidder, I could not send overseas(mideast!) and would he provide a US address. His response was that he wanted to buy it anyway and I should sell it and send it overseas. Although he was polite, he wouldn't accept a 'no'. Unfortunately, I cancelled the sale and sold it to a US underbidder, after getting nowhere, and let him know that. Then a few days later, I notice some strange bids from a zero feedback user. I promptly discovered, it was the same bidder, using a different handle trying to bid on all my coins and just my coins. I promply cancelled all of his bids, but he would reappear with a new handle and even new email addresses. WOW! Now I monitor and block all the zero feedback bidders from overseas(mideast). Does anyone know how to block ebay bidders from certain email destinations? Should I stay home and not answer the door? Should I crawl under the bed at night? True story.

TRUTH

Tonelover

I'd report him to safeharbor for whatever that's worth.

And avoid all contact, warnings, threats etc. He will go away eventually.

FC57Coins

Wow truth is stranger than fiction in this case. I agree - ignore him and he'll eventually go away. Makes you wonder if people out where he's at have too much time in their hands!

supercoin

Wow, are your coins that nice?

He must be pretty determined if he's registering for new accounts, doesn't that require entering a credit card each time? If so, eBay should (in theory) be able to block him from re-registering based on his credit card info.

Lotsatrout

If you go into the kitchen and find a rabbit boiling on your stove... look out!! He could be anywhere!! Auuuuggggghhhhhh!!!!!

Dog97

When you get the email from eBay that he's requested your contact info then you need to lock & load. No matter what you do he is gonna bother you till he gets it out of his system. Or worse.

ARCO

Well, perhaps you could change your icon so it is unrecognizable to this idiot. Now that may not be feasible if you have a loyal following on Ebay. Your name may change, but your good feedback won't

Tyler

keets

i wonder if he visits any of the forums?

a while back there was a seller who had a scam mercury auction going on, i think for a 16-D, and someone on the board caught him and started a thread about it. well, he musta been lurking here cause he e-mailed a few of us and i posted his message to me which illicited another e-mail threat. i responded and told him i was going to post his e-mail address so we all knew who he was and he suddenly dissappeared.

truth, why don't you let us know who your stalker is so we are at least aware of him as an eBay bidder to avoid.

al h.

truthteller

The coin was a turn of the century Russian ruble, no big deal, under $100. Strange thing though, he's more of a pest than scarey. I caught him using a fake id, then he bid using his real id. So I looked up his name under google.com. The search gave me his real office email(can you believe!), and he is a stock broker in a mideast former russian state!!! I use a PO BOX for an address on my ebay account, so no worries there. Yet, if he continues, I plan to email all his associates at work what an arse he his. I just hope none of these associates know Osama.

TRUTH

airplanenut

tell safeharbor... they should be able to block his IP (basically, his computer from their system)

dakra

This is going back about 9 months ago but I purchased a "travel crib" from someone on ebay who said it was brand new in the box. When I received it, it was brand old, scraped up...etc..etc, to which the seller said "must have happened during shipping!". I was ticked off and used an option to not allow that user id to bid on your auctions... I checked briefly but could not locate the option. You may want to search for it.

-David

Rob0126

Im sure if you let ebay know about the threats, I know they will be diligent to rid ebay of him.

I mean, threats shouldn't be taken lightly?

Robert

gemseeker

Wow, looks like that guy has a vendetta against anything you have on ebay. I guess he wanted that coin for some sentimental reason from Russia's past. But there are tons of russian rubles on sale from many foreign coin dealers. Was your sold at dirt cheap price? Maybe he knows something about your coin that makes it worth a lot in Russia ( or in the former provinces)? Since he keeps reregistering with a new handle, you may want ebay to investigate his accounts on ebay. Technically, it is the seller who has the final say as to what gets sold on any ebay auction. Sellers have cancelled auctions even after they have ended, so I am sure you won't get any negative feedback from ebay on this.

BBN

You should report him to Hamas for messing w/ infedels.

truthteller

The guy hasn't made any threats, just spurious non-bids. He's kinda bright, he uses free email addresses from different countries(lithiuania, estonia, and so on) to make it difficult for ebay to catch him before he strikes. But he's kinda dumb, he places bids on my coins way before they close, so I catch it everytime. I think his motive is to have me charged ebay fees. Kinda makes me feel like a CIA operative, outwitting the bad guy before the auction goes KABOOM!

TRUTH

Dog97

Worst case scenario is that he wins some auctions and immediately gives you a few negs at 1 time.

Rob0126

worst case scenario, we have a meteor shower tomorrow.

well, Im sure ebay can block him out. If he goes thru all this trouble, maybe he has a few issues that ebay can't solve.
Just make sure to state that you will not sell to this person, no matter how many times he bids, or changes his name.

Robert

Petescorner

Email the guy and tell him you've changed your mind and will sell him all the coins he wants. After he sends you payment, keep the money. Don't send the coins. Blame the lost coins on the post office. (No international insurance, right?) Neg him. Leave a follow up to his neg for you by saying something like "crazy *&%$ mid-east bidder!"

End results: You keep the cash and the coins. You get a neg that no one will pay attention to. He never bids on your auctions again.

Sounds wacky, but I had a friend selling record albums who had the exact same scenario.

-Dan

1956Quarter

Watch out for low flying aircraft.
Don't eat the Dates.
Beware, he may declare Jihad on you... OOOHHHH!!
Keep an eye open for camels parked nearby.
Don't open parcels that are waxy.
Be weary of skinny men in oversized coats.

ANACONDA

I'd re-contact the guy, tell him you've had a change of heart, and that you want to try to get him one of the pieces he was interested in and you'll sell it to him at 5% over your cost. (Then explain to him your concerns about shipping coins overseas.) Tell him you will try to accomodate him if he will bear the risk of loss and if he will be patient in allowing you to ascertain that the funds he has sent you are good. But be careful about taking advice from me; I've handled poisonous snakes, hitchhiked alone, I'm married and, last but not least, I'm an attorney.

The thing you have to worry about is him giving you a bunch of negative feedback, and the worry that that impending thing is going to cause you. The only reasonable way to keep him from doing that is to try and turn him into your friend. Challenging but not impossible.

adrian

gmarguli

See what problems you get when you deal in Darkside coins!!!

Add the original ID and all the new ones to your Blocked Bidder list.

Post his email address here. His inbox needs to be flooded with a few thousand emails a day.

coinfinder

Man, I can't believe that there is someone out ther who is that persistent! As the others said report him for what its worth and just ignore any e-mails he sends you.

Best of luck.

Michael

gsaguy

Perhaps Bin Ladin has finally surfaced!

GSAGUY

Gotta be some way to return the favor......talk to forum member monsterman....he's full of good ideas.

1jester

Truth, I'm sorry you're having such a hard time with a potentially serious problem. Anaconda, Petescorner & gmarguli (and others) have great ideas. I think it's better to be safe than sorry, and this guy seems to be pretty determined to at least screw you up, if not worse. Do you rememeber the thread about a month ago involving the murder threats from the Ukranian mafia? Don't take that lightly. Get in touch with the FBI or NSA, too. Good luck.

Rob0126

yes. death threats are no joke. Just look at the president. If you threaten him, you goto jail, even if you were kidding.

Robert

1jester

It's SOP for Communists/Socialists to threaten people to get what they want. And they think that's normal and acceptable behavior.

shirohniichan

What a pain to endure from someone who's unwilling to follow your clearly written rules. I'd ignore him and block the new names he comes up with.