What would you do?

NickM · December 22, 2003 8:51AM

Someone I know in real life, who I didn't even know was a card collector until I ran across one of his auctions, is shilling on his auctions. He's not too good about it - he once left himself feedback less than 2 minutes after the auction closed, he used his real first name in the shill bidder name, the shill account has bid on 32 of his auctions but none of anyone else's, and he's reauctioning a card his shill account won last week.

He happens to be the boyfriend of a close friend of mine, and I know he's helping her through a bad financial time.

I am torn on whether to report him to eBay.

Any advice?

Nick

KallMaloneSay · December 22, 2003 8:55AM

Don't report him, Kill him!

Woo-ha-ha-ha-ha!

BowChromeProspects · December 22, 2003 9:01AM

Don't report him...if he sucks that bad at it, eBay will catch him or someone else will report him...

2323 · December 22, 2003 9:27AM

Why don't you ask Jared?

NickM- Jared, would you report a friend for shilling in an ebay auction? Help, what would you do?

Jared- Well NickM, I would not report a friend for shilling because friends don't do that, I would instead go to Subway and get a grilled chicken Vinagrette sub.

shouldabeena10 · December 22, 2003 9:49AM

Nick

Try using the "ask a seller a question" feature (under an alias) and call him out on it... warn him that you are going to keep an eye on his auctions. Maybe he'll get "scared straight" once he see's someone is paying attention?

This way you can give him a chance to go straight, keep your identity concealed, not betray a friend, and maybe get rid of one more bad guy on eBay.

Mike

PistolPete · December 22, 2003 10:02AM

I'd report him based on principle. Somebody who has been waiting for awhile for that particular item may end up paying alot more than if there had been no shilling. I've spent more than I should have on certain rare cards in the past, the kind I know I would not find again for years. It would tick me off to no end if I discovered that I had basically lost alot of money because the seller jacked his price up through shill bidding.

koby · December 22, 2003 10:18AM

Report him.

bowlking · December 22, 2003 10:21AM

Definitely report him. Financial distress happens to everyone, most people don't do something illegal or immoral because of it. If the extra ebay cash doesn't cure the problem and he commits armed robbery for her, would you still hide it? You will be doing him and the rest of us ebay users a favor by ending it now.

ydsotter · December 22, 2003 7:39PM

You know what they do to rats in prison?

seriously... if he's a good enough of a guy to be your friend's friend's friend... then I wouldn't report him.

beefcake210 · December 23, 2003 12:16AM

That's like the time when I ran across this girl on the Internet, who I knew in real life. She had a website up and was soliciting! And wasn't even charging enough! It was a real moral dilemma what I should do - report her to the police, confront her, didn't know what to do. So I ended up making an appointment.

jrinck · December 23, 2003 1:48AM

I just had a similar dilemma. An "Ebay newbie" friend of mine called me and asked me to "bid up" some items for her because she forgot to put a reserve on them. Your first thoughts are always to help your friend, but I decided to educate her about shilling, going so far as to email her the link to Ebay's page where they talk about the dangerous ramifications of shilling. Besides, she only has an "11" feedback, and I have "159". I had much more to risk than she did.

I told her simply to cancel the auctions and relist, but she seemed unwilling to do that. She hinted that she'd ask her brother-in-law to do the shilling. Being that I felt I said my peace, I just let it go. Did they shill, or didn't they? I have no idea, but I warned her that if you shill, and accidentally win, then relist soon after, that the underbidders might notice and complain. We'll see what happens.

Rainman · December 23, 2003 3:07AM

I'd report him based on principle, but would consider telling him first. We all have had (or likely will have) rough times $ and/or otherwise in our lives. If people turn a blind eye b/c it's their employer, friend, lover, etc., our society will continue to decline morally (see Enron etc.). Only when people get called on their actions do they change. Not to mention I like to follow what my grandpa told me: "At the end of your day, you want to be able to look in the mirror and know that you were as honest as you could be- and that includes stepping in when you see others being dishonest."

Just my 2 cents.

Davino · December 23, 2003 2:34PM

I would tell him that you've noticed and he should stop because it's a serious "crime" that will get him booted. Then, if he continues report him...

RedRomad275 · December 24, 2003 12:47AM

I believe what he is doing is wrong. Knowing the person changes things though. How good of a friend is this to you? Is it worth losing? I would go to the person and present the info that you have and ask them to knock it off or get reported. If they do then great but if not then report them. You might end up losing a friend but you are doing a service to all EBayers.

PeterAldridge · December 24, 2003 6:17AM

do not report him. instead tell the girlfriend what a punk he is. if he lies, cheats and steals on ebay, the he will with her too.

DeutscherGeist · December 25, 2003 7:43PM

Confront the guy first and tell him that he will get caught because of the trail of red flags he is leaving behind. Say you are warning him for his own good because ebay patrols for bidding abnormalities. Hopefully that will scare him straight without having to threaten a report or anything confrontational.

Personally, a friend that cheats is no friend of mine because if they are not strong enough to do the right thing all the time, it is likely they will cheat you when given a clear opportunity. This is what they mean in the old saying "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer."

DeutscherGeist · December 25, 2003 7:46PM

Ydsotter,

I am kind of surprised at your answer. This dilemma is similar to what you confront everyday with your students. Don't you want a student to come forward when they see another student put staples in your coffee? Let's just say I was glad to have another pair of eyes in class when I taught middle school.