Fake bids

[spreading-joy-through-art]

Hi all, I have experienced a bidder 2 weeks ago that bid left feedback and stated they've submitted payment. Won't answer emails so now I have reported them to ebay. Also this week I just received an email from a bidder who claims that they did not bid on my item and someone stole their password. I suggested that they contact ebay for a bid retraction. My reason for this post is to "get the word out" and maybe watch for trends. I am not really sure if this is common? I haven't really ever seen it before. Both of these bidders didn't have any current feedback and I am not sure why it is happening. My aceos aren't expensive either. Thanks and I hope your sales go a little smoother than mine. I have blocked the first bidder and when the 2nd one gets their bid retracted I will be blocking them too. Thanks for your time, Joy

[artistjillian]

I have heard this story from someone else this week, also. I have heard of this happening a couple of years ago. Thank you for the heads-up on this one. I'm not sure what is going on. -- ~Jillian artist, Jillian Crider ... google me!

[artistjillian]

Actually, I just checked one of mine that has 'payment sent' on it. And it is a customer with 3 feedback. I haven't received the money. The item closed on 3/16 (10 days ago). I thought that the symbol meant that it was waiting clearance, but I haven't had a PayPal notification (thought I'd missed it, maybe), and I haven't heard from the buyer. Guess I'm probably in the same boat, then? I'll pursue mine. Your buyer doesn't happen to have 2 ladies' names as part of their id, does it? Thanks. This situation might be more common than we think. I wonder if we can claim a NPB if the buyer has marked it as paid? *sigh* -- ~Jillian artist, Jillian Crider ... google me!

[artistjillian]

What I do have to say, is that in the past 3 months, I haven't listed very many items - but I have had THREE buyers who haven't paid in a timely manner. This is EXTRAORDINARY. As have never had this happen with this frequency before. It was a very rare occurrence - out of my thousands of transactions (many more than my feedback shows), I probably have had less than 10, EVER. And 10 would be a HIGH guess. This is since around 2001 - 8 years. Two of those 3 did end up paying, and all was completed without any hassles. The third is same as my post, above. So don't know what the outcome of that is. This current one is the only one where the buyer has marked it as payment sent, though. Interesting. Any more out there got this issue too? -- ~Jillian artist, Jillian Crider ... google me!

[artistjillian]

Just checked that buyer's feedback (3), and their feedback is all for sales they have made this month. So seems OK. Though they have never bought an ACEO before, or ANY art. They have 2 items they are currently selling, and both offer PayPal. I'll see if they respond to my email this time. -- ~Jillian artist, Jillian Crider ... google me!

[spreading-joy-through-art]

Hi Jillian, The buyer who submitted the payment and left feedback has a male name and a plant. When I set up my Ebay account it wouldn't let me put my address in because it was of Paypal being the only form of payment being used. I too thought maybe the sent it through Paypal but there is always an email paper trail. I hope it works out in your favor. Joy :-x -- Edited by spreading-joy-through-art at 03/26/2009 8:28 PM PDT

[artistjillian]

Thanks Joy. I hope so, too. I'm too trusting. But I'll follow more closely after your warning. So far I haven't heard anything back. *sigh* -- ~Jillian artist, Jillian Crider ... google me!

[1craftynotion]

It happened to me a couple of weeks ago. 3 auctions for aceos ended on sunday with 3 different buyers. Ebay notified me about canceling 2 auctions because the accounts were hacked, the third I had to file, these all marked payment sent within an hour after the auction ended. I definitely think something is going on, I have been on ebay for almost 6yrs now and have never had this happen before. Tammy

[artistjillian]

Thanks Tammy for sharing what's happened to you. All so strange. -- ~Jillian artist, Jillian Crider ... google me!

[artistjillian]

Well, my buyer paid today, with a note saying sorry they were new to this. Strange that it was marked 'paid', as they paid by PayPal today, so there is no way they paid previously. -- ~Jillian artist, Jillian Crider ... google me!

[spreading-joy-through-art]

I have bids on everything I have on sale. This is not common for me. Every single bidder's name starts with an "A" and they all have little to no feedback in the last year. I have emailed all of them with a nice note that we are seeing a "trend" of bidders with low feedback bidding on items and not following through on the transactions. I also stated that if I do not hear back from them I will cancel their bids. Is this something that can be brought up Ebay? Or is too small and they are to big to do anything? Also I wonder if it has something to do with .01 sale of "have your listings seen by UK" Ebay deal that opened me up to this?

[poozybear]

Strange that it was marked 'paid', as they paid by PayPal today, so there is no way they paid previously. I've had several items marked paid, with the "Print a Label" link showing up, on people who haven't paid. -- Kathy

[1craftynotion]

(I have bids on everything I have on sale. This is not common for me. Every single bidder's name starts with an "A" and they all have little to no feedback in the last year.) I would definitely cancel the bids if they do not respond back to your email. 2 of mine started with an A (german sounding) the other started with a T and is no longer active. Ebay refunded my FVF but not my auction fee.:( Tammy

[jjohnsonlowe]

I've got a buyer who paid RIGHT away -- I went to print the shipping label -- and Paypal says that the zip code is wrong. So, I have contacted the buyer -- TWICE -- no response, yet. I don't want to mail UNTIL I'm sure of the RIGHT zip code -- so, this will probably "ding" my star for "shipping speed" -- arrrrrggghhhhhh!!!!! -- ~jana

[spreading-joy-through-art]

Thanks Tammy, in my email I gave a time frame and will be (more than likely) cancelling the bids. Jana you can go to USPS and look up zip codes if you don't get a response soon.