Accused of shill bidding? Help?

[falloutbeeb]

Hello,

I'm pretty new to this forum but I was hoping I could get some help on this matter.

I recently finished an auction for a cosplay and long story short, a minor bid on my auction using their parent's (I'm assuming) account, and then contacted me on social media begging for me to cancel their bids as they didn't have the funds to pay. This was within the last 5 hours of the auction and it looked like they were going to win the auction. As an attempt to not further escalate the situation, I cancelled the bids and let the auction run its course.

The actual auction winner, after being sent an invoice to pay, is now refusing to pay and is accusing me of shill bidding on my own auction with a seperate account. I offered to provide proof of the conversation between me and the minor who needed their bids cancelled, but the winner refused and began being increasingly rude and difficult to work with, calling my claim "**bleep**" and "that I knew it", along with calling me a scammer and a liar.

The auction winner has now been talking about how they're going to report both my account and the cancelled bid account. I called Ebay customer service and asked what I could do in this situation, and the response was basically that "I shouldn't worry and that nothing will happen to my account", but I'm still afraid and pretty stressed out that my account could be disabled, etc.

In short, I'm afraid that I may still get in trouble with Ebay for this. I have reported the auction winner for harassment and am planning to call customer service again. I would really love to get some help on what to do in this situation and if anyone here has experienced this before.

If necessary, I can provide all proof of messages pertaining to this.

Thank you.

[partial*eclipse]

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@jonathankirkland wrote:

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@campesinoplastic2014 wrote:

This is especially important, if I am correct. I have heard, on various occaisions that the second highest bidder is extremely suspicious if the high bidder abducates. I would not be surpised if this is very accuarate, considering the lack of overall trust on this venue.

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Yes, and not only that, but there is such a lack of paying bidders lately that in my case as a buyer, whenever I win as a "2nd chance", I become suspcious ....

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But that's not the situation here.

There was no SCO. This is about a bid that was canceled by the seller before the auction ended.

Furthermore, the canceled bid was placed after the winner's bid was placed.  And it was canceled just a couple of hours before the ended.  Thus it could even be seen as bid shielding that benefited the eventual winner: While that bid was up, it inflated the high bid showing, possibly driving away potential competing bids. It certainly did nothing to inflate the final selling price.

[luckythewinner]

First - understand that it does look suspicious to some buyers when bids are canceled late in an auction. That is just a fact of life,and nothing you can say will make then feel better. 

Second, bids are canceled on eBay all the time, and you have a chain of messages proving you were asked to do it. You have nothing to worry about. 

But I would put this buyer on your blocked buyer list, because the chance of him retaliating is low but it is real. 

[castlemagicmemories]

It could be your young buyer used his parent's account without their permission and thought better of it, hence the request to cancel.

Or it could mean an impulsive bid without the funds to back it up.

Or a bid for something they changed their mind on.

Or they did not read the description before bidding.

Many threads on the Buying Board start out with, I bid, and then I realized...

Many don't see or understand what a bid is a binding contract means.

Sorry that opened you to abuse from the winner.

You could report the bidder who contact you via Facebook for cancellation, for auction interference.

[bluetomahawk80]

The minor is 15 years old?  How old?

[bluetomahawk80]

Impulse.

[bluetomahawk80]

I am sure eBay is not looking the other way.

[bluetomahawk80]

Without working with the Buyer before blocking.  That is wrong.

[bluetomahawk80]

Not if the Buyer states that if the Seller decides not to.  It would still be okay to continue with the auction.

[bluetomahawk80]

Why?  Wasn't the Seller generous in all other transactions with the Buyer.

[bluetomahawk80]

Impulse.  I already answered that.

[bluetomahawk80]

Exactly. The Bidder is ignorant of this.

[bluetomahawk80]

I have a family and a real job.  Why would I scam?  My money is being manipulated.

[kh-ornesh]

Hi everyone,

Due to the length of time that has passed since this thread began, we have locked it from future replies. If this is still an issue that warrants discussion, don't hesitate to begin a new thread HERE.

Thanks.