Reporting a buyer for threats and harrassment?

[jokabofe]

I can't seem to find a way to report someone for threatening to "take a trip to NJ and come find me" because I wouldn't do something they asked about? Does eBay no longer care about members threatening other members? I know that it says to contact local law enforcement but I don't think giving the local police a screen name will be of any use. I've tried to contact eBay via phone to get this members' name and identity so that I CAN file a police report but I was told I can not have that information. Not sure the police will take me seriously when I tell them the seller threatened to visit me (not the actual members name but you see what I'm saying).

[duchess-at-speakeasy]

If this person is actually your buyer -- high bidder or purchased outright via BIN -- you can use the "report a buyer" link on the Feedback screen. If not, then I suggest you ignore the so-called threat and block the user ID from bidding or buying. Really, it's that simple!

Oh, and don't even think of requesting contact information! Doing so means the other party also gets YOUR contact information!!!

~~C~~

[rainbowcolorz]

duchess-at-speakeasy wrote:
If this person is actually your buyer -- high bidder or purchased outright via BIN -- you can use the "report a buyer" link on the Feedback screen. If not, then I suggest you ignore the so-called threat and block the user ID from bidding or buying. Really, it's that simple!

Oh, and don't even think of requesting contact information! Doing so means the other party also gets YOUR contact information!!!

~~C~~

@duchess-at-speakeasy, I never knew that requesting another members' contact info meant eBay would automatically send it to the person whose info was not requested until I read it somewhere.

I'm not sure if I agree or disagree with eBay's policy to automatically let the other person know who is asking about them but I think this may also happen on those sites where someone pays to have another person's background info - for whatever reason.   They send the inquirer's info to the "alleged" offender as well.   <shrug>  

That aside, I read some of the OPs fbks and it really bothers me that eBay will allow new, obviously inexperienced buyers who have little to no reading comprehension to leave a neg for a good seller who clearly states all necessary info in her/his listing description and to top that off, eBay will not expose that buyer's ID any longer, to everyone so others can protect themselves if they so choose!!!  

[jokabofe]

Well this person did not purchase anything from me. He/she contacted me to inquire about an item I was selling.  I make mostly custom cast items for creating your own action figures. A lot of people in this hobby don't understand the difference between a cast and a sculpt. A sculpt is an original creation. A cast is a copy of an existing item. People contact me and ask if I can cast them original pieces and I need to explain to them (in more detail than above) the difference between casting and sculpting. I'm a caster, not a sculptor. This person didn't like the way I explained the difference and told me that since he was a truck driver, he could bid on a route that came up to my area and visit me to get a better explanation. That feels like a threat to me.

I did block him but somehow he is still able to contact me. He continues to ask me if I can make something for him and even though I don't answer, he continues to contact me. Not sure what else I can do at this point.

[rainbowcolorz]

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@jokabofe wrote:

Well this person did not purchase anything from me. He/she contacted me to inquire about an item I was selling.  I make mostly custom cast items for creating your own action figures. A lot of people in this hobby don't understand the difference between a cast and a sculpt. A sculpt is an original creation. A cast is a copy of an existing item. People contact me and ask if I can cast them original pieces and I need to explain to them (in more detail than above) the difference between casting and sculpting. I'm a caster, not a sculptor. This person didn't like the way I explained the difference and told me that since he was a truck driver, he could bid on a route that came up to my area and visit me to get a better explanation. That feels like a threat to me.

I did block him but somehow he is still able to contact me. He continues to ask me if I can make something for him and even though I don't answer, he continues to contact me. Not sure what else I can do at this point.

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@jokabofe, yes I completely understand what you sell and what you do.   I read the descriptions in some of your listings.  Your neg fb buyer apparently did not.   Thus the red donut he/she left.  Not right (IMO).   But *I* think you handled it well.  

As for this truck driver, I guess he is not a seller?  

Someone with more knowledge about how to prevent someone from messaging you may hopefully come by to give you some help.  

[a_c_green]

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@jokabofe wrote:

This person didn't like the way I explained the difference and told me that since he was a truck driver, he could bid on a route that came up to my area and visit me to get a better explanation. That feels like a threat to me.

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Agreed, but how that rocket scientist plans to find you without actually knowing your name and address is unclear. If he requested it from eBay (which I don't think he can obtain without at least bidding on something of yours first), then you would get his at the same time, and you'd be able to make your police report at that point if things seemed to be getting serious.

I wouldn't worry about it, really. Be sure to put him on your Blocked Bidder List (here), and ignore any and all future messages from him. 

P.S. I know that in the past, you couldn't get the other party's info without at least bidding on their item first, because there were reports of patent trolls, private detectives and such who would place a bid, get the seller's info and promptly retract their bid afterward, simply to get the seller's Real Life contact information. That may have been tightened up (I'm not sure) to now require an actual purchase before the contact info can be obtained in that manner.

[annindallas]

Where's the threat? He wants to visit your studio.

I know what a sculpture is.

I know what a mold is.

I know what a cast is.

I also know that the word "custom", is used to mean something is made specifically to a customer's requests.

You have to be careful with words. They have real meanings. Explain that you pour resin (?) into a mold to make tiny action figure heads. Maybe show the mold.

Those listings confused me. You keep talking about a three inch weapon. Where's the three inch weapon?

Plenty of words. Very little facts. Like this:

"eBay usually always sometimes invariably more often than not when there is no full moon on alternate days that have no y in them gets the job done"

[jokabofe]

Here is the message he sent me. You tell me if this sounds like a threat to you:

Look here dude, idk what ur issue is and ur attitude is about but when somebody writes u and gives ur a compliment about ur work I say thanx not come bk at an like a **bleep**. That could b that new jersey up north **bleep** which if it is cool, but leave that up north. Here n cincy ppl get found for things like that. Now, I do drive trucks for a living and if u want me to come to u to have a personal conversation just let me kno and I can take a bid on a new jersey job and b up there no later than next wk. And just to let u kno that black panther weres a helmet. Watch any movie or read any comic and u will c, u had the helmet, not the head idiot. One more time, if u have a issue maybe I can come to XXXXX  ln in new jersey and help I find it. Let me kno what u about

Now, in the message the part that I have "XXXXX" is my street. Not sure how he got that info but he knows where I live.

[rainbowcolorz]

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@annindallas wrote:

Where's the threat? He wants to visit your studio.

I know what a sculpture is.

I know what a mold is.

I know what a cast is.

I also know that the word "custom", is used to mean something is made specifically to a customer's requests.

You have to be careful with words. They have real meanings. Explain that you pour resin (?) into a mold to make tiny action figure heads. Maybe show the mold.

Those listings confused me. You keep talking about a three inch weapon. Where's the three inch weapon?

Plenty of words. Very little facts. Like this:

"eBay usually always sometimes invariably more often than not when there is no full moon on alternate days that have no y in them gets the job done"

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@annindallas, so you don't think people who are looking specifically to purchase a custom made sculpture don't know the item is made by pouring a substance into a mold?    She has an incredible amount of  very detailed information in each listing.  At least I think she does.  

If I were interested in buying a custom made sculpture and didn't see the info I needed in order to make the purchase, I would click the Ask Seller a Question button.   I would not suggest driving to her studio to help her with anything.  But that's just me.  

[rainbowcolorz]

@jokabofe, my goodness!!  That looks like something *I* would not want to receive from ANYONE.  Have you called eBay to ask how this truck driver got your STREET address???  

Is he a seller??  

[jokabofe]

@rainbowcolorz"she" is a "he" lol. I didn't ask them how he got that info. He really just has my street name but I live on a street that's only 2 blocks long so it wouldn't be too hard to find out where I lived.

[llllady]

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@jokabofe wrote:

Here is the message he sent me. You tell me if this sounds like a threat to you:

Look here dude, idk what ur issue is and ur attitude is about but when somebody writes u and gives ur a compliment about ur work I say thanx not come bk at an like a **bleep**. That could b that new jersey up north **bleep** which if it is cool, but leave that up north. Here n cincy ppl get found for things like that. Now, I do drive trucks for a living and if u want me to come to u to have a personal conversation just let me kno and I can take a bid on a new jersey job and b up there no later than next wk. And just to let u kno that black panther weres a helmet. Watch any movie or read any comic and u will c, u had the helmet, not the head idiot. One more time, if u have a issue maybe I can come to XXXXX  ln in new jersey and help I find it. Let me kno what u about

Now, in the message the part that I have "XXXXX" is my street. Not sure how he got that info but he knows where I live.

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Do you sell on other sites where this information might be more readily available?   You are selling kind of specialized items, so did he perhaps put 2+2 together and search you out?

How do YOU think he got your street name?

In any event, I would try calling eBay and requesting specifically to talk to Trust & Safety to see if you can make some headway there.

I would think if you did contact law enforcement, law enforcement would be able to obtain the information from eBay that you cannot. 

[rainbowcolorz]

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@jokabofe wrote:

@rainbowcolorz"she" is a "he" lol. I didn't ask them how he got that info. He really just has my street name but I live on a street that's only 2 blocks long so it wouldn't be too hard to find out where I lived.

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@jokabofe, ahhh ... so sorry!   Do you have a moustache, beard and muscles?  lol

How did he get your STREET NAME?  I can't get that info simply by looking at your listings.  At least, I don't think I can.

I'll be back.  

[deep-garnet-red]

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@jokabofe wrote:

Here is the message he sent me. You tell me if this sounds like a threat to you:

Look here dude, idk what ur issue is and ur attitude is about but when somebody writes u and gives ur a compliment about ur work I say thanx not come bk at an like a **bleep**. That could b that new jersey up north **bleep** which if it is cool, but leave that up north. Here n cincy ppl get found for things like that. Now, I do drive trucks for a living and if u want me to come to u to have a personal conversation just let me kno and I can take a bid on a new jersey job and b up there no later than next wk. And just to let u kno that black panther weres a helmet. Watch any movie or read any comic and u will c, u had the helmet, not the head idiot. One more time, if u have a issue maybe I can come to XXXXX  ln in new jersey and help I find it. Let me kno what u about

Now, in the message the part that I have "XXXXX" is my street. Not sure how he got that info but he knows where I live.

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Really that just sounds like an idiot blowing off some steam.  Since when is Ohio not up north? LOL

When you add someone to your blocked list there is an option to block messages as well. Apprently you missed that. 

While I would probably have fun taunting such a person, you will probably just want to ignore them. 

[rainbowcolorz]

OK, I see now how he MIGHT have gotten your info. Not sure I should post it here.