The Steiners speak up about eBay harassment

[nobody*s_perfect]

David and Ina Steiner started selling on eBay in 1999. To share their expertise, they founded an online newsletter called AuctionBytes. It's now known as "EcommerceBytes," a newsletter about online commerce including eBay. Of course, the stories often aren't flattering.

Several eBay employees seriously harassed and threatened the Steiners back in 2019, and the cases against the former eBay employees are working their way through the courts.  The Boston Globe has an extensive article in which the Steiners discuss their experience and their side of the case.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/07/31/business/it-has-be-known-what-was-done-us-natick-couple-haras...

[jimsvinylvault]

Simply put......WOW, what an article.  Thanks for sharing it.

[fab_finds4u]

This post is like beating a dead horse. Old OLD OLD  news.  Many threads. eBay fired all of their asses when they found out.

[vintagecraze50]

The people involved in this scandal are getting exactly what they deserve for participating in this incredibly stupid attack on these people. If I were them, I would be having panic attacks the rest of my life. This was a cruel and completely crazy thing that I hope would never happen again to anybody anywhere. But the corporate world is full of rich corps who will stop at nothing to get what they want. I have heard worse stories elsewhere and these people got away with this corporate terrorism. It has to stop for sure.

[chapeau-noir]

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@fab_finds4u wrote:

This post is like beating a dead horse. Old OLD OLD  news.  Many threads. eBay fired all of their asses when they found out.

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This has come up again because in the last few weeks the Steiners have prosecuted plus I believe there has been a recent sentencing.

[fab_finds4u]

The criminal charges are not new. What recently came to light was the civil lawsuit against eBay, Inc.  They should go after the individuals that harassed them and those who acted on their own or conspired with others to commit the criminal acts.  

Reminds me of people that want to hold eBay responsible because they were scammed out of  gift cards.  They didn't understand it wasn't eBay that scammed them.

[downunder-61]

But then they wouldn't get as much money out of the individuals as they would get from eBay.

[inhawaii]

I absolutely HATE to read but that was a good read.  Thanks!    😃

[dbfolks166mt]

You are correct about the sentencing which is not old news.  Philip Cooke was sentenced on 27 July. The other six that pleaded guilty are scheduled to be sentenced in late September. 

https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/former-ebay-employee-sentenced-role-aggressive-cyberstalking-camp...

[vintagecraze50]

Yes, they should, and the whole plan was just so poorly executed. Hard to believe entirely that the top executives would have even gave that plan a glimpse. Way too risky.

[dbfolks166mt]

The story is not that old and the recent sentencing of the first individual was just released on 27 July, 2021.  

https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/former-ebay-employee-sentenced-role-aggressive-cyberstalking-camp...

[vintagecraze50]

Well yes of course. Getting money from two young girls and the rest would be futile.

[dbfolks166mt]

     They have done both but ultimately it is the company that is responsible for the actions of their employees with regards to the operation of their business. As with most corporate or other organizational legal actions there are two separate and distinct pieces: the criminal actions of the individual employees, and the liability action against the company or the organization. Even governmental suits and fines against corporations or organizations are against the overall entity not individual people. 

     What is really criminal is the fact that the former CEO Wenig, who resigned in 2019, received a $57 million compensation package as part of the severance deal. 

[chapeau-noir]

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@fab_finds4u wrote:

The criminal charges are not new. What recently came to light was the civil lawsuit against eBay, Inc.  They should go after the individuals that harassed them and those who acted on their own or conspired with others to commit the criminal acts.  

Reminds me of people that want to hold eBay responsible because they were scammed out of  gift cards.  They didn't understand it wasn't eBay that scammed them.

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I thought that's what I said. 

And it was done under Wenig's watch - of course there is corp responsibility.  

[gracieallen01]

Just curious, but does anybody have some reason to believe or proof that ebay, the entity and/or people who run the company, had absolutely no knowledge of and/or involvement in what took place?  I mean, was this something like those involved getting together over drinks and one saying, 'Say, I've got a fun idea that we can do on our off-time, and have a road trip, too'.  If ebay is innocent of any wrongdoing, let them have their rightful day in court, just like any other person in the country is supposed to be allowed (including the Steiners).