This is one for the record books, guys. Maniac created/used 6 accounts to retaliate for negative FB

[jacevoid]

I want to start out by saying that the ONLY reason I am posting this is as a WARNING to anyone who thinks eBay will protect their account in any way from retaliatory activity, and to TAKE PEOPLES' ADVICE ON HERE AND USE A SECOND ACCOUNT FOR BUYING!!! Here is my almost month long ordeal of dealing with a real, live psychopath on eBay.

Sorry in advance for how long this is, because of all the twists and turns and how long it's been going on:

Anyway, here goes. October 29th, purchased a listing for some Microsoft software I planned to resell on eBay. A few minutes later, my order was canceled. Sent email asking why my order was canceled, and promptly received brusque reply: "I don't sell to resellers". OK, based on my experienced, that is 99% proof he is selling counterfeits.  I replied back to that effect and did not hear anything back.

Against my better judgment, later that afternoon, I left negative feedback to the effect of "seller canceled order with bogus excuse, probably selling fakes, F-".

A couple hours later that same evening, received a order of one my cheapest store items (older version of Adobe Photoshop Elements for 19.99 with free shipping). Let's say your ship to name on your buying side of eBay was your business name, like Acme Inc, instead of using your personal name. Well, this brand new buyer's ID was basically "AcmeIncsuucks" (looks like he threw a couple extra U's in there to avoid profanity filters). The only way for him to have gotten that "Acme Inc" name was to have sold something to me, namely that order he canceled earlier under his main seller account ID.

So anyway, I knew what was going on now (obviously). I waited, and then shortly afterwards, he requested a cancellation, which I granted. I think what he was planning was to order an item, request and get cancellation, and then leave negative feedback. Apparently he was unaware that this is not allowed when the buyer initiates the cancel request, but he learned quickly, as he never tried it again.

That ID was suspended at some point, I believe by eBay's automated systems (not by a real person).

Over the next week, using his REAL first name every time and a variety of made up last names, he proceeded to order more Elements software and have them ALL shipped to the same address, which was the address on that "AcmeIncsuucks" ID as well, btw. He wasn't even trying to hide, truth be told. He was just trying to avoid auto suspensions from eBay's system. For example, let's say his name was Fred. Well, one of his buying ID's used the name "Fred Frederick". He works at a subsidiary of a very well known, large HMO in Minnesota. Several of his ID's used last names made up from his company's name, like "Fred Humana", for example. The phone numbers were all just stolen out of the yellow pages, some of them from local business a couple miles from where I live. He also even used personal info like my LLC name in one of his buyer ID's.

On top of that, two of those ID's had positive feedbacks left buy the same seller that stated "won and never paid". The other three ID's had penny auction positive feedback from the SAME SELLER in NY, some jewelry dealer. Like I said, he wasn't even really trying to hide what he was doing.

At this point, I pretty much knew what was going to happen and I was talking to eBay constantly in a state of panic. All the reps said don't worry, we know what's going on, we agree this is not right, we'll take care of it. Needless to say, after "AcmeIncsuucks" was suspended, NO other action was taken on his made up accounts.

I want to point out that not all of these accounts were brand new ones. I believe two of them were literally 5 years old, like he kept them in storage in case he needed to wreak havoc with anyone.

So then the return requests started. All of them claiming the item was counterfeit, all written in the same manner (as if by the same person, obviously). Five in total. I was talking to eBay supervisors and reps several times a day. All said we're taking care of it, we're filing reports with Trust & Safety backend, etc etc. At one point, a supervisor actually got TWO of his buying ID's suspended, ONLY TO HAVE THOSE ID'S GET COMPLETELY REINSTATED A FEW HOURS LATER.

Also, around this time, HE GOT THE FEEDBACK I INITIALLY LEFT REMOVED, and I got a WARNING for feedback extortion (!!!). All the people I spoke to at eBay could not tell me why it happened except to say it should not have happened and the feedback I left was totally fine and compliant with eBay rules.

Around now, I got three escalations on three of those returns, all of which were naturally approved minutes later. He never even had to send these ones back, just got a full refund to his fake accounts and kept the items.

The chilling thing about these returns was the cordial, almost conversational tone in the buyer messages. Like you were talking to someone at the coffee stand you buy coffee from every morning. The returns even used phrases like "good evening". It distinctly reminded me of a movie where the bad guy is very polite and cordial until he slits someone's throat because of some minor thing they did to displease him.

I had it at this point. I hired an attorney and had a cease & desist letter created and mailed to his work address (where he was having the fake buyer ID's registered), and his actual home address, which wasn't hard to find. I also consulted a harassment attorney in case more action was needed. Total cost for this: $1600.

I did this to prevent negative feedbacks from being left, and it worked. He didn't do any of that and didn't create more ID's, but he did persist on the returns and got one more escalated (I did not approve that one because one supervisor said that particular return wouldn't be covered anyway under buyer protection, but it was bad info).

So yep at this point, NO ACTION  has been taken against any of these ID's, they are all still active and very obviously the same person (even a two year old could figure this out). My warning to you all: EBAY DOESN'T GIVE A FLYING YOU KNOW WHAT. 3k in fees every month and they just let this psychopath do whatever he wants while they lie to you on the phone and promise to take action and take care of it. About the only think eBay actually did was remove the defects for the escalated cases.

So yep I've talked to what seems like every single person at eBay, I have escalated to a dozen different "backend" departments, I have reached out to eBay's social media team (of course, they promised an investigation etc etc). Not a single thing has been done so far, all his ID's are perfectly fine as far as I can see. Ironically, if you google the ID that started all this, the one I bought from, the only result that comes up is a blog post warning people not to buy from him because he sells fake USB flash drives.

[jacevoid]

And yes, I am going to create a new buyer's account for buying only (only unlike the person who messed with me, it will be in real information, etc). And no, this is not to go "leave negative feedback for everyone in sight" like some people here have claimed. I'm not much of a negative feedback leaver in the first place. Frankly, I am starting to worry that just opening a return might trigger the wrong lunatic.

PS, I actually rarely accidentally buy fakes because I can almost always spot them. Yep, I plan to just walk away in the future if it's iffy. Like you said, not worth it over the stress and the potential to spend over a grand on a lawyer.

But I lost my cool in this case and got smacked hard. I should have known from the rude way the guy replied to my message that he should be left alone. Discretion is the better part of valor.

[jacevoid]

On the subject of your Windows 10:

 do you still have the listing URL, or is it not allowed to post that?

I'm not aware of Windows 10 EVER being distributed on disc in developed countries. It comes on a USB flash drive. If you can post a photo of what you have, I can likely tell you whether it's real or not.

Also, Windows 10 passwords are typically your Microsoft account password. Just reset that and you should be good, unless you're referring to a Bitlocker password instead.

[ersatz_sobriquet]

I set up the puter for my mother with Alzheimer's so that she couldn't mess with settings. It's so locked down I doubt a pro could get into the thing, because a security pro set it up and I don't talk to them anymore. I don't have the admin password and it's set up for a user with no rights whatsoever. 

[jacevoid]

So you have a guest account for her, with a lost admin password. Makes sense that'd you'd want to wipe it; easiest way to move forward.

If there are files you want to recover, you can stick the hard drive into an enclosure and access them, unless the drive was encrypted, in which case it's hopeless. You can also install Windows 10 without deleting the previous OS. It puts it in a folder called windows.old, along with all the files you made. This will not generally interfere with your Windows 10 install, as the old operating system is made inert by the 10 installer.

If you already had Windows 10 on there, I do NOT believe this option is available, only a clean install. But I could be wrong. I mostly work with Windows 7 and Windows 10 is only on my newest laptop, but it's just fooling around stuff like playing games and watching netflix. No under the hood work like changing settings, which is REALLY aggravating on Windows 10.

[ersatz_sobriquet]

No files I want to recover, she was playing cards and that's about it. It's a windows 7 puter with pro on top of it. 

[jacevoid]

Ah. Windows 10 will work fine then, but change the start menu to the classic 7 type with a free piece of software called "classic start menu", if she is used to the old menu style. The Metro interface is confusing as heck.

[blazebird]

This is criminal.  I would send copies of this thread to his local law enforcement & every news outlet in his area!

[jacevoid]

This is criminal. I would send copies of this thread to his local law enforcement & every news outlet in his area!

The reality is that this would actually get me in more trouble than he would ever face. Harassment is an interesting thing, according to the harassment attorney I spoke to (separately from the cease & desist guy, just in case the c&d didn't do the trick).

Cops aren't really all that aware of the laws for this stuff, and tend to ignore regular folk complaining about being harassed by another regular person. That's how people who were reported persistently over a period of years end up blowing up one day, shooting up a store, and everyone acts like no one knew a thing.

The local LEO where this joker lives told me I need to provide a police report from my own local LEO agency, which is known more for its incompetence and endless scandals over affairs than for its service. I called them, knowing I was wasting my time, and was told outright over the phone that a report wouldn't even be taken, just an incident number saying I called them. 

On top of that, as the C&D attorney told me, going after this guy in that fashion after the initial damage was blunted would end up giving him the opportunity to be the victim, and me the bad guy.

[blazebird]

Trying to harm your business isn't illegal?  If it isn't then sending a nice little op ed to his local media can't be either.  It's your story to tell and if you're stating facts and have the proof , I think his neighbors deserve to know.  

[jacevoid]

People deserve to know, but the legal system and the law is an interesting animal that is more interested in the criminal's rights, versus the victims. Kind of similar to when an eBay supervisor outright told me that getting scammed and ripped off on eBay was just part of the cost of doing business (selling) there.

Publicizing this incident would be considered harassment under Minnesota law (same as when he messed with me), but something tells me the reaction will be a lot harsher and swifter when he gets his feelings hurt. That's how the world rolls these days.

I live in the liberal NW, and read about some hardened criminal getting magically transformed into a quasi-victim in the courtroom EVERY day.

[webwanna]

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@jacevoid wrote:

Sorry, but where do you get off leaving a feedback accusing someone of selling fakes without having any evidence? That is reprehensible.

There is plenty of evidence he is selling fakes, which I discovered after he did the cancellation

1. other reports I found online of him selling various counterfeit products. (now you can accuse me of "doxxing" him)

2. His refusal to sell to a reseller. Why not sell to a reseller? Because counterfeit sellers know that resellers tend to be able to spot counterfeits easily and create returns and trouble for them.

3. A history of selling large quantities of this item with no legitimate way to acquire these. When I say no legitimate way, I mean there is NO out of channel way to get these things in this quantity and sell them at that price. There is simply isn't, short of stealing them directly from Best Buy's inventory shelves.

The only thing reprehensible here is your behavior and support of this lunatic. You should apologize.

You ran into a seller that wasn't going to let you get away with it without repurcussion

Get away with what? Legitimately leaving feedback that he deserved? I suppose you think he is the victim here? I don't remember what he did being a eBay-condoned method of resolving disputes.

Sounds like you expected Ebay to clean up the mess you created.

It was unwise to leave FB for this maniac, but certainly within my rights, and certainly within eBay's responsibility to clean up the mess HE created (not me).  I suppose you feel he was completely in the right to create accounts in fake names to create fraudulent returns.

What the heck is wrong with you? I would sincerely like to know. Are you one of those people who says a women deserves sexual assault because she was wearing "provocative" clothing?

I agree with you that the guy sounds like a bit of a psycho, but he's not the only one.

Let me me guess, I am the other psycho? I truly wonder about you.

You could have just left a negative saying " Seller cancelled order..." the rest of your feedback was completely libelous.

First of all, my feedback was completely accurate and correct. Second, I am sure Mr. Sanity here would have just left it all alone if I had not put in the part about fakes. Yeah, sure buddy!

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I guess all hope is lost.