Ebay Phantom bidders - help me

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Hello everyone,

I am being plagued with at least one phantom bidder. He bids in the last seconds with a zero feedback account, wins, doesn't intend on paying for the watch and leaves negative feedback immediately.

I don't recall the last time I sold a watch on eBay, as all of my sales of late have been on Omegaforums and each 4 sales have garnered me positive feedback on the seller reviews section of the site.

He is relentless in this attack to discredit me, and after having eBay remove negative feedback last week I presume he has made another account as the exact same thing happened to the relisted watch that just ended.

It is seriously driving me insane but I can see no way of blocking "zero feedback" accounts, what can I possibly do, as I feel like this person has clearly got so much time on his hands that this is giving him great entertainment (at my misery). The watch he bought is in a pretty poor state hence selling it on eBay rather than here, although all details are very clearly stated in the description (including that a service is strongly advised as it is not running on time).

I want it shifted and he keeps bidding on it whenever its about to sell.

As you can see this is an impassioned rant but I need to get this off my chest.

Ollie
 
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Check your settings again, there should be a way to block low or no feedback bidders, at least there used to be a way.

Should be in the "Buyer Requirements" section in your preferences.

Sorry you're having such a hassle. 馃槨
 
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I believe X350 is correct, but, also, contact eBay directly. I have dealt with eBay in the past and they have a system where you can request a return phone call and they have always been helpful. Hopefully eBay will help you address the problem you are currently having with a rogue bidder.
 
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Check your settings again, there should be a way to block low or no feedback bidders, at least there used to be a way.

Should be in the "Buyer Requirements" section in your preferences.

Sorry you're having such a hassle. 馃槨

I've selected all the options available to be as selective as I can be. Unfortunately if zero feedback bidders was an option before it is not now. But I will contact eBay tomorrow and see if anything can be done because this is just infuriating.

I believe X350 is correct, but, also, contact eBay directly. I have dealt with eBay in the past and they have a system where you can request a return phone call and they have always been helpful. Hopefully eBay will help you address the problem you are currently having with a rogue bidder.

We'll see what happens, I blocked both accounts so far, lets hope he doesn't create another...
 
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Well this might help prevent them from winning both of my remaining items, but again the issue arrises if they make a new account.

Thanks though, hopefully this will help stop the headache at least a little. 馃榾

The three remaining items all end within 3/4 hours of each other, so by the time they realise they need to create new accounts let's hope that are not so determined that they create an individual account for each of these items...

The things we have to put up with Jeez.

Thanks again XJR 馃憤 you deserve a beer, and I think I do too....

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The part where you block buyers with a feedback score is the one that should solve your issue.
If you set it to block anyone with less than 5 ratings, setting up a new account just to target You will be negated.
I am not telling you anything that @X350 XJR did not, just giving a piece of his post to focus on.
Hope this helps 馃槈
 
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The part where you block buyers with a feedback score is the one that should solve your issue.
If you set it to block anyone with less than 5 ratings, setting up a new account just to target You will be negated.
I am not telling you anything that @X350 XJR did not, just giving a piece of his post to focus on.
Hope this helps 馃槈
How I interpret this setting is, block those with zero feedback If they are winning or have won another item. So they can win one but not a second. Or have I misunderstood this...
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Set the feedback score at 5 or 10, so anyone with a rating less than your minimum is blocked.
Just to be on the safe side do 10.
 
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Actually, if it hasn鈥檛 been mentioned already, the simplest way is to add his name/ID to your blocked bidders list. I do this with all non-payers, no exceptions. They could of course create a new ID just to troll you, but that is a real pain and I guess they would really have to hate you....
 
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Set the feedback score at 5 or 10, so anyone with a rating less than your minimum is blocked.
Just to be on the safe side do 10.
Yes I can do this, but this is not a stand alone rule, as I read it (because of the indentation) it is referring to the rule above it, on multiple purchases.

Actually, if it hasn鈥檛 been mentioned already, the simplest way is to add his name/ID to your blocked bidders list. I do this with all non-payers, no exceptions. They could of course create a new ID just to troll you, but that is a real pain and I guess they would really have to hate you....
Already done twice. Let's hope he doesn't make a third account! 馃榾
 
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Yes I can do this, but this is not a stand alone rule, as I read it (because of the indentation) it is referring to the rule above it, on multiple purchases.


Already done twice. Let's hope he doesn't make a third account! 馃榾

Wow - he must really dislike you! What on earth did you do, have a one night stand with his mother/father and never return their calls? Run over his dog? Disparage his prize vegetable collection?
 
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If you have not tried it yet, just give it a whirl.
The purpose of the feedback standard is that NOBODY with a rating below your chosen level can interfere with your auctions.
Once you select it all future auctions will be safe from new accounts attacking you.
It is not dependent on any other rule as you say, but do read through the " manage buyer block " & " manage buyer exemption " lists just to make sure.
 
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I鈥檓 surprised someone is going to these lengths, but this has been a year full of surprises! Hopefully the above advice will help!
 
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Update - made the changes and a third account just won another auction despite me watching intently to remove any zero feedback users this person made the bid in the last 3 seconds... after a furious conversation with eBay they have said they are going to try and block the bidders IP address so that all new accounts will be blocked from bidding. Next auction ends in 1 hour wish me luck. Luckily the second chance offer worked on the item that ended last night, so at least I didn鈥檛 lose one of the sales.
 
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I鈥檓 so sorry this is happening Ollie. This is what takes the fun out of what should be- well, fun. I gave up selling on eBay a few years ago because of shit like this- some really nasty people with nothing better to do than waste other people time and create drama. I also realized after a very nasty altercation with a buyer that they had my name and address- and that made me uncomfortable.

Every time I think I should sell some stuff off- situations like this remind me of why I don鈥檛.
I hope this resolves eventually and this piece of shit gets what鈥檚 coming to him in life.
 
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I cannot imagine what would drive someone to waste their time (and the seller's time!) doing this over and over. Pathetic. Sorry to hear you're going through this Ollie!
 
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I do hope that the next auction is not messed with, if you read through the exclusion list it did state that your changes would NOT be applied to any auctions that are running.
Fingers crossed for you that they kick in now & any future auctions wont be messed with.

If the bay have changed the way it works then there is probably nothing else you can do, it WAS the only safeguard they had for situations like this.
I used it myself when selling on the bay ( coins & jewellery ) so am not sure why it no longer serves the purpose it was created for.