Question
WTF? This person still has the same dead email and FAX # listed in contact info today. I just tested it with 3 different email providers and pulled contact info again.
Of course they haven't paid their auction, and have a neg 3 months ago for non-payment.
I wrote again to eBay and this is the reply:
Thank you for writing eBay in regard to invalid contact information of "xxxxxx".
For the protection of all members, eBay doesn't provide details on any individual investigation or account. We hope you understand that this is why we won't be able to share with you the outcome of our investigation. Please rest assured that we'll take every appropriate action based on our findings.
We thank you in advance for your cooperation, and wish you luck with your future eBay transactions.
So I replied I wasn't interested in their investigation, only that the person be NARU'd according to eBay policy {and just between you and me ... before they can do any mischief to me, doncha know}.
To which they replied:
Thank you for writing back to eBay in regard to invalid phone number and email of xxxxxx. I recognize your frustration and want to quickly and responsively resolved your concerns.
I understand your concern about members who have invalid or outdated contact information. I'd like to let you know how eBay handles this situation.
eBay alerts members when we become aware that they have invalid or outdated contact information, and most members update their contact information shortly after they are alerted. We restrict (rather than suspend) the member's account until we receive the updated contact information.
Once a member has changed and verified his or her contact information, we remove the restriction. Then the member can list items and place bids as usual.
Thank you for your time.
Take your recognition of my frustration and shove it right up your ...
Please pardon that last bit.
Ok, aside from the grammar - just what is this last reply trying to say?
Do I have it right that eBay is waiting for this bidder to update their info? That they are currently restricted rather than NARU?
If so, how the #$^* are they gonna know if their email is dead?
And what's with this patience for this bidder attitude when they normally napalm everyone else and ask questions later, much later?
Anyone have any theories, clues, suggestions, etc?
Answer
Assuming the email address ebay has is dead, then of course the person won't receive it and will end up naru after a certain number of days (Unless they check My Ebay).
I believe they have a week or so to update info. During that time their account is restricted and they can't bid or sell. Since the ebay email address won't receive the notice (unless they go into their my ebay page, they can see it there) then after the set number of days ebay will naru them.
I think ebay assumes everyone uses my ebay and checks any messages there. I didn't use to use it at all, but go so many "usetheyellowbutton" emails, that I had to.
Jill
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Unless I'm mistaken, from what Vampy said the bidder is still active. Am I wrong in thinking they are still bidding?
Put the term CASH in your auction and have them all pulled, pull fraud with your contact info and they let you diddle?
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Still active as of today.
Answer
I've reported numerous bad contact info in the past, after trying every possible way to reach the bidder. Sometimes they suspend them right away ... other times it seems to be "acceptable" as far as the rules go.
It can be so frustrating when the bidder keeps requesting their total, and you've sent it umpteen times (and even tried to call them), but there's just no way to reach them.
When I was selling full-time, I nearly got in trouble one time a couple of years ago, when my Earthlink mail was bouncing for no apparent reason. Somebody reported it as being bad, and eBay threatened to suspend me no-questions-asked if I didn't correct the problem immediately. It turned out to be an Earthlink problem (I spent a couple of hours in "live chat" with an Earthlink rep trying to get it straightened out), but it sure didn't matter to eBay! I was frantic, since eBay was our only income at the time.
(This was on my PowerSeller account, shooting star, 100% positive feedback ... and it still made no difference to eBay. So much for PowerSellers getting special treatment! LOL!)
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Did you file a non paying bidder report? It only takes 3 strikes for them to be NARU'd, unless they changed the rules...
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Oh yeah. FVF granted.
Still active as of today, with the same bouncing email and same FAX number in contact info.
Answer
I sent another email at 10:30 est. Just received another reply:
Dear eBay Member,
Thank you for writing eBay in regard to invalid contact information of xxxxxxx.
We've investigated the matter, and we have not been able to reach the member or verify the accuracy of the member's contact information.
Sometimes, we have difficulty reaching a member for simple reasons that are easy to remedy, such as a typographical error in his or her contact information. For this reason, our actions should not be viewed as a negative reflection on this member.
It is my pleasure to assist you. Thank you for choosing eBay.
Regards,
Meryl
eBay SafeHarbor
bolding mine
Checked my auction this bidder won. Yep, still an active member. Yeah, the ole eBay assist again.
I give up. Whatever happens, happens. I'm over it.