eBAY & CONFIDENTIALITY: ADVICE URGENTLY NEEDED!

cte1111

I think it's quite possible that ebay gave this information out. They didn't directly give the first buyers info to the second buyer, rather told him that someone wanted to contact him. This might give them a wriggle on data protection etc, as both parties involved had consented for their details to be shared.

As to the auction being private, I've never done this but had a look in ebay help. It does not say one way or the other as to whether it will pass details between bidders on a private auction. It does say '
If you have good reason to believe shill bidding is taking place in a private auction, please report it to us. Remember that although you can't see who is bidding on a private auction, eBay has a record of all the bidders.' So maybe that was somehow what the disgruntled bidder used as a reason.

I was shocked when ebay gave out my phone number to a seller, who I had successfully claimed against on paypal, as the items I bought had not all arrived. He rang me repeatedly until I threatened him with the police. But apparently this is standard ebay practise, as long as you have some kind of transaction with someone, they can request your personal details and ebay will happily hand them over. But given that we're already giving out addresses anyhow, I guess this doesn't make much difference.

I think the OP's friend will need to contact ebay directly to try to resolve how the bidders got in contact with other. Agree with other posters as to how to proceed (or ignore) the disputed purchase.

codger

cte1111 wrote: »

I think it's quite possible that ebay gave this information out. They didn't directly give the first buyers info to the second buyer, rather told him that someone wanted to contact him. This might give them a wriggle on data protection etc, as both parties involved had consented for their details to be shared.

Sincere thanks, cte111, for that information. And you're 100% correct, eBay didn't give out any actual information -- but it certainly did facilitate a process whereby that information (bidders' identities) could then be discovered.

Well. . . assuming that the email quoted above is genuine, and not a fake.

I take your point about "wiggle room" too: on the assumption that the email is genuine, then it -- sadly -- seems typical of eBay that this giant American corporation should behave in such fashion by displaying complete contempt for its users (in this case, an eBay seller who was never told what eBay was doing behind her back.)

As other posters have said, this doesn't actually alter the seller's position, but it certainly leaves a bad taste where eBay is concerned because speaking personally, I would strenuously object to eBay corresponding with anyone about any transaction I may have carried out, without first having the courtesy to inform me that it was doing so.

There are legal issues surrounding the privacy (or otherwise) of any individual's purchasing or selling activity on the Internet, the latest of which is the class action court case in the USA concerning Facebook and Blockbuster US, where the online purchases of certain DVDs made by a Facebook user were then, and without her knowledge or her consent, released by Blockbuster so that Facebook could plaster them all over that user's personal page as a way of publicising how good Blockbuster is.

She never gave permission for her online activity to be be made known to others. She didn't even know about it. Facebook has already apologised and changed the way it does things. But Blockbuster USA is still facing a potential $multi-million claim from dozens of its customers who say it had no right to do what it did, and that an individual is entitled to privacy where her / his online transactions are concerned. (Blockbuster USA has tried to argue that the case has no merit, on the basis of some arcane Blockbuster T&Cs, but a US Judge has now thrown out that argument and said the action can proceed.)

This current eBay situation is obviously of much lesser dimension but it seems to me to be of a similar nature.

Our identity is surely the most valuable asset we have and our privacy, hugely important. An eBay "Private Listing" should surely mean that: not some kind of carte blanche for eBay to institute a process whereby the "privacy" of that listing is so easily and so blatantly violated, and without any reference at all to the person who originated such transaction.

Of course, I'm still hoping eBay will be able to give a satisfactory explanation for its conduct -- if such conduct did ever occur.

But the fact that, so far, eBay has proved itself incapable of providing any explanation is depressing, because if -- as it claims -- eBay puts a user's privacy at the heart of its operations, then it should sure as hell put a user's online trading activities in the same place as well.

Thanks also to JCS1 for the phone number idea: yes, it's clearly there on the email, and perhaps our friend's daughter ought to make use of it.

Finally, sincere thanks to Spanish, wheresmydoshat, meinni and everyone I may have missed (sorry!) for taking the time to contribute here: it's very much appreciated and I will take all this advice and pass it on.

I just wish it had been possible to identify precisely who, or which department, at eBay is there to deal with privacy / issues of confidentiality, because as noted, so far all that's come back from eBay is pro forma twaddle.

:mad:

Auntie-Dolly

It isn't anything I've heard of or read about on the Ebay Powersellers forum. Did you try ringing the number? Only certain powersellers have access to phone support on Ebay.

codger

Thanks Auntie-Dolly. I think I'll recommend that our friends' daughter use the telephone number in the email she's been copied in on.

As I said earlier, I've never had an email from eBay which gave the office operning hours and a telephone number.

(PS: I haven't put the number on here because it may be a hanging offence. . .?)

Jakg

First of all - mention auction interference, eBay are hot on this sort of thing as in the long run they lose FVF's overall (and the one thing eBay care about is their profits!).

As for the car - it's sold as seen. He paid, he inspected the car (which in his case was a quick eyeing up i'm geussing) and he drove it away. It's now his problem, and as such he has one option - Swivel.

nomoneytoday

If the buyer wanted a mint car with a guarantee they should go to a dealer. The lower price on ebay reflects the lack of comeback...