Hello, I have read some posts that make be believe someone here knows enough about computer tracking and IPs to help out. I have a friend (really) that has placed a few things on ebay to sell. He has been having some jerk place last second bids and win the auctions, then not pay and leave - feedback. Then they make a new screen name, with a comment about his name in it like so and so is a pr1ck, and bid on his other things. The contact info given to ebay is false and he reported it but ebay hasn't done anything about the situation aside from telling him the standard pre-approved bidders list and no bids from certain bidder BS. Is there any way to find out who the bidder is? He uses the same towns postal code so I thought its likely he lives there and just changes the other info. My buddy really wants to find out who the guy is because he thinks it is likely someone from an art forum he and I belong to. If anyone has a solution please let me know either in post or VIA PM. Thanks for the help!
I think only eBay could track down the IP of the bidders in question. But what your friend could do is screen bidders, and block buyers with feedback that is = 0 Read: http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/buyer-requirements.html direct link http://offer.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?BuyerBlockPreferences
You can get his IP. When you place a bid, it confirms it then it redirects you to the item listing page again, right? So... Start a new auction. Put a picture in the auction but host the picture on your own website/server (where you have access to the logs). Check your web server time and see how different it is from eBay time. Lets assume they are the same. When the auction ends, you get a list of who bid and the time they bid (down to the minute). Then lets say the ****** bidder puts a bid at 6:23:05pm. Go to your server logs and see which IP retreived that picture within 5 or so seconds after that time. That will be the guy being redirected to the item page after he's bid. It's not foolproof but the more datapoints you have, the more accurate you can be. If someone else was looking at the item at the same time (or close to it), you may not be able to narrow it down to a single IP. If he bids twice (on the same or different auctions), or three times, you should be able to nail him. Then with his IP you can probably track him down. The sue him Good luck.
SRT Mike - Thanks... I will relay the idea to him. It is BS that ebay will not do anything about it, and at this point it is costing him money and he is willing so pay to get the info on the guy so something can be done about it. (Legally of course)
