Thread: Bidders with ** in the name

I don't know if this has been posted before since it is hard to search on **.

Has anybody noticed the large amount of bidders with ** in the name. Like o**f or a**c as examples.

Are these snipe programs or just ligit bidders that choose the same name format, because I see a lot of them.

From what I just read thats a new e-bay security thing

all bidders will be masked with it only showing your first and last letter with ** between.
so GSSIXGUN will show up as G**N

part of E-bay's new security features.

i wonder does this mean i need to go to the E-bay names thread and change my name to M**F?

yup, ebay "security" they started a while back with more expensive items and now it is about to be everywhere... you will no longer be able to tell if you are bidding against friends... it will probably drive razor prices up again...

the bay sent an email out last week about it

I have seen this in high priced auctions. It seemed to me that it only starts to show up like that when bids go above like 100-some dollars. I actually followed one auction where the names were visible then, on the last day prices rose above $100 and the names all appeared with the *** security thing. I don't see much of a reason to do this on low priced items and can only imagine that some high bidders on expensive items might want their privacy.

I think security is the least of what this is about. I think sites like this have more to do with it. I mean unless it was a had to have item I wouldn't fight any of the guys here too hard over a high dollar razor. After all what goes around comes around. Of course if the bidding was more anonymous I would go for broke every time and I think thats what they are trying for.

It has always been MY experience that companies will only tweak a system that's working well, to maximumize profits. I suspect that's the force that's at work here. I may be getting cynical, but seeing the greed of some individuals and entities is what caused it.

I'm pretty sure it was H.L. Mencken who said:
"When you hear two or more different stories about the same event, the wise course is to believe the version where the most people look the worst."

From eBay's site,

"To help keep the eBay community safe, enhance bidder privacy, and protect our members from fraudulent emails, eBay has changed how User IDs display on the bid history page. Only you and the seller of the item can view your User ID, all other members will see anonymous user IDs, such as x***y."

So now you do not know who is bidding. You only get to see who won at the end.

Their idea was to stop the second chance offers. I've gotten two this year so far.

The scam artist looks at closed auctions to see the second and third place bidders and sends what looks like a real eBay second chance offer to you, you send off the funds and eagerly await.....nothing! usually is you e-mail the real seller through the closed auction it becomes clear the first bidder followed through and there is no second chance. By hiding all the names no one can contact any of the bidders.

Tony

Originally Posted by Tony Miller

Their idea was to stop the second chance offers. I've gotten two this year so far.

The scam artist looks at closed auctions to see the second and third place bidders and sends what looks like a real eBay second chance offer to you, you send off the funds and eagerly await.....nothing! usually is you e-mail the real seller through the closed auction it becomes clear the first bidder followed through and there is no second chance. By hiding all the names no one can contact any of the bidders.

Tony

+1 here
I recieved 2 of these this year, for this reason I like the new feature for the puposes of our little razor world I hate it....