BEWARE Klein Idiot on Gumtree selling a broken bike

No. It was very obvious no repair had taken place - see the paint on the mech hanger, showing that he'd just painted over the crack in-situ.
He bought the bike and flipped it straight away hoping for a quick buck - deserves everything he got.
 
For those of you getting all 'holier than thou' about this - real the whole thread.

Just so you don't have to - here's the time line.

1. Bought for £80 on 25th May.
2. Appears on Gumtree and Ebay in 2nd June with no photo's of crack and mentioned in perfect working order. That's not caveat emptor - that's deliberate fraud twice.
3. Seller replies to messages saying he's got it fixed with no receipt but withdraws the bike any way.
4. 10 days later bike back on eBay with a touch up on the crack only - no raised welds, no repainted chain stay, no scorched paintwork.

The bloke is a fraud selling something that could seriously hurt someone. He deserved everything he got.
 
This thread rather highlights the dilemma when you see something being sold on ebay not as it should be with the potential of a buyer being stitched up and then what do you do about it and whether those actions are justified morally or legally.

The issue about bidding to spoil an auction is that legally there is a contract to purchase and whether this is voided by known defects even if not highlighted by the seller is probably one for a lawyer despite all the strong opinions on what is right or wrong.
 
Not to mention my earlier point about people like me of relatively little knowledge who could trust this guy and buy a possible hospital appointment!!!!!!!
 
I've read the whole thread, and the only people I see who are "holier than thou" are the mob who've taken it upon themselves to ruin this guys day.

What if, by some freak of eBay, some poor innocent had bid high in order to guarantee they won this bike?

By all means, 'out' dodgy bikes on this site. Report them to eBay if you're really worried, but opening fake eBay accounts in order to shill bid an item with the deliberate intention of not paying for it, and then leaving feedback for a sale you were never going to complete... I think you started out with good intentions but got carried away and have ended up looking vindictive, not to mention leaving your real eBay account open to action, if the seller were to catch wind of this and report you to eBay... Silly, very silly.
 
As much as the seller is a blagger and a fraudster (certainly asking for £500plus on gumtree) acting and manipulating the auction and acting in a self appointed interweb bike 2nd hand sales police isnt a shining example. It's bad for those bidding genuinely, can affect those manipulating and casts a stain on the forum as well.

Sure out it and let people know on here, report the listing to ebay and even ask the seller about the bike but no this. it's been done before in similar situations and i have no doubt as is the way that this thing has been done to innocent sellers too.
 
A more balanced view, given that there are plenty of scumbags on the internet, do you think they should be allowed to carry on, or do we as the internet community need to weed out the scumbags, if we don't who will? The quote below is from the Boston (US) Holocaust memorial, and is a succinct damnation of human apathy.

They came first for the Communists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.
Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me,
and by that time no one was left to speak up.

http://history1900s.about.com/od/holoca ... ocaust.htm

The seller was contacted via the ebay messaging system, despite being made aware that they have been found out, they've blatantly avoided doing the right thing by getting it fixed, or describing the bike as broken. I don't know if anyone reported this to ebay directly, but the person is a scammer, there is no way they do not know that they are selling damaged goods as not.

The person is not to be trusted & deserve the negative mark on their account as a warning to all others that may buy anything from the seller.
 
gtRTSdh":38sit1x1 said:
A more balanced view, given that there are plenty of scumbags on the internet, do you think they should be allowed to carry on, or do we as the internet community need to weed out the scumbags, if we don't who will? The quote below is from the Boston (US) Holocaust memorial, and is a succinct damnation of human apathy.

They came first for the Communists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.
Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me,
and by that time no one was left to speak up.

http://history1900s.about.com/od/holoca ... ocaust.htm

The seller was contacted via the ebay messaging system, despite being made aware that they have been found out, they've blatantly avoided doing the right thing by getting it fixed, or describing the bike as broken. I don't know if anyone reported this to ebay directly, but the person is a scammer, there is no way they do not know that they are selling damaged goods as not.

The person is not to be trusted & deserve the negative mark on their account as a warning to all others that may buy anything from the seller.

Comparing second hand bike sales with the holocaust is somewhat far fetched. (ad IMHo that massively denigrates the suffering of all those persecuted by all sides during ww2 before and after it)

reporting and making aware is as far as we as end users should go.

Yes the guy is a scumbag but as far as i am aware now if the transaction is not completed the feedback will be removed and the whole process will be for aught. Acting as judge jury and executioner just "becasue" is not is not reason enough
 
Anyone that quotes a memorial to the holocaust in a disagreement about old bikes, has seriously lost perspective, and should probably put the laptop down and go for a ride.
 
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