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Links: eBay Vigilantes!
Posted by Steven Wu on Saturday, March 20 @ 02:48:54 EST Computer Crime
Vigilantism continues. The New York Times reports that vigilantes are exposing eBay frauds, much to the online auction company's displeasure.
Mr. Priebe, 42, is an eBay vigilante, one of a number of eBay members who are stepping in to fight online auction fraud--a problem they say is getting worse by the week--because they believe that the company does not do enough policing of its own.

But in eBay's view Mr. Priebe and his vigilante brethren are pariahs. Rather than embrace these virtual posses, eBay discourages them, occasionally going so far as to suspend the vigilantes' accounts. . . .

"EBay's denial of the extent of the problem is out of control," said Mark Seiden . . . . "They probably think their brand will be stronger if they hide the fraud." . . .

The company says vigilantism, like Mr. Priebe's bidding tactics, is not a solution and will not be tolerated. . . .

"If you allow that sort of activity, even the bad guys start posting about the good guys and you end up with a big free-for-all and a lot of finger pointing," Mr. Chesnut said. "That's not the right way to go about doing things."

The best part of the story? The prominent advertisement for eBay right in the middle of the article. (It isn't there all the time, but it's good for a laugh when it pops up.)
 
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