All,
I agree that contacting eBay to complain about meteor-wrongs isn't a good
use of time. I'm not concerned that they will pull all meteorite auctions,
however (this seems very unlikely to me). I think it is simply useless
because eBay just doesn't care. As long as they get their cut, then
they're happy.
E-mailing sellers of meteor-wrongs is a good idea - provided we are all
polite and reasonable. The seller may just be honestly mistaken (I've met
many folks like that). If the seller responds with hostility, well, we
tried our best on that end.
The other option is to contact the buyer and inform them that they've
probably bought a meteor-wrong. Encourage them to have the item examined
by an expert. If it proves to be terrestrial, then encourage them to
demand a refund from the seller. This way the seller will fail to rip off
another person and will have learned a valuable lesson in listening to
those with expertise in the subject. If the auction says, "possible
meteorite," then not a lot can be done. But if it clearly says, "this is a
meteorite" when it is not, that is fraud. The buyer who is taken in by
fraud has many legal options open to them. Sure, "buyer beware" is true,
but it is also "seller beware" when it comes to out and out fraud. If the
buyer learns that he got taken in but decides not to persue the matter,
that is his choice. But we will have educated him a little bit, which is a
good thing.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bob Martino Can you really name a star?
http://home.columbus.rr.com/starfaq/
"This is how men behave when they
believe they have absolute knowledge."
-Jacob Bronowski (speaking from the ashes of Auschwitz)
Show your support at the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund -
http://s1.amazon.com/exec/varzea/ts/my-pay-page/PKAXFNQH7EKCX/058-5084202-7156648
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