Your bids at eBay are public record, and anyone can tell what you are bidding on (unless it is a private auction). Sometimes sellers scour the auctions and contact bidders to sell them a similar — or exactly the same — item for a lower price. Rather than putting their items up for sale, and paying eBay fees, these unscrupulous sellers choose to undercut other reputable seller's sales.

By participating in this bidder-stealing practice, sellers can avoid paying fees to eBay. Sadly, if you choose to accept one of these off-eBay transactions, you are not protected under the eBay Fraud Protection Program and cannot use the eBay feedback system. You are completely on your own.

The quickest way to contact eBay Customer Support is to click a feedback star anywhere on the eBay site and scroll to the bottom of the page that appears. Then click the link.

It is a violation of eBay policy for a seller to solicit sales, and sellers may be suspended for using this tactic.