Spare Room Be our guest…

Our online identities never die, unless they’re removed. Whatever happens to us in the real world, our cyber-selves live on.

I stumbled upon an example of this on TradeMe, with a trader who had suffered a spate of negative feedback. (Other traders place feedback – either positive, neutral or negative depending on how the deal went down.)

Rose of Edendale posted negative feedback about this trader when her bronze cork wedges didn’t turn up: “I feel really disappointed that I paid my hard earned money for some shoes and have never heard from you since. I would be very grateful if you would send me the shoes”.

This response came a few days later: “This person was my sister she was involved in a car accident on the 7th of June and passed away on the 8th. Please be assured if u can get back to me with details of shoes I will be sure to send them. Please allow sufficient time she also has a young baby…” Rose didn’t seek delivery of the shoes again.

But Kent from Opotiki did. A few days later, after reading the above explanation, Kent decided to leave neutral feedback. He writes: “I have been reluctant to write negative feedback, always hopeful that my goods would arrive. I am shocked & sad for you over your loss. My goods can be identified by clicking on the auction number, with this feed back…” His purchase? A $36 tracksuit.

And Louise from the North Shore is after the “3 Funky Handbags” she’d won: “I am dreadfully sorry for your loss. If you click on the auction number you will see it is three handbags (paid for).Please email me to rearrange delivery”. Louise paid $7.50 for her handbag triptych.

How grabbing and distasteful. Or is it? The TradeMe forums on the subject were mostly in agreement, but one trader thought it was dependent on how much the buyer paid. “If it was like $100, I would like the item or a refund, “she said.

But one cynical trader suggested this: “We have seen similar reasons posted on here before which have turned out to be a pack of lies – so unfortunately people do get a little suspect sometimes”.

Would a trader essentially fake their own death to get out of supplying goods or handing over money? Surely not.

TradeMe’s Christine Turner was not aware of this particular situation and said they’re usually contacted by a buyer or member of the deceased family. She said if the trader has died, TradeMe would need confirmation of the death from the estate because of the outstanding transactions. This would all happen according to due process.

On the other hand, in the case of someone faking their own death to get out of their auction obligations, Turner says it would become a legal dispute. “Fraudsters leave very big footprints,” she says. (exhibit A)

Turner said she wasn’t aware of anyone faking their own death on TradeMe, but had encountered dishonesty which was in a similar vein.