cpapauction trouble :shock

[Leonbergergirl]

I bid on and won an OptiLife mask the other day...trouble with PayPal Plus card,
was going to call them again to take $50+ out of my checking, but...

I have now received three phone calls and one e-mail trying to sell me OSA stuff.
How do these (this?) companies get people's phone numbers and addresses?
Did i do something wrong? I am now unwilling to send any money or my
PayPal card #, as it appears that other people will have access to it.

Any ideas?
unnerved Leonbergergirl

[Slinky]

Take it up w/the cpapauction owners to get that cleared up, LeonbergerGal, but meanwhile, unfortunately you entered a contract to buy when you placed the bid so you do owe the money. Send them a money order instead of using PayPal. I don't blame you at all for not wanting to use PayPal. I won't use them. But as far as the phone calls, etc. take that up w/cpapauction's management to see if there is anythng that can be done. Good luck!

[beckypolk]

Dear Leonbergergirl,

Your posting concerned us. Thanks for taking Slinky's advice and emailing us as well. Here is a copy our response for the benefit of the forum:

Member information is private as far as CPAPAuction is concerned. We do not release any information to third parties, and the only information we release to auction partners is email addresses, until or unless a winner fails to respond. That was not the case with your auction.

Did you give your telephone number to the seller? If so, he may have released it. If you didn't give out your telephone number, the seller could have obtained it from using your mailing address on reverse telephone number directories available on the internet. He may also be using it himself and calling under different company names.

None of these activities is in keeping with the spirit of CPAPAuction, and in the case of the last one, the seller would be acting against website policy. We would appreciate any information you have on the parties contacting you so that we can look into this matter and hopefully put a stop to it. Please forward copies of the emails from each of the different companies. These could be sellers who have been suspended from the site in the past and are using emails as a means to circumvent the website.

We appreciate your thoughtful and responsive participation on the website.

You followed up with a copy of an email. It makes an odd reference to an inquiry from you which seems to indicate that perhaps a mistake was made somewhere. Also, I have not heard of this happening with any of the other winners of his auctions. I don't see the connection to the seller in the email, but I am contacting him about the matter today. Even if it's a mistake, we want to be sure it doesn't happen again. I will get back to you.

Regards,
Becky Polk
CPAPAuction.com

[Guest]

I have also seen people put their phone numbers in online listings such as Craigslist (CL). Which would be completely against any advice I would give. Or could it be people you've done business with before?

[beckypolk]

Dear Leonbergergirl,

I have emailed the seller and he tells me there is no connection at all between him and the company you are hearing from. As I mentioned before, I have not heard of this type of solicitation from any other of his auction winners. Also, I have checked out the website referred to in the email you sent, and the company contacting you, US Medical Supply, is affiliated with Alliance Health Network, which seems to be an insurance administrator. Since insurance is state-regulated and the seller is not in your state, that could be further assurance that he is not the source of those calls. It sounds more likely that the calls were generated by someone you may have done business with locally, and the timing was merely coincidental. The next time you receive a call, I suggest you ask them flat out how they got your name and tell them to stop calling you. Unless I hear more from you, I will leave the matter as it stands.

Regards,
Becky Polk

[PayPal fan]

I am the person who had strange difficulties paying for a cpapauction mask. Several
rounds of different reasons from people on different continents later, and all is well.
I tried again yesterday to send money to the seller, and it was done in two seconds!
Then, i sent a donation to a Leonberger rescue group; again it just sailed through.

So, whatever the glitch was, it has disappeared. PayPal is still the easiest way
of sending money, and, nothing is perfect. Apparently, even i am not perfect!?
But, what does my husband of twenty years know anyway? LOL
Leonbergergirl, back to saving the world from its imperfections....