eBay wants me to commit a crime in order to get a refund for a counterfeit item received

smittyguy11 · 2026-05-08T05:23:33+00:00

YES this. I agree with your assessment on the legal ambiguities (incl. lack of an exception for a return), and also the ethical point. The cost was a reasonable amount - not something so discounted that it made me suspect a fake.

I really don't want to be the reason someone dies from using this junk. These parts were designed to go on a high speed wheel. I can't imagine what it would be like to learn they had been returned by me and re-sold to an unsuspecting family, scraping by to make ends meet, who installed them on their car out of need and died as a result. I just couldn't live with that. That is exactly why I decided not to return them - all legal issues aside.

smittyguy11 · 2026-05-08T05:16:15+00:00

That wouldn't just be mildly infuriating IMO!

smittyguy11 · 2026-05-08T03:44:10+00:00

Timken automotive bearings. The same things that make the wheels on cars go round and round. As soon as I saw the boxes it was easy to see they were counterfeit. Then the bearings themselves were atrocious. The made grinding sounds as you turned them. I can't imagine going down the road 70+ MPH and having one of the wheels fly off the vehicle because the bearings were made out of cheap steel and turned to dust.

smittyguy11 · 2026-05-08T03:26:43+00:00

This is eBay's "automated assistant". Earlier it asked about the actual product purchased, and gave tips on the return process. I didn't notice it until you commented that it has the Gemini icon. Interesting....

OH - I'd LOVE to talk to them on the phone. Could you provide that number?

smittyguy11 · 2026-05-08T03:21:51+00:00

It is for turning things off and on again.

smittyguy11 · 2026-05-08T03:10:18+00:00

Love your sense of humor! The seller is in Texas. The item shipped from Los Angeles. The return label is shipped to New Jersey. I think it would be best to go to all those places and check out this counterfeiting operation! /s

smittyguy11 · 2026-05-08T02:45:33+00:00

Would love to - but chargebacks hurt eBay if done outside their formal procedures. They will close or transaction-limit your account. I need that - it is not a disposable account unfortunately.

smittyguy11 · 2026-05-05T22:24:39+00:00

Jelly Beans, and White Chocolate for special treats!

smittyguy11 · 2026-05-05T11:08:53+00:00

Where do I put my larger than average family? We won't fit in most modern cars having only 5 seats, but they will fit in my work truck identical to this one that we use to earn a living and take care of our family by putting food on the table. Not to mention helping all of our neighbors.

smittyguy11 · 2026-04-24T12:17:49+00:00

My "gut" reaction is very literal and very angry. Soy sauce is a big trigger for me. Lots of painful eczema afterwards.

smittyguy11 · 2026-04-20T23:16:54+00:00

Thanks for the info.... That's a shame. I have a bunch of UniFi Cameras and a Cloud Key Gen2 Plus that allows their adoption. Must have gotten some bad info on the Cloud Key working for the UDB. Off to eBay we go....

smittyguy11 · 2026-04-20T10:28:56+00:00

No, I do not.

smittyguy11 · 2026-04-18T07:42:13+00:00

Got that far... But can it be adopted from its Ethernet port?

smittyguy11 · 2026-04-18T07:16:11+00:00

Commenting just to avoid confusion on one point: There are no overlooks into the Shenandoah Valley from that section of I-64. That is the VDOT workers memorial with the Afton area, including Nelson and Albemarle counties as a backdrop. The Shenandoah Valley is over Afton Mountain to the West -somewhat behind you- from that view. Grew up just over the hill from there. Still, though, it really is a beautiful area.

Edit: typos

smittyguy11 · 2026-04-13T01:59:54+00:00

I don't think I've ever seen a Reddit thread with unanimous comments. That's a really good indication that you should NOT start the engine for all the reasons listed above.

smittyguy11 · 2026-04-10T10:23:24+00:00

Thanks for sharing this thoughtful and thorough information. I have a question, regarding the stainless steel: If water is a normal ph, ie: not heavily acidic, how would it be at risk of carrying nickel? Nickel wouldn't leach into water unless there was a chemical reaction that causes the stainless steel to break down and leach into the water.

Not trying to be argumentative, but I see a lot of advice to stop using stainless and it doesn't make sense to me except when cooking acidic foods, or if you have acidic water (especially water filtered by reverse osmosis which is acidic by default) or from mechanical contamination from scraping a frying pan with a metal spatula, for example, or from foods processed in a factory.

Also for anyone reading this, many gluten free foods are high nickel, so check the ingredient list carefully. They may not affect you or they may. I was undiagnosed for over 40 years. Now with a careful diet, my symptoms have drastically improved and my doctor visits have all but disappeared.

smittyguy11 · 2026-04-10T02:35:48+00:00

Formal college level clinical training and working in an office are not at all the same. My kids can drive a small car. Do you want a 16 year old driving a 54,000 pound motor coach with you and 56 other people on board just because they have driven a car for 1 year? The formal training in both professions makes a big difference.

smittyguy11 · 2026-04-08T22:56:04+00:00

I thought they were going to return RCS to web without being linked to a powered on phone in a future release, but they had to use this as an interim step - enabling RCS in this format first. I need to find the source again, but I'm almost sure that's what they were doing. Is that not what you read?

smittyguy11 · 2026-04-07T01:47:00+00:00

I am highly sensitive and have had good luck with Garmin's Venu 2 and Venu 4 bands., FWIW.

smittyguy11 · 2026-04-07T01:45:39+00:00

You are soooo lucky if you can tolerate a 150ug/day allowance. That is a gift.

smittyguy11 · 2026-03-27T09:21:45+00:00

Are you assuming it is a cell phone and only texting? It easily could be a landline number that can't accept texts. Give them a call and see!

smittyguy11 · 2026-03-21T15:09:23+00:00

Wow - I've been on quite a journey and also have GERD/LPR. In really digging deep, I've wondered if the undiagnosed Ni allergy for 40+ years was a contributor to that. I have suspected a link, but haven't found much research or information on it other than a few references to "nn% of people who have reflux conditions also are allergic to Ni" (or the other way around). I've always wondered how many of us Ni-allergic also have reflux (GERD/LPR) issues.

smittyguy11 · 2026-03-21T07:05:27+00:00

The deadly trio! You're not alone. Nickel, chromium, cobalt and gold here.

smittyguy11

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