EBay apologizes after six of it’s executives are charged with cyberstalking and harassment
[whohit]EBay apologizes after six of it’s executives are charged with cyberstalking and harassment[/whohit]If you believe that I (Kika Angelic) am the only prolific seller community member who was cruelly abused by the highest position executives of a tech giant company, read this article which contains the press release of the US Department of Justice.
I am currently fighting for a resolution of my own case using all possible means, while having the law enforcement in the UK and US involved, here you can read my story in a brief:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-for-victim-of-cyberbullying-on-Amazon-site
This eBay seller and blogger couple had to go through a hell after a cabal of eBay executives started targeting them in a campaign of harassment and cyberstalking and after a year, they finally managed to achieve justice and a public apology from eBay.
BY: Department of Justice Press Release Department of Justice U.S. Attorney’s Office District of Massachusetts FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, June 15, 2020
Six Former eBay Employees Charged with Aggressive Cyberstalking Campaign Targeting Natick Couple
BOSTON – Six former employees of eBay, Inc. have been charged with leading a cyberstalking campaign targeting the editor and publisher of a newsletter that eBay executives viewed as critical of the company. The alleged harassment included sending the couple anonymous, threatening messages, disturbing deliveries – including a box of live cockroaches, a funeral wreath and a bloody pig mask – and conducting covert surveillance of the victims.
David Harville, 48, of New York City, eBay’s former Director of Global Resiliency, was arrested this morning in New York City on the same charges and will make an initial appearance via videoconference in U.S. District Court in the Southern District of New York.
James Baugh, 45, of San Jose, Calif., eBay’s former Senior Director of Safety & Security, was arrested today and charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to commit cyberstalking and conspiracy to tamper with witnesses.
[documentcloud url=”https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6945151-USA-v-BAUGH-HARVILLE.html”]
In addition the following defendants were charged in an Information unsealed today: Stephanie Popp, 32, of San Jose, eBay’s former Senior Manager of Global Intelligence; Stephanie Stockwell, 26, of Redwood City, Calif., the former manager of eBay’s Global Intelligence Center (GIC); Veronica Zea, 26, of San Jose, a former eBay contractor who worked as an intelligence analyst in the GIC; and Brian Gilbert, 51, of San Jose, a former Senior Manager of Special Operations for eBay’s Global Security Team. They are each charged with conspiracy to commit cyberstalking and conspiracy to tamper with witnesses and will make appearances in federal court in Boston at a later date.
According to the charging documents, the victims of the cyberstalking campaign were a Natick couple who are the editor and publisher of an online newsletter that covers ecommerce companies, including eBay, a multinational ecommerce business that offers platforms for consumer-to-consumer and business-to-consumer transactions. Members of the executive leadership team at eBay followed the newsletter’s posts, often taking issue with its content and the anonymous comments underneath the editor’s stories.
It is alleged that in August 2019, after the newsletter published an article about litigation involving eBay, two members of eBay’s executive leadership team sent or forwarded text messages suggesting that it was time to “take down” the newsletter’s editor.
In response, Baugh, Harville, Popp, Gilbert, Zea, Stockwell, and others allegedly executed a three-part harassment campaign. Among other things, several of the defendants ordered anonymous and disturbing deliveries to the victims’ home, including a preserved fetal pig, a bloody pig Halloween mask, a funeral wreath, a book on surviving the loss of a spouse, and pornography – the last of these addressed to the newsletter’s publisher but sent to his neighbors’ homes.
As part of the second phase of the campaign, some of the defendants allegedly sent private Twitter messages and public tweets criticizing the newsletter’s content and threatening to visit the victims in Natick. The documents allege that Baugh, Gilbert, Popp and another eBay security employee planned these messages to become increasingly disturbing, culminating with “doxing” the victims (i.e., publishing their home address). It is alleged that the very same group intended then to have Gilbert, a former Santa Clara police captain, approach the victims with an offer to help stop the harassment that the defendants were secretly causing, in an effort to promote good will towards eBay, generate more favorable coverage in the newsletter, and identify the individuals behind the anonymous comments.
The third phase of the campaign allegedly involved covertly surveilling the victims in their home and community. According to the complaint, Harville and Zea registered for a software development conference to explain their trip to Boston on Aug. 15, 2019. Baugh, Harville, and Zea (and later Popp) allegedly drove to the victims’ home in Natick several times, with Harville and Baugh intending at one point to break into the victims’ garage and install a GPS tracking device on their car. As protection in the event they were stopped by local police, Baugh and Harville allegedly carried false documents purporting to show that they were investigating the victims as “Persons of Interest” who had threatened eBay executives. The victims spotted the surveillance, however, and notified the Natick police, who began to investigate. The police learned that Zea had rented one of the cars used by the defendants and reached out to eBay for assistance.
Aware that the police were investigating, the defendants allegedly sought to interfere with the investigation by lying to the police about eBay’s involvement while pretending to offer the company’s assistance with the harassment, as well as by lying to eBay’s lawyers about their involvement. At one point, for example, Baugh, Gilbert, Popp, and Stockwell allegedly plotted to fabricate another eBay “Person of Interest” document that could be offered to the police as a lead on some of the harassing deliveries. As the police and eBay’s lawyers continued to investigate, the defendants allegedly deleted digital evidence that showed their involvement, further obstructing what had by then become a federal investigation.
The charges of conspiracy to commit cyberstalking and conspiracy to tamper with witnesses each carry a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000 and restitution. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and Natick Chief of Police James G. Hicks made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Seth B. Kosto and David J. D’Addio of Lelling’s Securities, Financial and Cyber Fraud Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Link to Press Release on Department of Justice website.
Here you can read and download the full legal case:
Apologetic statement about the matter from eBay can be found on their website:
Link to statement on the eBayInc.com website.
If you are an Amazon Seller who has been doing business involving importing from China for some time already, you may be familiar with the regular anxiety as February approaches each year. Every time Chinese New Year comes around, a lot of Amazon Sellers who rely on imports from China gets thrown for a loop. Rookie sellers often fail to anticipate the holiday’s impact on their production timelines, shipping timelines, and quality control.
As many seasoned sellers know, it’s critical to start planning for the CNY holiday far in advance. Factories shut down for several weeks, and after they reopen, it takes at least a few more weeks to get back up to full production capacity.
Here I will address the typical effects of these holidays and the actions you can take to avoid problems with your Amazon business.
How Long do Factories Usually Shut Down for Chinese New Year?
During the Chinese New Year holiday period, every factory in China shuts down… Yes, every factory. The official public holiday only lasts for seven to eight days. However, most factories are fully closed for two to four weeks.
Additionally, many Chinese factory workers take extra time off, leaving in the weeks leading up to company closure dates, slowing production down significantly. Many workers will not return immediately afterward, meaning it can take up to a month for production to return to full capacity after the holiday.
Why do Factories and Employees Take So Much Time Off?
Chinese New Year, also called the Spring Festival, is the country’s most important holiday. Like Thanksgiving or Christmas in the US, people travel back home to spend time with their families.
Since most factory workers are migrant laborers, they generally live far away from their hometowns and travel hundreds of kilometers or more to return home. If they have a husband or wife and children, it may even be one of the only times they see them during the whole year.
Companies require long closure times to allow workers to travel home and then back to the city where they work.
5 Things You Should Note
With so many people traveling for Chinese New Year and the lengthy factory closures, there are certain things you need to understand if you want to properly manage your Amazon inventory and maintain your expected level of quality.
#1 It Takes Factories at Least a Month to Restart After Chinese New Year Holiday
You might assume that the same workers who left before the holiday will be coming back afterward. However, Chinese New Year is generally the preferred time to switch jobs in China.
Up to a third of workers might move to another factory or decide to stay in their hometowns and not come back. As such, your manufacturer needs to hire new workers and get them up to speed. Because of this, many factories will not be back to full production levels until about a month after Chinese New Year.
Based on my own experience, I had it frequently happen to me that a completely new salesperson turned up after February, who had no recollection of what I ordered before.
#2 There are Increased Quality Issues Before and After the Holiday
Before the holiday, factories are in a mad dash to get orders out the door, which leads to more things being missed and more quality issues than usual. You may see incorrect quantities of units received by Amazon FBA facilities following shipment, because your supplier opts to ship everything as it is (incomplete), as opposed to delaying and risking you cancelling the whole order. After the holiday, the factory needs to hire new workers who are more likely to make mistakes than experienced ones.
As such, consider stepping up your product inspection efforts in the months before and after the Spring Festival.
#3 The Cost of Shipping Goes Up Drastically Around the Holiday
With the lengthy factory closures and the rush to get products out beforehand, manufacturers will often charge more if you want to ship an order close to Chinese New Year.
In addition to your factory taking time off, shipping companies also take time off. As such, heavy volumes are going to the ports before the holiday with only a limited number of ships, which means shipping rates go up.
Shipping rates have been a big topic in recent years, and they are much lower now than during the pandemic, but keep in mind that Chinese New Year is typically the most expensive time to ship.
#4 You Should Never Pay a Deposit Just Before the Spring Festival
Sometimes companies go out of business — and in China, the Spring Festival is the most common time of year to close down permanently. Factories that have not been doing well financially often choose to go out of business during Chinese New Year.
Paying a deposit just before the holiday can be a disastrous proposition. If your factory intends to close permanently and does not tell you, you may never get it back, so be sure to wait until they reopen.
#5 You Need to Forecast Far in Advance to Adjust for Production Times
As I have discussed, several factors affect production around the Chinese New Year. These include the rush before the holiday, the long closure times, and the ramp-up period afterward.
For any orders you would want to receive in March/April, you should start discussing them with your suppliers by around September/October.
When planning schedules, it is a good idea to take past data into account and also consider what may or may not happen globally. It is essential to forecast your inventory needs far in advance and consider many factors when developing your ordering schedule.
When do Factories Close for Chinese New Year 2024?
The dates for Chinese New Year and other traditional festivals are based on the Chinese lunar calendar, and thus they change every year, relative to the Gregorian calendar we use in the West.
February 10, 2024 is the first day of the “Year of the Dragon.” The official government holiday will last from February 10th through the 17th. Some factories may close earlier in the month and many will be fully closed for two to four weeks. So check with your factory contacts to get their exact closure dates.
As I have discussed, Chinese New Year is China’s most important holiday, leading to significant factory downtime and increased quality mishaps. As such, you should step up your quality control efforts around this time.
I hope you found this article helpful. If you are an Amazon Seller looking for free help with any Amazon related issues from me or other sellers with whom you can network, don’t hesitate and join our discussion forum for Amazon Sellers.
To stay in touch on Facebook, feel free to join and post into my large Amazon Seller Performance – Friendly Advice – Worldwide Facebook group, where you will be very welcome too.
If you would like to hire me to privately assist you, feel free to subscribe and reach out through my dedicated assistance page at www.onlyfans.com/kikaangelic, where I provide support with Amazon related matters in exchange for a small $24.99 fee. Alternatively, you can post into the free public discussion forum for Amazon Sellers, where I will answer your question.
Many Amazon sellers recently started trading stocks and crypto currencies, hoping to diversify their income, which is a very good idea with all the uncertainty which comes with the platform. For this reason, we launched a new Facebook group, Crypto Arbitrage Income (Bitcoin, Crypto, Altcoins, Blockchain, Trading) – feel free to join us and forget about the troubles of selling on Amazon for a moment!
Additionally, here you can watch my YouTube video, where I am presenting you several secret tips about appealing Amazon Seller Account suspensions (don’t be confused by the opening of the video, where I am enjoying a vacation – it’s a part of the story):
As an Etsy seller, staying informed about the platform’s policies and terms is crucial to ensure a smooth and successful business journey. Etsy, being committed to providing the best experience for its growing community, regularly revisits its House Rules to meet the evolving needs of its users. In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at the recent updates announced by Etsy, set to take effect on July 24, 2023. These updates cover various aspects, including the Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, and Intellectual Property Policy. Let’s dive in and explore the key changes that may affect you as an Etsy member.
Etsy has made specific updates to the arbitration clause (section 11) for users in North and South America. The changes aim to provide clarity regarding which disputes must go through arbitration and outline the process for opting out of arbitration or rejecting the changes. Additionally, rules and procedures for arbitration, including coordinated arbitrations, have been defined. It’s essential to review this section carefully, as the revised arbitration agreement includes a class action and jury waiver. This means that most disputes will be resolved through private, individual arbitration rather than in court. To fully understand your rights and obligations, we recommend reading this section thoroughly. The revised Terms of Use can be accessed here.
For users in Europe, Asia, Australia, and Africa, Etsy has introduced a new section 12. This section outlines where disputes between users and Etsy will be resolved and specifies the applicable law in such cases. As an Etsy member in these regions, understanding this section will help you navigate potential disputes effectively.
Additionally, the Terms of Use have been refined to address certain legal rights pertaining to both users and Etsy. This includes limitations on Etsy’s liability, your indemnity obligations, and the license you grant to Etsy and authorized third parties to use the content you post through the Services. Familiarizing yourself with these terms is essential to ensure a clear understanding of your rights and responsibilities.
Etsy has updated its Privacy Policy to provide you with more comprehensive information regarding how your data is collected, used, and shared. The policy has also been simplified to enhance navigability, making it easier for you to find the information you need. It’s crucial to review the revised policy to stay informed about Etsy’s data practices and understand your privacy rights.
For users based in the United States, Etsy has included additional context in the Privacy Policy to address new U.S. privacy laws. This includes detailed explanations of how your data is collected and used, as well as information about with whom it is shared. The policy also outlines the steps to exercise your rights under these new laws.
Etsy’s Intellectual Property Policy has undergone updates to clarify the process for handling reports of copyright infringement and eligible counter-notices. As a seller, it’s vital to understand these guidelines to ensure compliance with intellectual property rights and protect your own creative works.
Staying up to date with Etsy’s terms and policies is essential for every seller on the platform. The recent updates, effective July 24, 2023, bring important changes to the Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, and Intellectual Property Policy. By familiarizing yourself with these revisions, you can better navigate the platform, protect your rights, and maintain a successful business. We encourage you to review the updated policies using the links provided in this blog post and reach out to Etsy if you have any questions. Thank you for being a valued member of the Etsy community!
I hope you found this article helpful. If you are experiencing issues with your Amazon Seller Account and your Seller Account already received a warning or is under a review, I can assist you and help you resolve the matter.
In order to receive a professional advice and get help with your Amazon issue, feel free to subscribe and reach out through my dedicated assistance help page at www.onlyfans.com/kikaangelic, where I provide help with Amazon related matters in exchange for a small $24.99 fee.
If you have an Amazon-related issue, feel free to join and post into my large Amazon Seller Performance – Friendly Advice – Worldwide Facebook group, where you will be very welcome.
Many Amazon sellers recently started trading stocks and crypto currencies, hoping to diversify their income, which is a very good idea with all the uncertainty which comes with the platform. For this reason, we launched a new Facebook group, Crypto Arbitrage Income (Bitcoin, Crypto, Altcoins, Blockchain, Trading) – feel free to join us and forget about the troubles of selling on Amazon for a moment!
Additionally, here you can watch my YouTube video, where I am addressing everything you need to know about Seller Identity Verification and how to pass it:
In their latest marketplace newsletter, OnBuy shared what they have new.
Unlike Amazon, OnBuy strives to never compete with independent retailers, according to their statement:
“We’re determined to change the way consumers view online marketplaces, and that starts with our fair approach and commitment to you, our retailers. We vow never to compete with you but to treat you as equal partners and provide the best environment for you to grow.”
They were also working on VAT compliance.
“If this change is applicable to you, you’ll notice this reflected in the ‘VAT collected’ column on the orders page and also in reports on the VAT collected for orders.”
OnBuy further shared the list of their upcoming events:
Garden & Outdoors is a big focus over the coming months, covering everything from gardening and furniture to camping and outdoor sports.
Searches for all things garden started climbing in March, with high demand for garden storage, gardening products and garden furniture expected in late April – May.
We’ve also got promotional pushes planned around Father’s Day (from w/c 16th May), the Queen’s Jubilee (from w/c 9th May), summer bedding (from w/c 30th May) and travel/holidays (from June).
Here you can view the whole OnBuy newsletter:
I hope you found this article helpful. Many Amazon sellers recently started trading stocks and crypto currencies, hoping to diversify their income, which is a very good idea with all the uncertainty which comes with the platform. For this reason, we launched a new Facebook group, Crypto Arbitrage Income (Bitcoin, Crypto, Altcoins, Blockchain, Trading) – feel free to join us and forget about the troubles of selling on Amazon for a moment!
Regarding Amazon Seller Performance, you can always participate in our Amazon Seller Performance – Friendly Advice – Worldwide group, where you will be very welcome.
If you are an Amazon Seller who needs help with any Amazon-related issues such as suspensions, listing blocks or is looking for professional assistance, please don’t hesitate to subscribe to my new OnlyFans page at: www.onlyfans.com/kikaangelic
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