Unwanted emails from ebay seller?

[AJS]

I don't normally check my email account unless I am expecting something, but today I decided to do my annual cleaning up of the account by deleting all of the junk emails I regularly receive. There were a number of messages from an ebay seller that I had purchased an old Gillette from, given their age I naturally assumed that they concerned the transaction itself and seeing as I had already received the razor I deleted them. However, upon checking some of my more recent emails I found more messages from this individual and decided to see what they contained. For some reason this particular seller has been sending me extreme right propaganda. There are details of various white supremascist groups and how to join, attacks on various left wing politicians, generally racist and religiously intolerant rants and various conspiracy theories concerning the 60's Civil Rights movement.
First and foremost, there was no actual contact between this man and me, and just to clarify my personal politics are somewhere to the left of the Dalai Lama. But I have a hard time understanding why he would send this to me. Also, seeing as I live in the UK, what is the point of sending this material to me anyway? Irrespective of my personal beliefs.
Has this happened to anyone else? What would you do about this?
Eventhough it is a difficult view to hold sometimes, I firmly believe in freedom of political expression for everyone; even people like this have a right to say what they want ( you have no idea how dirty it makes me feel to say that) So what can I do?

 

[Jonnybc]

I have a .mac account which allows you to use up to 5 aliases. This means you can use an alias for online purchases which seems to go hand in hand with spam until your threshold for junk becomes too much and then delete it and start with a new one. The main account stays the same though.

Once you're receiving spam it's difficult to stop it unfortunately.

 

[Jim]

Alex
Did these e-mails come through ebay mail system, They would be in "my messages" on the "My ebay" page?
If so forward them to ebay and report the misuse of the system.Very good about this.
If this person has used your direct e-mail address to send you this material unless it contains illegal material the best bet is to just block his e-mail address from your account.

BTW some one other than the person who you had contact with might be doing this and is just using their info, you might want to let the seller know about this through the ebay system.

Good luck-

 

[Xert]

What was the seller's feedback like? I find it hard to believe that an established, reputable seller would choose to abuse the ebay system like that, so if the account appears to be such the most likely answer seems that it was hacked.

 

[Jonnybc]

I nave received emails form someone punting an "incredible vibrating ring" from people whose email addresses have been hacked. I would have thought this was more likely the case with someone that sells on ebay doing it himself.

 

[AJS]

Thanks for the replies everyone. Firstly, the emails were sent to my private email, they did not come through My Messages at ebay. Secondly, the seller had very good feedback, more often than not I will not go with a seller who has less than 98% positive feedback. This means that I sometimes lose out on items I want, but up until this morning, thought that it offered some level of protection. Following your advice I have decided to email the seller and ask if he is the one responsible for sending these messages to me, and if it transpires that it is I shall ask him to desist.

 

[Jim]

Let us know the response- very interested.

 

[rschul2]

This same problem hit student email accounts a few years ago. Turned out it was some virus on one person's system that then used all of their email addresses and then forwarded itself to someone else's computer and did the same thing ad nauseum. Chances are your seller is not even aware of the problem. I'd notify the seller and then check your system for any viruses.

 

[AJS]

The email has been scent and I am awaiting a reply.

 

[Jonnybc]

The email has been scent and I am awaiting a reply.

Hehehehe... SCENT!