California Clean Air Vehicle Yellow Carpool Stickers for sale of eBay

Ummm... Your story doesn't match up. First you said:

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(skiesofblue1 @ Mar 2 2007, 11:11 PM) [snapback]399397[/snapback]</div>

Then you said:

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(skiesofblue1 @ Mar 3 2007, 5:44 PM) [snapback]399397[/snapback]</div>

How is it that you got the letter 4 days after the auction STARTED but then later say you ended the auction 6 days after the auction started, and that was before you heard from the DMV???

 

Hey, everyone should get off this guys back. At least he was offering free shipping on his 10 grand auction.

jm

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sufferin' Prius Envy @ Mar 4 2007, 01:00 AM) [snapback]399795[/snapback]</div>

Yes, I agree. Or maybe a collector, like the collectors buying other DMV issued authentic drivers licenses and license plates off eBay every day.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(razzledazzlebee @ Mar 4 2007, 01:28 AM) [snapback]399807[/snapback]</div>

Here is the full chronology:
Auction started=2/16/07 (7 day, scheduled to end 2/23/07)
DMV letter dated=2/20/07
Auction ended early=2/22/07
Contacted by Leslie Griffy of Mercury Sun=2/22/07
Called Leslie back, left message=2/22/07
Called Leslie back=2/23/07
DMV letter received=2/23/07
Called Leslie back, left message=2/26/07
I Called DMV and spoke with the manager=2/26/07
I mailed back stickers=2/27/07

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(skiesofblue1 @ Mar 4 2007, 01:03 PM) [snapback]399984[/snapback]</div>

Well, they now know where to get a set . . . hint - hint!

I'd throw in free shipping and pay for escrow service too!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(skiesofblue1 @ Mar 4 2007, 01:03 PM) [snapback]399984[/snapback]</div>

First of all, let me say that I really respect you for stepping forward and being willing to talk about what you did and why. Not a lot of people would do that in this situation. I believe you that you believed that what you were doing was legitimate.

But, in fact, selling authentic drivers licenses and license plates is not allowed on eBay. Some of them surely slip through, but if eBay notices it, they'll take down the listing and potentially suspend or ban the seller.

Take a look at this page for details. Click the ``show'' link next to ``some examples'' and you'll see that it explicitly lists driver's licenses and license plates, among many other examples. They do allow collectible license plates that are at least three years old.

http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/govern...s-licenses.html

The thing to notice here is that while many of these items have potential legal uses, they are banned because sales of them are considered to be likely to be for illegitimate uses.

A lot of people get into trouble by thinking that they can figure out for themselves whether something questionable is legal. In this case, you clearly thought about the fact that it might be questionable because of the legal disclaimer in the ad. It would have been better judgment to consult a lawyer. I've read about a number of cases where people had reasoned it out on their own that something questionable should be legal and then ended up being prosecuted for what they did. I'm glad to hear that everything worked out in this case, but it might well have worked out differently.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sunnyvale Prius @ Mar 5 2007, 04:11 AM) [snapback]400206[/snapback]</div>

Firstly, thank you.
Secondly, I agree with you about the lawyer consultation concept, and the part about the risk of trying to reason out legal issues on your own. It is probably far less expensive to seek a legal opinion beforehand, than a legal defense after.