Just a bit iffy ...

So I had ordered some hankies [a chap can't have too many hankies] from a 'shop' on eBay. Before they arrived, this notice appeared on 'my eBay' ...

This, I thought, does not bode well, it looks like the seller has been up to no good. Take note of the two messages from eBay. Ah well, it was goodbye hankies - but it wasn't a significant sum of money and I use PayPal, so I'll get it back anyway.

But hey-ho ... the hankies arrived. But in the packaging was an A4 printed message, which read:

DO YOU HAVE AN OLD EBAY ACCOUNT THAT YOU NO LONGER USE?

WE BUY OLD EBAY ACCOUNTS SO WHY NOT CONTACT US

WITH DETAILS OF YOUR ACCOUNT DO THAT WE CAN MAKE YOU A CASH OFFER.

There was then a contact email address. 

ACCOUNTS WILL ONLY BE CONSIDERED IF THEY HAVE A HIGH SELLING LIMIT.

I checked the website on the domain of that email address and it is an empty shop i.e. an online shopfront with no products.

So here's the thing. Buying a business in order to 'inherit' the goodwill and brand history that goes with it is a standard method of doing business [it's why BMW bought MINI].

However, this organization is seeking to buy businesses that have ceased trading but have some 'juice' with eBay i.e. a good sales record with plenty of good feedback.

Now, am I just being a bit of an old cynic - but why would a legitimate business want to do that?

And would I like to buy something from an eBay seller that has been 'resurrected' by a new owner who has already had eBay close them down?  Probably not ... if I knew.