This has happened to me too. eBay blocks communications between people or situations in which it suspects that selling/buying outside the eBay arena might be occurring. They want to keep a tight control on profits. They pretend that it is to protect you, but it is really that they don't want to lose a cent of commission or fees. John Robles ClockworkHome at aol.com wrote: Today after an auction closed I attempted to contact a fellow eBayer, Phonofan, to send off congratulations for winning one of the very last Home phonographs to go out the door of the Edison factory. The machine actually went for a most reasonable price considering the rarity and the wood grained #10 cygnet horn. So, Phonofan, if you are on this list, major congratulations to you for winning this prize. Now what surprised me was that eBay blocked my contact to him. About a week ago on a non-phono related item I tried to contact a bidder about the item the newbie was bidding on to tell him he was being shilled and that the item was a modern reproduction. Again eBay blocked me from contact but I thought that was because it was an active auction. Three weeks ago one friend of mine who is into radio, musical, train, etc., items offered a Lionel caboose on eBay. A friend of ours unsuccessfully bid on it and eBay put them both out on suspension for shilling. When both protested eBay would not say why or how they did something wrong, only that eBay's methods uncovered the alleged shilling and action was taken. Simply put, "You are guilty because eBay says so!" eBay suggested my friend get PayPal so they could track his selling better and be sure no shilling was going on. In order to get back onto eBay they both had to complete an online reeducation course of eBay rules, none of which they could identify as having been broken by them. Big Brother is watching. Best Wishes to Everyone, Al **************Biggest Grammy Award surprises of all time on AOL Music. (http://music.aol.com/grammys/pictures/never-won-a-grammy?NCID=aolcmp003000000025 48) _______________________________________________ Phono-L mailing list http://phono-l.oldcrank.org