Just ran across this on e Bay. I'm not saying that this person is bad or dishonest in any way. Its just i think if want to use your ID as proof of something, you should have some post and actions to back it up. Just my opinion but if a person has just registered on both e Bay and f4f. Then uses it as a reference, i would be cautious. Maybe some people see some of our well known and respected members goods bring a premium price and they want to jump on the wagon ?  The reason they get good money is because of their reputation and hard work and honesty they put into it.  If any of the wagon jumpers are reading this just remember it takes a lifetime to build a good reputation and only a minute to tear it down.  Just let me say again I don't know this person and have no ill intentions toward them at all. I'm sure there are lots of people that are members that don't post much or at all. And they are the salt of the earth. Heck I don't post a lot and IMHO I would not feel comfortable using my user name as  proof of anything except that i am a member. I am not passing judgment on this or any other person, just that in my mind it raises a red flag.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fig-Tree-Cuttings-A134-Hardy-Rooted-/151028926743?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item232a068917

As this person visited once to sign up and has never been back or posted it does appear they've taken advantage of the f4f connection to help market their cuttings.
This may just be a smart marketing move. Not one most of us would agree with but it's an open forum unless Jon kicks you off.

And rightly so.  It is a trap for the unwary.  There are a few people like this.  Those of us who use our user names on ebay do so as an invitation to check up on us.  You should do the checking up.  :)  I don't buy from people who register and don't post because I don't know anything about them.  pitangadiego, figsnstuff, treesofjoy, hermansur, FMD, mnedelcu, Espos3girls, ejp3, na_kesh, kk, fruitnut and several others have long and proven reputations.  Others are proving themselves and I wouldn't hesitate to buy from them. 

It's up to you to investigate your sellers and it sounds like you're doing a good job.

Hmmmm....it's a tough call.  It's interesting that he doesn't mention F4F and just calls it "Fig Forum".  He does give his UserID, though, so interested parties (like us!) can see that he just joined the forum a couple of weeks ago and hasn't contributed, yet.  But, he may simply be providing it as an alternate method of contact and as a sign that he's willing to put up his "future" reputation to back his sales.  I really don't think I see a problem with it as long as he turns out to be a reputable seller and isn't using the forum as a reference for some sort of scam, which I doubt is the case.

KK is a good seller.

This person (Maggie) could be very honest. I know that circumstances can make a person seem unworthy but like mentioned above you'll have to make that decision yourself and hope for the best in people. If they were asking a fortune for a high priced fig then I would be extremely suspicious but they're asking a reasonable price.
It's hard to judge a book by it's cover. Hopefully they aren't taking advantage of the forum and the good honest people here.

A134 looks suspiciously like A-13-4 which is UCR 278-128 in the WEO orchard.

They ammended their post to clarify the forum they belong to:

On Apr-20-13 at 11:29:04 PDT, seller added the following information:

Fig Forum ID in GardenWeb

Drivewayfarmer is good also while we are naming them.

Mike ?

DrivewayFarmer is great - I buy from him but there's no way I can get everyone off the top of my head.  I'm at work (It's slow) so I can't look back at my ebay buying history.  KK is someone different.  Sorry, Kerry.  :)

Good catch Winterville, so does anyone really know this seller?

Am I doing something wrong in my search? here is what I came up with.

http://members.gardenweb.com/members/search.cgi

MultiMom

Multilink

Multivitamins

multiman

multimuse

multiple

multitaskingmom71

multiveg

If you do a member search on this forum.
Search the M section.
You'll find her there on page 7 of the M's.
Her name is Maggie but her forum name is multi2018.
She doesn't say what name she is under on Gardenweb.

Also it appears that she joined on 4-02-13 and never made a post and has not been back on here since.

All evidence does seem to make it look as though she joined only to use this site to make herself appear to be a reputable person.

Well that really does stink

http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/Feng-Chang-Huang-6306962

I think there very well may be something to you observation. Review the bid history, strangely it was bid up $3.00 in about a minute and 20 seconds by the same person with no competing bids. I'm not super proficient with Ebay but have been to quite a few auctions where a seller has agents run bids up. This seems fishy to say the least.

The whole thing is fishy. If you look at the pics they are mostly the same even down to the pen one. One said well rooted cuttings in the title and no pics of it. Then there is the deception of more cuttings in the pictures than are being offered. The more you look the more you see with this one.

I will post my pics soon. More than 40 cuttings are rooting at home. Please stop say positive or negative things about sellers before you buy from them.

Maggie

KK is a couple miles from me, he gave me several good varieties right after hurricane Sandy when everyone is lining up for gas. Even his car is running on fumes, he managed to get some gas and delivered to me.

Wow, my heart skipped beats, many of them. There are TWO (2) Maggie's LOL I was think I don't sell on ebay, all knows that any correspondance from me or my business I always use my English nickname (Maggie) followed immediately by My Italian given ( Maria) Maggie Maria! or on forum Italiangirl74 I am sure this other Maggie is very good person, everyone need chance. I started on here I think 06 and it is great place, but if something is wrong remember which Maggie Ha ha !

There have been plenty of mislabled figs sold by unscrupulous sellers on ebay. I think it right to question a new seller who references the forum yet hasn't really been a part of the community. We have to look out for each other. We don't know you Maggie, so Mike rightfully, in my mind, pointed that out here.