[RobT]

Hi all,
Perhaps kidnapping isn't necessary. I imagine that a respectable account of a retiring or deceased seller would have market value in much the same way that a well regarded brand or company name does. So a seller (or the dead seller's relatives) could sell the account name. This sort of thing goes on all the time with brand and company names in the brick and mortar world. I wouldn't be surprised to see it become a common practice on the internet...if it isn't already. If ebay is lax in investigating and shutting down sites that commit the kind of fraud discussed in this thread, a respectable account would be especially valuable to con artists.
Sincerely,
RobT