Jeremy Martin lost his bid to get ahead by selling his head.

Martin, a 21-year-old factory worker from Cleveland Heights, made news last month with an eBay offer to tattoo his shaved scalp with the highest bidder's message of choice.

The minimum bid of $35,000 also included a wraparound ad on his Chevy Impala and a personalized license plate.

But the auc tion ended Saturday eve ning when eBay removed his listing. Martin said he had bids for up to $35,300 when his listing was removed and before he could complete a deal.

"I lose my money because of eBay," said an angry and disappointed Martin on Wednesday.

He came up with the idea after hearing about a guy who auctioned off ad space on his head for $15,000 last year to help pay for college.

Martin lost his job as a computer technician three years ago. He found other jobs, but hasn't been able to make ends meet. He helps his mother, who is blind, and his grandfather, who has dementia.

This auction was his second try. Originally, he asked for $55,000 for a yearlong contract. The highest bid reached $25,000.

Then the national media latched onto his story, spreading his offer to a wider audience. So he tried again, dropping his terms to $35,000 and six months.

This time around, close to 6,000 people visited his eBay page, and he said he had three bids for his noggin but lost two of the addresses when eBay removed his listing.

www.cleveland.com