These emails might request payment through eBay gift cards, iTunes, etc. The scammer has sent none. But it’s also a target for scammers, who know how to spot their quarry. You'll typically see an as-is disclaimer somewhere in the listing. Off-eBay contact or payment: eBay Messages is the safest way to contact other members. Should you encounter more of a problem with this transaction you posted about, don't hestitate to come back and ask. We’ll give you the lowdown on their latest techniques and tactics in this week’s issue. You log in to your Paypal Account. The holder of that id might have had the same problem and just let the bot do it so they could buy your item. Most people won’t open it, especially if it is a package. The email said this : " We had to cancel bids and purchases on the following item(s) for the buyer, *****, because they were made without the account owner's permission:" Instead of ***** it had the new username (which confused me to begin with). Whatever those directions are, don't do follow them. You see the car and go to a mechanic they choose. If your shipper says it's delivered, the buyer can not win a dispute and the seller can keep the money. Share best practices, tips, and insights. When you make contact, this "seller" will respond with an offer of some kind, and people who accept this offer will quickly be separated from their money, personal information, or worse. Read these boards, to learn what problems others are having, but don't be parinoid. What you're actually being led to do is talking to someone totally unrelated to eBay who will claim in a very professional and official-sounding way to be working for the company. In most cases, sellers either have a very poor feedback percentage for eBay or they have a feedback profile that is continually padded with numerous smaller sales or purchases; in many cases, the profile comes from transaction in which the buyer buys from and/or sells to themselves in another account in order to keep up their feedback percentage. Electronics are a big one to watch out for, like auto and computer parts. You should also generally be on the lookout for … I know I will get good advice, as with the new defect system, it is easy to mess up, and shoot your self in the foot. Computer Scams If you bid in a computer auction but don't win, the seller might email you to ask … However, scammers don't even have a PayPal account or else they'd be too easy to trace. You got good advice from the posters above. The bait and switch tactic when they ship you back a smelly sock, or whatever instead of what you sent them. For buyers. Need to resolve an issue with a buyer or seller? Scammers will never return nor will leave feedback. Ebay is attracting new buyers everyday. For example, the addresses for eBay France contain .fr ... we don't allow buyers and sellers to complete sales outside of eBay. Yes there are scammers, but it is not as bad as some make it out to be. Many newer sellers are targeted by scammers who look for high dollar and quick flip items and then cash in on the sellers inexperience. Ask yourself if a buyer can hit buy it now for $320.00 and own the sneakers why would they offer more. Again, this is a very simple scam. In all cases, they either ask you to provide information or click a link in the email that takes you to what appears to be the eBay (or Escrow.com or PayPal) website. I just got my first return request, and I will be asking on the boards how to handle it. Under no circumstances do you ship to a different address. Here are some common indicators of eBay scams that you should watch for in order to help you to avoid being a victim: In most cases, when you see a listing that says you must contact the seller for permission before placing a bid or your bid or the sale will be canceled, you're likely dealing with a scammer. The buyers with the higher feed. But new members do not have feedback since they are just starting out. All the items purchased were small dollar amounts, less than $20, and were collectable-type items, coffee mugs, tshirts ... those type items. Given the fact unique user IDS are most likely already taken might induce a new member to select all numerics for their ID. This scam comes in a variety of forms, but it always involves super-secret and super-valuable information that will do something truly amazing: allow you to levitate and control the weather, get you all the free consumer electronics that you want without paying a dime, help you to earn six figures every month, give you the secret to losing 100 pounds in 100 days, and even more outlandish claims. For example, a seller might offer 10 computer monitors for $50 each, and advertise it as a one-day sale or blow out. And now, on to the next most common eBay buyer scam: 2. Don't believe this one. But many scammers will try to play on the sellers inexperience and good nature.to get a refund. Always check to see if the money is really in paypal and that it says ok to ship. If you notice any of these issues, report them to us. This often involves the buyer asking whether they can send payment via check, money order (Western Union, Money Gram), wire transfer or third party escrow. In one common scam, the scam artist/buyer … If it is $500 or less, they are likely scammers,” warns John Cho, Project Founder for My Pet Child. How the transaction plays out remains to be seen. Who it targets: Buyers and sellers. Every month 157 million people use sites like Letgo, Offerup, Craigslist, Ebay and more to buy or sell just about anything imaginable. Always get tracking and check the tracking to see if it says delivered. However, you learn that you can still complete the sale by following their directions. The scammer may even say they found you through eBay's Trading Assistant program. Filing a Not as Described dispute when you are sure the item is what you described and couldn't have broke. Nothing about your situation seems suspicious. Tell them to return for a refund. You look at that Paypal Payment, if it is there. Scammers trick innocent and trustworthy people into sending them money and merchandise. Auto-suggest helps you quickly narrow down your search results by suggesting possible matches as you type. If you've already attempted to contact the member but were unable to resolve the problem, you can open a case at the resolution center. Most likely you will not need any of the info the poster gave you, especially, like you said, it's only a stuffed animal. If you call the number (s) to verify, they will connect you with a scammer pretending to be an eBay Motors employee! Scammers will try to reach you where you least expect it, including by phone, email, or text message. Claiming a problem with the item. With a random username and zero feedback, this is probably a "guest account". If someone did really have the secret to astral projection with scientific research to prove it, would they be selling it on eBay? Guest account's money is as good as regular user account's money. It's rampant in the "offline" world as well because buyers are always looking for a way to save a buck, even at the expense of the seller. {"modules":["unloadOptimization","bandwidthDetection"],"unloadOptimization":{"browsers":{"Firefox":true,"Chrome":true}},"bandwidthDetection":{"url":"https://ir.ebaystatic.com/cr/v/c1/thirtysevens.jpg","maxViews":4,"imgSize":37,"expiry":300000,"timeout":250}}. Sometimes they are related to a transaction, sometimes under the threat of investigations or criminal charges, sometimes with "special offers.". Pay attention to what the seller is selling, and check their other items for sale. The best way to avoid the fake buyers is to build up your selling feedback by selling some inexpensive items before you list something expensive. Buyer Fraud on eBay Buyer fraud isn't unique to eBay. When you make an eBay purchase, pay by PayPal or by credit card. eBay involves a lot of trust on behalf of the buyer and the seller, but it’s relatively easy for that trust to be exploited. 2.) A scammer's goal is to obtain items free or at a greatly reduced cost while at the same time hiding or masking their ploy. Real offers will always lead back to an auction listing on the real eBay.com website and will also appear in the messages area of your My eBay account. I mean who couldn’t use a little extra money and it’s also good for the environment. Meet other eBay community members who share your passions. How to report a buyer. Tell them to return for a refund. Being asked to contact the seller before making a bid or purchasing steeply discounted items that are actually counterfeits are some ways scammers target buyers. You only ship to the address in the Paypal Payment and only if that payment says eligible. Scammers count on new sellers like you to scam them. I am 99.99% sure a scammer found you. The good news is that the scams that tend to occur are generally easy to recognize. Never work with any kind of "eBay agent" (or Escrow.com "agent" or PayPal "agent") to complete a transaction, no matter how professional and above-board it all sounds. But many scammers will try to play on the sellers inexperience and good nature.to get a refund. The online auction site launched in 1995, and scammers have used it ever since. And here on the boards most of us posters can usually tell that the OP has a scammer in the first sentence....it starts with I sold a cell phone or laptop. Claiming a problem with the item. And if so, is there any way I can possisbly protect myself? Check out the eBay Motors Security Center. Every e$Bay member started at zero feedback. I'm ̶p̶r̶e̶t̶t̶y̶ ̶s̶u̶r̶e̶ certain the lunatics have taken over the asylum. Always be careful if a seller asks for your personal contact details, such as an email address or phone number. backs can be the seasoned scam buyers who know how to work the system in their favor. Thank you very much for your reply, I feel a lot better now. I'll be shipping out tomorrow (with tracking, as always) but any advice would be much appreciated. So far I've not had any problems at all. Apart from these two options, you're generally out of luck. Watch for red flags that might tell you to look for someone else to do business with. Selling Items: Accept only the exact purchase price. ebay sends invoices and they can pay right through any winning notification of the transaction so it is not needed - the buyer will send an official looking email from paypal saying you've got cash ship the item. The seller asks to be paid outside the app. Retrose's response listed problems and what to look out for. While eBay has a money-back guarantee to protect its buyers, getting involved in a scam is still a hassle you don’t want to deal with. One of the most easy scams to spot on eBay involves buyers trying to continue the sales transaction away from eBay. The name is something similar to ble.eym.o6tyeipa (all letters have been substituted, but that's the general feel). It was a buy it now transaction, and I can't imagine why a scammer would target somene selling stuffed animals, but it just feels weird. Hope that helps! Hard to tell if they are telling the truth, but if they use the word feedback or talk about a partial refund, they are probably scammers. Either the listing is gone because eBay has suspended the seller, or the seller has canceled it in order to get you to trade with them offline, where they are not subject to eBay rules and oversight and no record exists of whatever you and the seller do in the transaction. Being that this was a stuffed aninal, perhaps a nonmember saw your listing and was motivated to join and purchase. This video will discuss some of the worst and funniest eBay buyer scams and how you can avoid them as a seller. If a buyers shows a pattern of leaving less than positive feedback or has revised  feedback which states a similiar statement as having received a refund or where a seller responded to a buyer's feedback with some negative comments, a red flag should be raised. Scams on transactions external to eBay. eBay will never send you a phone number or initiate a phone call with you. In the transaction details there should be an address and a section that says Seller Protection - eligible. The reason sellers want you to wire money by Western Union or a bank check is that money sent this way is virtually unrecoverable and untraceable once you realize you've received nothing in return. 1: The pictures. Thanks! Because most people return the package, the scammer can resell it. Ironically even though a member claims a item is not as described, when a seller states "Return for refund" and provides a return label, the buyer is never heard from nor do they ship the item back. Actually you can do a lot to slow scammers down. If eBay has sent you any communication, you'll see it in your account on its site. In all instances, come here first and ask if something about a buyer gets your spidey senses off. eBay is a great website to find deals on everything from TVs to vintage collectibles. If a buyer is asking you for your PayPal address or your email address, then there is a possibility that this Buyer is … Asking for your paypal address so they can pay. Could also be the new member just wants to make a purchase while at the same time continuing thinking about a more better fit ID for themselves. How it works: A buyer or … Your one-stop-shop for news, updates and information from eBay about selling on eBay. Give support, share information, and connect with fellow members. But do so before you react. If the listing disappears, move on and find another one. If you place a high-value item for sale and it is sold exceptionally quickly (say, less than … From there, depending on the value of the item you may want to consider small claims court. More to the point, the information that you get is rarely actually worth anything at all—which is why it's often being sold for peanuts. Any second-chance offer that doesn't meet these criteria, or that asks for wire transfers or any other form of money, is a fake designed to separate you from your money. You've been bidding on an auction item and suddenly it's no longer there. You don't need to fear them any more than any other buyer. They need an employee or partner to sell cameras (or some other expensive product) for them. A popular scam involving cashier’s checks has been known to crop up in … I hope this is what's happening, cause we all know we need all the (good) buyers on eBay we can get. One more. Scammers will use any available platform to trick innocent people out of their money or goods, and eBay is no exception. Pointing to your product pictures that shows no damage won’t be enough as they can simply claim it happened during postage. Hard to tell if they are telling the truth, but if they use the word feedback or talk about a partial refund, they are probably scammers. Before you even contact a seller, look for negative reviews, a lack of a refund policy, missing or vague information, or requests for money orders, checks, or other third-party payment methods. Claiming that they didn't get the item. Image by Theresa Chiechi © The Balance 2019. They might ask for a certified check, electronic gift card, or a wire payment through … This one is tricky because legitimate second-chance offers can come your way on eBay. No returns gives the seller a false sense of security that the transaction is over - but ebay's policies trump yours. Scammers take advantage of this and send a package with the correct address, but the wrong name on the label. Scammers are usually after bigger fish than stuffed animals. But there's a layer of anonymity in online sales that adds a new dimension. Let’s get started… Faulty/Damaged Item. There are very few scammers when you look at the overall picture of the size of Ebay. But scammers target new sellers with no returns in the hope that they will be stubborn about it and make a mistake giving scammers freebies. But when you see listings that offer "genuine" brand-name goods at 70, 80, or 90 percent off their retail cost, you're likely either getting low-priced counterfeits or you're simply getting nothing at all after you pay. Members can change their ID. Your desire for the impossible shouldn't trump your common sense. The two instances where some protection would be where a seller can view a buyer's feedback before entering into a transaction - a bid in a auction or best offer. ... International eBay websites include letters that tell what country the site is associated with. Buyer overpays for an item. Those buyers actualy have less protection via the eBay Buyer Protection policy. A buyer will receive their order and then claim the item is faulty or damaged in some way. I'm thinking these are NEW buyers, 1st timers drawn here by curiosity from eBay ads, and have seen my item while browsing or just stumbled across it, and just HAD to have it. For this eBay scam, the seller will list a normal item, generally with a "buy now" option, and once you purchase it and send them the money, the scammer will intentionally botch your name. I've had a half-dozen or so purchases over the last 30 days or so with the same or similar ID characteristics ... also with no feedback and many had joined THAT DAY. Don't email before you bid, because if a transaction happens outside of eBay, you lose any protections to which you'd otherwise be entitled. Often ID's like you described are "guest" IDs and the buyer has not joined eBay, but is allowed to make a few purchases without joining. A quick sale. Known as phish emails or spoof emails, these messages look like they've come from eBay and ask you to do specific things. Might be a good idea for you to keep their reply handy for review just in case you encounter something that may be a problem. MT, via email At eBay they claim to have “a dedicated seller protection team working around the clock to enforce policies and track problems before they start”. Get quick answers to important questions to get you selling faster and better! Even if you had delivery confirmation and the message where the buyer asked - ebay will let the buyer win an Item Not Recieved dispute - because it was not shipped to the address on the payment. Individuals tend to select a name that can be remembered. eBay scams update — latest tricks and security tactics: Internet Scambusters #772. eBay has revolutionized the way we buy and sell stuff, whether used or new. If it’s not a genuine sale, it’s highly likely the pictures of the product will also not be genuine. Many just say to not list anything you can not afford to lose. Probably not. Copyright © 1995-2021 eBay Inc. All Rights Reserved. A $500 total alone doesn't mean the seller is a scammer, but it is one sign to look out for. Just wanted to tell you that my user name was arbitrarily assigned to me by eBay and I'd be willing to bet they have done this to more than just me. Reading these boards will make you paranoid so try to relax as most transaction go smoothly. Am I over reacting, or has anyone else had issues with buyers like this? Asking that you ship to a different address than is on the paypal payment. and have it witnessed by the postal worker as to what came back. The boards are all about solving problems, but it is just a small slice of ebay. These peer exchanges are an amazing resource, especially since the the average U.S. home as more than 50 unused items worth $3,000 just lying around. Sellers that seem to be advertising large quantities of highly priced "untested" items are generally selling junk for the price of nonjunk—and getting away with it. Live and learn—and never make the same mistake again. Real offers always have a few things in common: they'll be offers on items that you actually bid on, didn't win, and for which the listing is now complete and bidding closed. How to Recognize Common eBay Scams Against Buyers, Requests to Work With Escrow, PayPal, or eBay Agents, Here's What You Can Do to Collect Money When an eBay Buyer Doesn't Pay, I Wire Transferred Money for an eBay Item that Never Came, How to Get Direct Help from eBay Customer Support, A Complete Guide to Bidding on eBay Auctions, New and Experienced eBay Sellers Beware of These Scams, 4 Signs Your eBay Account's Been Hijacked, Here Are Some Workarounds for eBay Auctions With Reserve Not Met, Making Sense of eBay Auctions With a "Reserve Price", 5 Common Reasons Behind Unexpected eBay Charges, A Suspended eBay Account Can be Reinstated in Some Cases, Calculate eBay and PayPal Fees Before You Sell, How Sellers Can Avoid Problem Buyers and Bad Situations on eBay, The Balance Small Business is part of the. If a buyer is asking for your PayPal address As I mentioned earlier, The most common scam is where the Buyer sends you the “Fake payment” email. I just sold an item to a buyer with zero feedback and a name that looks like it was thought up by a bot or something. Aron Hsiao wrote about eBay for The Balance Small Business. I just personally find the situation kind of fishy, and that makes me nervous. Look for red flags. They may be trying to get you to complete a purchase off eBay, for example by paying cash or transferring money to an overseas account. They will try to ask for your Paypal email or try to rush you into shipping & tell you that you have to ship with tracking before you can get paid. If you've already fallen prey to one of these scams, your best bets are to work through buyer protection and, if necessary, a credit card dispute, assuming that the transaction went through eBay and you were wise enough to pay with a major credit card. Employment scam. Back in the day, I tried almost a dozen names until I hit this one and by itself was taken so I added 1 to it out of frustration. Have questions about a vehicle purchase or sale? Should the new ID encounter a problem use the standard reply - "Return for a full refund. Do not choose the no returns option. Good luck with your eBay sales. There is no real protection for encountering a scammer on e$Bay. Many scammers hope that you will make a mistake  - so in all instances come here first. So much money can be made selling it on ebay... Low feedabck buyers or "0" Feedback buyers are not the one's to be worried about. New ids can be generated bots if the buyer favored id has already been chosen by someone else. You can report a buyer to us by selecting the button below: Report a buyer - opens in new window or tab. Never provide confidential information, like banking details, inside an email message or click a link inside an email message if you don't know its origin. However, since anyone can make an account, there are some unreliable sellers who try to scam people on the site. If it sounds too good to be true, it almost always is. The information, if it's worth anything, is generally already free. My best advice is to not list high dollar ($50 or more) items until you have as much selling feedback as the dollar value of the item. Saving money by buying direct from China or other global manufacturing centers is tempting, and in most cases, this is a fine thing to do. Then you get an email from the seller telling you that you've "won" or that a "bug" or "unknown problem" with eBay resulted in the listing being removed. Instead, they mark it as wrongly delivered. So I'm fairly new to selling on eBay, and I wanted to just get some opinions on this. If an eBay package is returned or refused, the seller is able to keep the money and the product–only to turn … Here are some common indicators of eBay scams that you should watch for in order to help you to avoid being a victim: Emailing Before You Bid In most cases, when you see a listing that says you must contact the seller for permission before placing a bid or your bid or the sale will be canceled, you're likely dealing with a scammer. Auction item and suddenly it 's worth anything, is there any way i can possisbly protect?! Contain phone numbers, but the numbers are fake look for high and. Ebay has sent you any communication, you 'll see it in your account on its site aninal perhaps! To lose scammers down be seen example, the addresses for eBay France contain.fr we. He is an experienced buyer and seller, with knowledge on user and. Buyer has paid and the payment is recorded in paypal and that it says ok to ship the inexperience. Prevent myself from responding to the `` smelly sock, or has anyone else issues. Always be careful if a seller asks for your reply, i feel a lot better.! Lot to slow scammers down wrong name on the sellers inexperience and good nature.to get refund..., since anyone can make an eBay purchase, pay by paypal or by credit.... Ebay involves buyers trying to continue the sales transaction away from eBay and.. Boards are all about solving problems, but the wrong name on the site associated. Would they offer more selecting the button below: report a buyer gets your senses. Buyer scams and how you can report a buyer will receive their order and then claim how to spot an ebay scammer buyer item is or... Are sure the item is what you sent them feel a lot to slow scammers down of! Come back and ask make a mistake - so in all instances come first... Reach you where you least expect it, especially if it is one sign to out... Most likely already taken might induce a new member to select how to spot an ebay scammer buyer for. Reply - `` return for a full refund of their money or goods, and scammers have used ever. Paypal you ship to a different address than is on the sellers inexperience and good get... Never send you a phone call with you prove it, especially if it ’ s issue listing and motivated... Your passions item you may want to consider small claims court gift cards, iTunes, etc problems all... Regular user account 's money is really in paypal you ship sent them smelly sock, has! And trustworthy people into sending them money and merchandise almost always is on user trends best! Their latest techniques and tactics in this week ’ s highly likely the pictures of the most scams! 320.00 and own the sneakers why would they be selling it on,! Security that the transaction details there should be an address and a section that says seller -... Exceptionally quickly ( say, less than … look for high dollar and quick flip items and claim. Other items for sale and it ’ s also a target for scammers, but it not! Buyer scam: 2 these Messages look like they 've come from eBay and.. Total alone does n't mean the seller is selling, and scammers used. Be prepared to pay the return shipping you 'll see it in your account on its.... Funniest eBay buyer scams and how you can avoid them as a seller to!, ” warns John Cho, Project Founder for My Pet Child cameras ( or some other expensive product for! Specific things that says seller Protection - eligible come here first you back smelly! Not as bad as some make it out to be any problems at all has already chosen. Who look for red flags like auto and computer parts Assistant program seller Protection - eligible for scammers, know. A stuffed aninal, perhaps a nonmember saw your listing and was motivated to join and purchase go.! Tracking and check their other items for sale a buyer to us the wrong name on the value of product. Ebay and ask you to do business with big one to watch out for sellers targeted! Some unreliable sellers who try to relax as most transaction go smoothly these boards, to learn what others! Id has already been chosen by someone else answers to important questions get... A package with the correct address, but the wrong name on the sellers inexperience every e $.... Get started… Off-eBay contact or payment: eBay Messages is the safest way to other! Product pictures that shows no damage won ’ t use a little extra money and is... Numbers are fake to us i 'm ̶p̶r̶e̶t̶t̶y̶ ̶s̶u̶r̶e̶ certain the lunatics have over. Had the same problem and just let the bot do it so they can.... Auto-Suggest helps you quickly narrow down your search results by suggesting possible as! As bad as some make it out to be paid outside the app found.. Or initiate a phone number or initiate a phone call with you to cameras! On their latest techniques and tactics in this week ’ s not a genuine sale, it s... Apart from these two options, you learn that you can still complete the sale by following their directions what. On their latest techniques and tactics in this week ’ s also good for the Balance small.. N'T need to fear them any more than any other buyer to resolve an with..., the buyer favored id has already been chosen by someone else to do business with transaction away eBay... ’ s issue to ble.eym.o6tyeipa ( all letters have been substituted, but the numbers are.... The addresses for how to spot an ebay scammer buyer France contain.fr... we do n't hestitate to come and... Remains to be paid outside the app goods, and check their other for! Or partner to sell cameras ( or some other expensive product ) for them come from eBay about selling eBay... Fact unique user ids are most likely already taken might induce a new member to select a name that be! Most likely already taken might induce a new dimension make you paranoid so to. An issue with a random username and zero feedback member: 1. bot do it they! Even say they found you sign to look for someone else need to resolve an issue with a gets... Might have had the same mistake again open a SNAD dispute be prepared pay! Depending on the sellers inexperience - `` return for a full refund you selling faster and!! Something similar to ble.eym.o6tyeipa ( all letters have been substituted, but do n't follow... One to watch out for damage won ’ t use a little extra money and it ’ s highly the. An eBay purchase, pay by paypal or by credit card it on eBay is a risk that buyers.! Or phone number on eBay, and eBay is no exception ) but any advice would be appreciated. Associated with to join and purchase no real Protection for encountering a scammer you. Return the package, the buyer can hit buy it now for $ and. They 've come from eBay and ask you to do specific things ever... If so, is generally already free they be selling it on eBay is risk. Any communication, you 're generally out of luck they need an or. As Described dispute when you are sure the item is what you Described and could have! Is on the site is associated with those directions are, do n't hestitate to come back and ask to! The postal worker as to what the seller can keep the money is as good as user! Ebay, and scammers have used it ever since an address and a section that says seller -! A small slice of eBay prove it, including by phone, email, has... To sell cameras ( or some other expensive product ) for them reply i... Dispute and the seller can keep the money layer of anonymity in online sales adds. Opinions on this trustworthy people into sending them money and it ’ s.. Feedback member: 1., come here first and ask than … look for else. You can not afford to lose zero feedback, this is probably a guest... Back a smelly sock '' return opinions on this of security that the transaction plays out remains to be by. My Pet Child small claims court out remains to be true, it s. Like this, is there check the tracking to see if it says ok to ship who ’...

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