how to spot an ebay scammer buyer

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. Most likely you will not need any of the info the poster gave you, especially, like you said, it's only a stuffed animal. Share best practices, tips, and insights. Only it isn't, and the message is a fake, and if you do what is asked, you're going to lose your money or your identity. The scammer may even say they found you through eBay's Trading Assistant program. Yes there are scammers, but it is not as bad as some make it out to be. Off-eBay contact or payment: eBay Messages is the safest way to contact other members. Scammers trick innocent and trustworthy people into sending them money and merchandise. And if so, is there any way I can possisbly protect myself? But many scammers will try to play on the sellers inexperience and good nature.to get a refund. Pay attention to what the seller is selling, and check their other items for sale. Faulty/Damaged Item. Asking that you ship to a different address than is on the paypal payment. For example, a seller might offer 10 computer monitors for $50 each, and advertise it as a one-day sale or blow out. I just personally find the situation kind of fishy, and that makes me nervous. 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. Claiming that they didn't get the item. New ids can be generated bots if the buyer favored id has already been chosen by someone else. Let’s get started… 1: The pictures. This one is tricky because legitimate second-chance offers can come your way on eBay. I hope this is what's happening, cause we all know we need all the (good) buyers on eBay we can get. Need to resolve an issue with a buyer or seller? 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. One of the most easy scams to spot on eBay involves buyers trying to continue the sales transaction away from eBay. From there, depending on the value of the item you may want to consider small claims court. They may even contain phone numbers, but the numbers are fake. Hope that helps! Individuals tend to select a name that can be remembered. But do so before you react. All the items purchased were small dollar amounts, less than $20, and were collectable-type items, coffee mugs, tshirts ... those type items. I'll be shipping out tomorrow (with tracking, as always) but any advice would be much appreciated. 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 scammers target new sellers with no returns in the hope that they will be stubborn about it and make a mistake giving scammers freebies. Probably not. But new members do not have feedback since they are just starting out. Thanks! Tell them to return for a refund. 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. If a buyer is asking you for your PayPal address or your email address, then there is a possibility that this Buyer is … But many scammers will try to play on the sellers inexperience and good nature.to get a refund. 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. 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”. Live and learn—and never make the same mistake again. 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. Scammers count on new sellers like you to scam them. I am 99.99% sure a scammer found you. How the transaction plays out remains to be seen. 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. 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. If the listing disappears, move on and find another one. If an eBay package is returned or refused, the seller is able to keep the money and the product–only to turn … Your one-stop-shop for news, updates and information from eBay about selling on eBay. A popular scam involving cashier’s checks has been known to crop up in … The information, if it's worth anything, is generally already free. As long as the buyer has paid and the payment is recorded in PayPal you ship. Aron Hsiao wrote about eBay for The Balance Small Business. 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. One more. eBay will never send you a phone number or initiate a phone call with you. in general. Employment scam. If someone did really have the secret to astral projection with scientific research to prove it, would they be selling it on eBay? Whatever those directions are, don't do follow them. These emails might request payment through eBay gift cards, iTunes, etc. Ask yourself if a buyer can hit buy it now for $320.00 and own the sneakers why would they offer more. 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. 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. 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. 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. Should the new ID encounter a problem use the standard reply - "Return for a full refund. Buyer overpays for an item. We’ll give you the lowdown on their latest techniques and tactics in this week’s issue. So I'm fairly new to selling on eBay, and I wanted to just get some opinions on this. The holder of that id might have had the same problem and just let the bot do it so they could buy your item. Again, this is a very simple scam. Ebay is attracting new buyers everyday. The seller asks to be paid outside the app. You don't need to fear them any more than any other buyer. Sometimes they are related to a transaction, sometimes under the threat of investigations or criminal charges, sometimes with "special offers.". I'm ̶p̶r̶e̶t̶t̶y̶ ̶s̶u̶r̶e̶ certain the lunatics have taken over the asylum. With a random username and zero feedback, this is probably a "guest account". But there's a layer of anonymity in online sales that adds a new dimension. Image by Theresa Chiechi © The Balance 2019. I am trying to prevent myself from responding to the "smelly sock" return. If it sounds too good to be true, it almost always is. Always get tracking and check the tracking to see if it says delivered. 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. Known as phish emails or spoof emails, these messages look like they've come from eBay and ask you to do specific things. Filing a Not as Described dispute when you are sure the item is what you described and couldn't have broke. These peer exchanges are an amazing resource, especially since the the average U.S. home as more than 50 unused items worth $3,000 just lying around. Every e$Bay member started at zero feedback. These are hard cases if they happen. eBay is a great website to find deals on everything from TVs to vintage collectibles. Under no circumstances do you ship to a different address. If your shipper says it's delivered, the buyer can not win a dispute and the seller can keep the money. 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. You see the car and go to a mechanic they choose. 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. 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. Reading these boards will make you paranoid so try to relax as most transaction go smoothly. 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. Look for red flags. If you place a high-value item for sale and it is sold exceptionally quickly (say, less than … Selling Items: Accept only the exact purchase price. When you make an eBay purchase, pay by PayPal or by credit card. If it’s not a genuine sale, it’s highly likely the pictures of the product will also not be genuine. 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. Many just say to not list anything you can not afford to lose. Give support, share information, and connect with fellow members. How to report a buyer. In the transaction details there should be an address and a section that says Seller Protection - eligible. 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. For example, the addresses for eBay France contain .fr ... we don't allow buyers and sellers to complete sales outside of eBay. If they open a SNAD dispute be prepared to pay the return shipping. 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. 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. 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. He is an experienced buyer and seller, with knowledge on user trends and best practices. As with any online transaction, being scammed on eBay is a risk that buyers take. No returns gives the seller a false sense of security that the transaction is over - but ebay's policies trump yours. Thank you very much for your reply, I feel a lot better now. ... International eBay websites include letters that tell what country the site is associated with. 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. 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). 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. The online auction site launched in 1995, and scammers have used it ever since. Get quick answers to important questions to get you selling faster and better! They might ask for a certified check, electronic gift card, or a wire payment through … 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. Scammers take advantage of this and send a package with the correct address, but the wrong name on the label. backs can be the seasoned scam buyers who know how to work the system in their favor. 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. Always check to see if the money is really in paypal and that it says ok to ship. You only ship to the address in the Paypal Payment and only if that payment says eligible. 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. 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. Electronics are a big one to watch out for, like auto and computer parts. Most people won’t open it, especially if it is a package. Computer Scams If you bid in a computer auction but don't win, the seller might email you to ask … 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. But it’s also a target for scammers, who know how to spot their quarry. 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. You've been bidding on an auction item and suddenly it's no longer there. 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. Do not choose the no returns option. 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. 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. Guest account's money is as good as regular user account's money. This video will discuss some of the worst and funniest eBay buyer scams and how you can avoid them as a seller. Read these boards, to learn what problems others are having, but don't be parinoid. And now, on to the next most common eBay buyer scam: 2. There is no real protection for encountering a scammer on e$Bay. A quick sale. 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. 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. Given the fact unique user IDS are most likely already taken might induce a new member to select all numerics for their ID. Claiming a problem with the item. 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. Meet other eBay community members who share your passions. They need an employee or partner to sell cameras (or some other expensive product) for them. First the userID and being a zero feedback member: 1.) 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. Your desire for the impossible shouldn't trump your common sense. However, you learn that you can still complete the sale by following their directions. 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. Many scammers hope that you will make a mistake  - so in all instances come here first. Auto-suggest helps you quickly narrow down your search results by suggesting possible matches as you type. 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. How it works: A buyer or … Have questions about a vehicle purchase or sale? Retrose's response listed problems and what to look out for. I mean who couldn’t use a little extra money and it’s also good for the environment. Because most people return the package, the scammer can resell it. However, scammers don't even have a PayPal account or else they'd be too easy to trace. You should also generally be on the lookout for … Being that this was a stuffed aninal, perhaps a nonmember saw your listing and was motivated to join and purchase. Scammers will try to reach you where you least expect it, including by phone, email, or text message. 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. 2.) Apart from these two options, you're generally out of luck. You got good advice from the posters above. A $500 total alone doesn't mean the seller is a scammer, but it is one sign to look out for. Someone contacts you about a great new business opportunity. Should you encounter more of a problem with this transaction you posted about, don't hestitate to come back and ask. If you notice any of these issues, report them to us. The scammer has sent none. Scams on transactions external to eBay. Buyer Fraud on eBay Buyer fraud isn't unique to eBay. So far I've not had any problems at all. 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. Instead, they mark it as wrongly delivered. 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. You must file a police report, mail fraud report, and hopefully you have return tracking and in anticipation of the scammers faulty return that you hold the package at the P.O. Those buyers actualy have less protection via the eBay Buyer Protection policy. Asking for your paypal address so they can pay. Am I over reacting, or has anyone else had issues with buyers like this? Watch for red flags that might tell you to look for someone else to do business with. 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. Don't believe this one. A buyer will receive their order and then claim the item is faulty or damaged in some way. Scammers will use any available platform to trick innocent people out of their money or goods, and eBay is no exception. You log in to your Paypal Account. If you call the number (s) to verify, they will connect you with a scammer pretending to be an eBay Motors employee! 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. Members can change their ID. Nothing about your situation seems suspicious. {"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}}. The good news is that the scams that tend to occur are generally easy to recognize. Claiming a problem with the item. You'll typically see an as-is disclaimer somewhere in the listing. There are very few scammers when you look at the overall picture of the size of Ebay. 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. 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. However, since anyone can make an account, there are some unreliable sellers who try to scam people on the site. 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. For buyers. You can report a buyer to us by selecting the button below: Report a buyer - opens in new window or tab. 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. In all instances, come here first and ask if something about a buyer gets your spidey senses off. Every month 157 million people use sites like Letgo, Offerup, Craigslist, Ebay and more to buy or sell just about anything imaginable. You look at that Paypal Payment, if it is there. If eBay has sent you any communication, you'll see it in your account on its site. The buyers with the higher feed. The name is something similar to ble.eym.o6tyeipa (all letters have been substituted, but that's the general feel). Check out the eBay Motors Security Center. Pointing to your product pictures that shows no damage won’t be enough as they can simply claim it happened during postage. Good luck with your eBay sales. and have it witnessed by the postal worker as to what came back. The bait and switch tactic when they ship you back a smelly sock, or whatever instead of what you sent them. Scammers are usually after bigger fish than stuffed animals. Who it targets: Buyers and sellers. 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. Always be careful if a seller asks for your personal contact details, such as an email address or phone number. 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. If it is $500 or less, they are likely scammers,” warns John Cho, Project Founder for My Pet Child. Tell them to return for a refund. 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. The boards are all about solving problems, but it is just a small slice of ebay. Actually you can do a lot to slow scammers down. I just got my first return request, and I will be asking on the boards how to handle it. Scammers will never return nor will leave feedback. In one common scam, the scam artist/buyer … 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. 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. Copyright © 1995-2021 eBay Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. Many newer sellers are targeted by scammers who look for high dollar and quick flip items and then cash in on the sellers inexperience.

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