how to spot an ebay scammer buyer

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. Need to resolve an issue with a buyer or seller? Most likely you will not need any of the info the poster gave you, especially, like you said, it's only a stuffed animal. {"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}}. I'm ̶p̶r̶e̶t̶t̶y̶ ̶s̶u̶r̶e̶ certain the lunatics have taken over the asylum. So far I've not had any problems at all. Thank you very much for your reply, I feel a lot better now. If you call the number (s) to verify, they will connect you with a scammer pretending to be an eBay Motors employee! Meet other eBay community members who share your passions. New ids can be generated bots if the buyer favored id has already been chosen by someone else. 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. The online auction site launched in 1995, and scammers have used it ever since. Employment scam. 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. Image by Theresa Chiechi © The Balance 2019. Scammers will try to reach you where you least expect it, including by phone, email, or text message. Again, this is a very simple scam. Yes there are scammers, but it is not as bad as some make it out to be. Those buyers actualy have less protection via the eBay Buyer Protection policy. 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. Your desire for the impossible shouldn't trump your common sense. 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. In all instances, come here first and ask if something about a buyer gets your spidey senses off. 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. 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. However, since anyone can make an account, there are some unreliable sellers who try to scam people on the site. The scammer has sent none. 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. For example, the addresses for eBay France contain .fr ... we don't allow buyers and sellers to complete sales outside of eBay. The good news is that the scams that tend to occur are generally easy to recognize. 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. Do not choose the no returns option. 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. Someone contacts you about a great new business opportunity. 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. Because most people return the package, the scammer can resell it. Watch for red flags that might tell you to look for someone else to do business with. 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. Always get tracking and check the tracking to see if it says delivered. And if so, is there any way I can possisbly protect myself? 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. Reading these boards will make you paranoid so try to relax as most transaction go smoothly. How to report a buyer. If an eBay package is returned or refused, the seller is able to keep the money and the product–only to turn … I just personally find the situation kind of fishy, and that makes me nervous. 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. Scams on transactions external to eBay. 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. I hope this is what's happening, cause we all know we need all the (good) buyers on eBay we can get. 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. Faulty/Damaged Item. I just got my first return request, and I will be asking on the boards how to handle it. The buyers with the higher feed. The boards are all about solving problems, but it is just a small slice of ebay. Scammers will never return nor will leave feedback. Scammers are usually after bigger fish than stuffed animals. Claiming a problem with the item. But new members do not have feedback since they are just starting out. The name is something similar to ble.eym.o6tyeipa (all letters have been substituted, but that's the general feel). You got good advice from the posters above. 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. The bait and switch tactic when they ship you back a smelly sock, or whatever instead of what you sent them. As with any online transaction, being scammed on eBay is a risk that buyers take. If they open a SNAD dispute be prepared to pay the return shipping. Scammers count on new sellers like you to scam them. They need an employee or partner to sell cameras (or some other expensive product) for them. 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. He is an experienced buyer and seller, with knowledge on user trends and best practices. Apart from these two options, you're generally out of luck. 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). Give support, share information, and connect with fellow members. Thanks! 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. But it’s also a target for scammers, who know how to spot their quarry. Look for red flags. Ask yourself if a buyer can hit buy it now for $320.00 and own the sneakers why would they offer more. 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”. Selling Items: Accept only the exact purchase price. And now, on to the next most common eBay buyer scam: 2. Off-eBay contact or payment: eBay Messages is the safest way to contact other members. Under no circumstances do you ship to a different address. These emails might request payment through eBay gift cards, iTunes, etc. Hope that helps! Claiming that they didn't get the item. eBay is a great website to find deals on everything from TVs to vintage collectibles. Whatever those directions are, don't do follow them. I'll be shipping out tomorrow (with tracking, as always) but any advice would be much appreciated. 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. Let’s get started… I am trying to prevent myself from responding to the "smelly sock" return. The seller asks to be paid outside the app. As long as the buyer has paid and the payment is recorded in PayPal you ship. and have it witnessed by the postal worker as to what came back. No returns gives the seller a false sense of security that the transaction is over - but ebay's policies trump yours. I mean who couldn’t use a little extra money and it’s also good for the environment. 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. Buyer Fraud on eBay Buyer fraud isn't unique to eBay. But many scammers will try to play on the sellers inexperience and good nature.to get a refund. 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. You see the car and go to a mechanic they choose. 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. Your one-stop-shop for news, updates and information from eBay about selling on eBay. Auto-suggest helps you quickly narrow down your search results by suggesting possible matches as you type. All the items purchased were small dollar amounts, less than $20, and were collectable-type items, coffee mugs, tshirts ... those type items. This one is tricky because legitimate second-chance offers can come your way on eBay. 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. But many scammers will try to play on the sellers inexperience and good nature.to get a refund. So I'm fairly new to selling on eBay, and I wanted to just get some opinions on this. Retrose's response listed problems and what to look out for. Aron Hsiao wrote about eBay for The Balance Small Business. The holder of that id might have had the same problem and just let the bot do it so they could buy your item. Share best practices, tips, and insights. If you place a high-value item for sale and it is sold exceptionally quickly (say, less than … In the transaction details there should be an address and a section that says Seller Protection - eligible. When you make an eBay purchase, pay by PayPal or by credit card. Should the new ID encounter a problem use the standard reply - "Return for a full refund. For example, a seller might offer 10 computer monitors for $50 each, and advertise it as a one-day sale or blow out. Scammers will use any available platform to trick innocent people out of their money or goods, and eBay is no exception. Probably not. Ebay is attracting new buyers everyday. There is no real protection for encountering a scammer on e$Bay. 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. Copyright © 1995-2021 eBay Inc. All Rights Reserved. in general. Who it targets: Buyers and sellers. If it’s not a genuine sale, it’s highly likely the pictures of the product will also not be genuine. If you notice any of these issues, report them to us. Claiming a problem with the item. There are very few scammers when you look at the overall picture of the size of Ebay. 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. 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. Get quick answers to important questions to get you selling faster and better! 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. 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. 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. Check out the eBay Motors Security Center. Always be careful if a seller asks for your personal contact details, such as an email address or phone number. Computer Scams If you bid in a computer auction but don't win, the seller might email you to ask … ... International eBay websites include letters that tell what country the site is associated with. 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. I am 99.99% sure a scammer found you. Pointing to your product pictures that shows no damage won’t be enough as they can simply claim it happened during postage. If your shipper says it's delivered, the buyer can not win a dispute and the seller can keep the money. 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. Tell them to return for a refund. 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. Buyer overpays for an item. One of the most easy scams to spot on eBay involves buyers trying to continue the sales transaction away from eBay. 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. You don't need to fear them any more than any other buyer. 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. We’ll give you the lowdown on their latest techniques and tactics in this week’s issue. Every month 157 million people use sites like Letgo, Offerup, Craigslist, Ebay and more to buy or sell just about anything imaginable. Scammers take advantage of this and send a package with the correct address, but the wrong name on the label. With a random username and zero feedback, this is probably a "guest account". And what to look out for so, is there any way i possisbly. Buy it now for $ 320.00 and own the sneakers why would they offer more id might have the... 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