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. Is it a crime? These emails might request payment through eBay gift cards, iTunes, etc. Whether you’re a buyer or a seller, online transactions require extra caution to avoid scams. It seems to be legitimate. Have to give you credit for guts -- first item $900. And the signature that you get with insurance does not count enough. If you’re considering buying an item, first look at the seller’s feedback ratings to determine their reliability. In the transaction details there should be an address and a section that says Seller Protection - eligible. The following is a list of the most common eBay buyer scams: Claim that an item was not received. % of people told us that this article helped them. How likely is it that someone is a scammer on Ebay if they have positive reviews? There are kinds of seller on eBay, here are 6 categorization based on my personal observation as eBay user for past 5 years: 1. We always used to call our credit cards the *Spend the Mortgage Payment Cards*... but that didn't throw the fear of God into us enough, but we managed to make the mortgage and just ate beans & franks a few evenings too often. Your one-stop-shop for news, updates and information from eBay about selling on eBay. This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. {"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}}. If you see reviews like this, the seller is still probably reputable. If you report your transaction to the police, they'll decide if it should be investigated as a crime or as a civil dispute. The online auction site launched in 1995, and scammers have used it ever since. Buyer overpays for an item. You need online viewable signature confirmation. This depends on the number of reviews, the higher amount of reviews the higher track record accuracy of the account’s true nature. I just sold an item for $720. The buyer paid via PayPal and requested the … If you google "cragislist buyer scam", "fake paypal email scam", "ebay paypal invoice scam" or something similar you will find hundreds of posts from victims and near victims of this type of scam. A more common trick is for a fake buyer to claim the item they bought never arrived, which is virtually impossible to disprove unless you send items either tracked or with signature confirmation. This is an eBay policy and covers almost all transactions on the site. If it was sold as damaged, then there is little you can do except ask the seller to accept a return, which you will possibly have to pay return shipping. Off-eBay contact or payment: eBay Messages is the safest way to contact other members. By using our site, you agree to our. This gives you a comprehensive idea of the type of seller they are. wikiHow's. My question is how do I know when I can accept an offer, as I am now very skeptical of selling on eBay. Whenever you view an eBay product, there is box on the right side of the screen with the seller’s overall score. If you send your email address, you will get a legitimate "looking" email instructing you to mail your item with "warnings" to do it quickly. The address book hyperlink on the page was broken and didn't take me to the correct page, so because I was in a hurry (FedEx drop-off time was coming up) my return address remained a 10 year old address. The problem? There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. Most legitimate sellers accept PayPal since it protects both the buyer and seller from fraud and disputes. Some buyers may have unreasonable criticisms, so be sure to take that into account. The phone call collection. Also, please go back and read all the tutorials about selling as you obviously missed a few points if you don't know how you will get paid. This is especially important for used and collectible items when the condition is very important. But at least most of those things have gone UP in value, so maybe I kept up with inflation. You can also post/ask here and every scam-warner-anti-fraud-busting site you can find before taking a chance and losing money to a scammer. If you must use eBay, then you must be wary of eBay scams. In the transaction details there should be an address and a section that says Seller Protection - eligible. The … Yeah, there is is a way to do a 30 day search for items bought (both by auction & BIN) but I've yet to see a way to search for specifics for items bid on..............-kathy-. There is no reason to ask a buyer for their 'full mailing address'. As with any online transaction, being scammed on eBay is a risk that buyers take. If a seller on eBay says she a member of the buyer's protection plan, how do I verify her membership? What do I do if I buy something on eBay that doesn't work when it arrives? In the “cash-buyer scam” there is no masked man demanding money or a curbside getaway car poised to make a … If they fail to give you a refund, call eBay and they will step in and give you your money back. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Why would a seller have lower prices on eBay? Compare the flat measurements to your own clothing that fits you well; never rely on a label size. But scam accounts also have few ratings, so look for more information. kathleenkorner wrote:YIKES. You will want to ship these ONLY to the address listed and only if eligible for Seller Protection and only with SIGNATURE CONFIRMATION,  I personally would insure the item as well. Ebay also awards power sellers and top-rated sellers with icons on … These cons often involve purchases and sales on eBay… When You Buy and Sell. Do not get talked out of passing that up by a "helpful" clerk. Read the item description thoroughly. Contact the seller and test them out, also, check the reviews about what other people think. How can I tell if a seller is legit on eBay? Someone below that could be an unreliable seller or be weak in that category. There's no reason your acquisitions now can't serve as investments toward your future! We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. Hmm..... Really is a shame they eliminated Search by Bidder. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, because a seller might just be new. This is a red flag, and you should question why a seller could offer a new iPhone so far below the normal market price. If you follow the basics outlined in this article, you're likely to have a good experience. for parts/repair". You can buy gift cards if you want to gift them to other people, but if you want to buy things for yourself, then no, you can use a credit card or PayPal for your purchases. Some buyers on eBay may set up a fake PayPal account or have a fake PayPal confirmation email created to trick you into thinking they've paid for the goods you sold - … In this video I relate three ideas of mine on how to prevent any kind of financial loss when it comes to scammers on eBay. Very cheap items are not necessarily a negative thing. 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. For more information, read some of the reviews the seller has received. You log in to your Paypal Account. You don’t have to investigate this seller further. What to do: Any legitimate eBay buyer should understand why a seller would refuse a transaction outside of eBay. Vora is one of a legion of sellers to have fallen victim to eBay’s lavish buyer-protection policy. LOL. For a seller to make money and be competitive on eBay, they will need to sell at lower prices. Most sellers want to avoid negative feedback at all costs. If a seller has a lot of positive feedback from the same day or over the course of a few days, and they are all cheap items such as cell phone cases, the seller is probably boosting their feedback score and could be getting ready for a scam. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. My first time selling on ebay and i received notification that my item was sold..i,m not sure what the next step is..I got mailing labels to mail item to buyer,but buyer switched addres on me..What do i do and how do you get paid...I feel a bit uncomfortable with this buyer..He sends email requesting my email and paypal info so he can pay as soon as possible..Can someone tell me how this works.. You look at that Paypal Payment, if it is there. I purchased a FedEx label via eBay's system. Love it. While it may be tempting to avoid Final Value Fees, completely a sale outside of eBay is high risk for scams and also against eBay rules . Get quick answers to important questions to get you selling faster and better! The other items bid by OP's winner were all cellphones. It can also be a terrible place to get ripped off on clothing. The good news is that the scams that tend to occur are generally easy to recognize. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 223,593 times. Sellers need to protect themselves at all cost. What do I do if a seller on eBay gets mean during communication? I just looked at my 30 days search and it shows over $800 in purchases.....not including shipping..........Note to self: read last months note telling you to quit shopping so much. If you own or manage a store on a non-eBay website, please be sure that your environment uses TLS 1.2 … eBay is highly competitive for low prices. You only ship to the address in the Paypal Payment and only if that payment says eligible. A seller with at least 10 positive feedback ratings gets a yellow star from eBay, which appears next to their name on the product page. It may be in your best interest to stay away from foreign sellers that only accept money orders or checks. Do I purchase eBay gift cards to buy things on eBay? So, in order to successfully reimburse the buyer, eBay needs to get reimbursed from the seller. For example, a Top Rated Power Seller with 213 reviews, of which only 8 are as a buyer, scoring 99.5%, that’s a legitimate track record. Perfect!! What does it mean if the seller's listings or their name are no longer showing on eBay a few days after purchasing an item? There are two pieces of information in this box. If you're talking about men's clothing, eBay can be an awesome place to get great deals on clothing. A seller with at least a yellow star is on the right track and you can be confident in their service. Copyright © 1995-2021 eBay Inc. All Rights Reserved. Share best practices, tips, and insights. Some categories might mean less to you than others. That bothers me a little bit. If you posted it via a tracked method, then you should of course check the delivery details online and see if the buyer is telling the truth. Only buy from sellers who have significant experience as a seller. A popular scam involving cashier’s checks has been known to crop up in … This could be a fake seller profile that someone is using to unload damaged products. Buy brands you're familiar with and know their quality and fit. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Absolutely! A variation of the above scam. Meet other eBay community members who share your passions. One buyer even purchased it at my asking price, but after doing quick research on the address on google before shipping, I found out the address was linked to a Russian based offshore scam. Here are a few examples of when to report a buyer: The buyer is demanding something that wasn’t offered in the original listing You believe the buyer is making a false claim Consider what your values are when you assess the seller’s ranking. This is the worst one for eBay sellers. This article has been viewed 223,593 times. If, however, the seller has few or no feedback ratings, you should do more investigating before buying the item. Asking buyers to complete transactions off of eBay is a violation of the site’s policy. eBay members who contact each other to sell or buy outside of eBay risk suspension. Be on your guard! Do not mail until you have payment and check that by logging into paypal.Do not believe any emails you get since pp emails can be faked.For the same reason do not log in from an email,you may be redirected to a false website and give away your password to see a fake payment. By staying vigilant, you can keep your shopping experience on eBay scam-free. But there's a layer of anonymity in online sales that adds a new dimension. Scams on transactions external to eBay. Similarly, if they want to settle outside of eBay or they give you an unconfirmed address, consider renegotiating. How do I find sellers on listings on eBay? Every seller is a "member", and every buyer is protected. And now here I am, offering some of those very things for sale here in the attempt to whittle down the STUFF in this home.. just in case we think Condo Living might be for us in a few years. DO NOT send the sneakers to anyone until you see the payment in your PayPal account (log in there as suggested). Contact eBay directly and explain what has happened and they'll provide you with details on what to do to get the transaction reversed. If you can't see the actual item for sale, there is a chance it's damaged or not in the condition that the user is describing. How it works: A buyer or … 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. Great! 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. A seller with slow communication may be less reliable. Look at the seller’s score on the product page. Give support, share information, and connect with fellow members. NOTICE TO SELLERS: To help ensure that the world can shop safely on eBay, we are updating the protocols we use to secure communications to and from eBay systems. Right after he won, he could click on "Pay" and "Confirm". Most good sellers on eBay rank above 40 in each of these categories. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Request shipment to an unconfirmed address. 5 ways to tell your cash buyer might be a phony. If a buyer files a dispute against a seller on eBay then eBay has to refund the buyer (when proven). In December she sold my iPhone 7 Plus for £345. So if there are problems with an order and the seller won’t work with you, eBay will reimburse you even if the seller is uncooperative. List of Common eBay Buyer Scams. But this usually means they aren’t professional sellers and might be less skilled or willing to deliver the best service possible. I am increasing my assets for future potential inflationary resale value!! All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published, This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. If a buyer has a questionable eBay history You should always check the background of the Buyer, if the Buyer has a dubious background history, like two or more than “not-paid” complaints registered against the profile then you should not waste your time because the person could be a scammer. They may even contain phone numbers, but the numbers are fake. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. If a buyer complains that the seller described an item as new and it arrived opened and damaged, then the seller is potentially untrustworthy. The message here is clear: If a “buyer” is supposed to be returning something valuable to you, check the package before you sign for it. As a buyer, some items can only be found on eBay, and as a seller, eBay might be the most profitable platform for you to sell on. You should only report a buyer if you think they’re violating our policies. If you have a problem with a seller or an item that they sold … Stars change color as the seller gets more positive feedback ratings. Auto-suggest helps you quickly narrow down your search results by suggesting possible matches as you type. Check out the one and only official paypal website, read up on what paypal does and how it really works. 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