My first 9 buyers wanted me to contact them via their phone numbers or email addresses.

[patsysvaluedc_35]

2 buyers are no longer registered with eBay. I cancelled their purchases. Here's how I answered their questions and requests, "I cannot contact you outside of eBay Messages." They asked for me to send extra pictures, so they can proceed with the payment, or please answer my question by calling my phone number, so they can proceed with the payment, or contact my provided email address to answer a question, or text me at my phone number or email address provided. Could these type of buyers be legit. So far, I had to cancel 5 out of 9 buyers purchases, but those last 4 are questionable? I just started selling, and I'm so disappointed to have my first 3 days started like this...

[r_lresale]

Scams are happening more frequently and especially for new sellers but usually of high dollar items like electronics and such but I'm not seeing this with what you are selling. Is this the only ID you sell on??

[alcoforever]

Anybody that wants you to call, text, or email them is a scammer.   You can safely cancel their bids and block them for good measure.

[coolections]

The items you sell are not scam magnets. 9 buyers are asking to message you? I've sold for years and have never has a buyer ask me to message them. Very strange. Do not respond to any of those messages. If they pay, ship. If they do not pay file a nonpayment with Ebay.

[aqeeqsouq]

@patsysvaluedc_35 

Don't do that.

[lotusintheair]

That's a GOOGLE VOICE SCAM. 

They want your phone number, then register with google voice. Google sends a verification code to your phone. Scammers will ask you to provide that Code "to see if you are a real seller"!!!

If you email them, they will ask you to call them or ask for your phone number. 

This happens a lot on Craiglist and Facebook Market Place. 

https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2021/10/google-voice-scam-how-verification-code-scam-works-...

[ittybitnot]

The items you sell are not scam magnets. 

@coolections 

The "text me" scammers are not just interested in high end items anymore.  Actually, they are typically after the 'gift cards' (codes) that they want included in the parcel as an additional gift for their daughter (grandmother, uncle) for their wedding (first communion, graduation).  The actual product would be just a bonus.  They will pay extra for this, of course, with the same phony payment notification they always use. 

The phone scam mentioned above is also another option.  On FBookMP you get the "I want to buy this and pick it up right away.  Give me your cell phone number so I can call...."  Or "call me at ...xxxxxxxx....."   

The phone scam is described here:  

https://www.idstrong.com/sentinel/your-phone-number-is-out-there-what-can-someone-do-with-your-phone...

[ittybitnot]

 Could these type of buyers be legit.

@patsysvaluedc_35 

They are not buyers.  They are criminals.   If you accepted their offer, you can report them on the eBay site. Otherwise, just ignore and block.  You will not get any money, but you will get a fake payment notification saying the money has been sent.  Usually, they say it will be released as soon as you provide the gift card codes on the back of the cards they want you to include in the package as a gift.   They used to target newbies selling high end products, but it is not limited to that anymore.  Search the board for "text me scammer" and their first cousins the "change of address scammers".   

Good you did not fall for this. 

[rugerskick]

Sorry, your first 9 "buyers" were scammers.

Ebay really needs to have seller protections in place for brand new sellers.

Their bots should also see if new sellers are getting emails that ask to text or call and identify those scam "buyers" accounts and ban them right there.  This is aclear violation of ebay policy, bypassing ebay communication rules.

And for the buyer apologists here who say thats not fair, they ban sellers for far less.

[coolections]

---

@rugerskick wrote:

And for the buyer apologists here who say thats not fair.

---

@rugerskick   Who would be apologizing for Ebay allowing scammers? I've never read of anyone apologizing for a buyer if they are scamming. Yes, Ebay needs to, and probably does, kick many off. They are like flies and keep coming.

[chapeau-noir]

@patsysvaluedc_35   I've been here too long for that game, but when I first started on Poshmark it seemed I was bombarded with this texting nonsense. 

Anything can draw out these scammers - heck, I sell mid-priced pre-owned clothing over on Posh but they pestered me anyway.

Don't correspond, don't waste any time or energy on these people - just cancel the purchase and/or refuse to answer their questions. Don't communicate.  I'm sorry they're pestering you so badly!  It seems to be some kind of strange rite of passage these days.

[rugerskick]

Seriously, you know exactly what is posted here.  No one backs the sellers, not even many of the other sellers.  Its always something the seller did wrong or should have known better about.  No empathy, often zero help.  Half the time it would have been better if those sellers never even posted.

[inhawaii]

Why is this happpening?

#1 You're a new seller. You are a target for a scammer.

#2 There has been a rise in scams lately.

#3 You are extremely unlucky.

This hardly ever happens to me.

[mam98031]

It is a 100% GUARANTEED Fraud. There is NO reason for them to do this. Not a legit reason anyway. I can guarantee you that they are trying to steal your money or your product or maybe both.

NEVER take ANY part of an Ebay transaction Off Ebay. Not only is it a serious breach of the Ebay rules and can lead to you losing the privilege of selling on the site, but the ONLY reason a buyer would want to do this is to STEAL from you. There is NO upside to this for you at all.

Your response to them should just be a simple one.

All communication and payments will be handled on the Ebay site only. There is no legitimate reason to do otherwise.

[justafemster]

I've been getting these lately too.  Not as though I'm a new seller or sell high priced items.  

I ignore when possible, cancel and report.  Then I forget them.