I do not have a question; this is just a little bit of a rant. And a story.
I have been trying to "update my account" per the red warning banner across the top of my account page for a couple months. I kept doing as instructed, clicking this and that and then getting the "thank you for verifying" message. The red banner warning never went away, even after repeatedly following the directions.
Finally, Ebay stopped my payout and warned of "further restrictions" unless I "updated my account information."
Time to contact Ebay.
I went to the Customer Service chat box, typed my issue, and then chose the "have us call you" option that popped up.
A few minutes later they called, but as soon as I picked up the phone it clicked a few times but there was no agent, and after 30 seconds it hung up.
I went back to the chat box, yada yada, picked "have us call you" again.
I finally got hold of a customer service agent.
I explained how the big red "warning your account needs to be updated" was still on my account even after I "verified" my information (multiple times) and now my payouts are being held.
After about 10 minutes explaining the issue, being told I need to verify my account, me explaining that I HAVE, multiple times over the past couple months, that Ebay had even emailed me thanking me for verifying, the agent eventually told me he would transfer me to the verification department.
After 5-10 minutes a nice lady answered, and asked "what could I do for you".
"I just explained it to the guy that transferred me to you, don't you have that information?"
"No I ..."
"I have had a red warning banner on my account asking me to update my information mor months, I have updated it multiple times, Ebay thanks me for verifying. The information on my account is all correct, there is nothing else to verify. It is all correct. NOW ebay is withholding my payout and warning that my account will be further restricted unless I update my account. There is nothing to update. It is all correct."
"OK. I see. Are you calling on a landline?"
"Yes, my home phone."
"so you will have to provide your cell phone number so we can send you a text and verify your account."
"Really?? I do not have a cell phone."
"You do not have a cell phone?"
"No, I don't. No cell phone"
"You need to provide your phone number so we can text you a code and verify your account."
"I am calling you from my home phone. I am verifying the account."
"We need to send a code to verify the account."
"My phone cannot text."
"We need to send a code to verify the account."
"What if I give you someone else's cell phone number?"
"As long as it can receive the code number."
"So let me get this straight. You cannot verify the account by talking to me on this landline, the same home phone number that I have had listed on this account for 17 years, but if you text a number to a cell phone number is not mine THAT will verify the account?"
"As long as you provide the code."
"OK, then, thank you."
"Do you want me to call you back in a few minutes to make sure you were able to do it."
"Umm ... yes, sure."
"Yes sir, thank you."
click
Not done yet. It gets better.
I went to my Ebay settings, thinking I would be able to just add the new cell phone number (not mine) to the account.
But no. I cannot ADD another phone number.
I need to REPLACE my landline number with a cell phone number.
There is not an option for more than one phone number.
So I replaced my personal home phone number that has been on the account for 17 years with a phone number that is not mine, but at least it's a "mobile" number.
I then clicked "save".
For some reason a message then popped up stating that they have sent a code TO MY EMAIL and will provide a code to enter that will verify my email.
Really? After all that, my Email?
So I went to my Email, got the code, entered the code.
It thanked me for verifying my email.
Then the mobile phone that is not mine beeped. It had a code, also.
I entered the code from the mobile phone that is not mine into the box provided for the phone verification.
I clicked "save."
"Cannot verify this number. Try again later."
Repeated.
"Cannot verify this number. Try again later."
So I will try again later.
But if my account eventually gets "verified" and my payouts get unlocked,
Ebay will have on my account as contact information not my personal home phone number, which they have had as contact information for 17 years, but a phone number that is not mine. They don't know whose it is. Well, at least it's a cell phone, I guess.
Oh, and the Customer Service lady never called me back.
