eBay

dnew_8024 · ‎08-22-2019

I think I just encountered my first scam and need some advice to help handle the situation...

Context: So I'm selling headphones, listed as "buy it now or best offer" and got an offer around $30 more than the listed price, so I got excited but was a little suspicious of it. I accepted the offer and the buyer asked for me to contact them via text so I did. It was going ok until they asked for my paypal email, which was weird because they could pay through ebay. I gave my email but also said to pay through ebay instead. They agreed, but then they said they were going to add around $500 in payment so that I could buy gift cards for them. Immediately I knew something was wrong so I told them I was not going to buy giftcards and that I was cancelling the transaction.

This is my first time having to cancel a transaction so I'm a little confused as to how it works and would really appreciate if I could get some advice on it.

I clicked cancel order and said how I was asked to buy a bunch of gift cards, and it said I had to wait for the buyer to respond. I highly doubt a scammer will respond to the cancel order, so I'm a little worried/confused about what's going to happen. It said that the case will automatically be closed in 7 days if the buyer doesn't respond, but I found some other pages saying something about how it actually takes 30 days for cases to be resolved? And the buyer hasn't paid me, but most information I could find was about how to cancel transactions where they already paid.

How long will I have to wait for the case to be closed, (assuming the buyer never responds) and or when will I be able to relist the item?

Will I even be able to relist the item again?

How is this going to affect me as a seller?

And should I be worried about having given my email to them? I just changed a bunch of my passwords and blocked their number, but I'm afraid they might try to contact me through my email. I shouldn't have given it...

And is there anyway I can report the user as a possible scammer on ebay or block them?

Thank you so much for your time

orangehound · ‎08-22-2019

@dnew_8024 wrote:
So I'm selling headphones, listed as "buy it now or best offer" and got an offer around $30 more than the listed price, so I got excited

Yep, thieves love to make offers more than people are asking because ... well ... the thief isn't paying.

On high theft items (e.g. popular tech), it is always best practice to price and sell items at market rates so as to attract legitimate buyers.

They agreed, but then they said they were going to add around $500 in payment so that I could buy gift cards for them. Immediately I knew something was wrong so I told them I was not going to buy giftcards and that I was cancelling the transaction.

Yep, that's a common theft tactic. Kudos to you for recognizing it!!

This is my first time having to cancel a transaction so I'm a little confused as to how it works and would really appreciate if I could get some advice on it.

You should call eBay, and talk with someone who works with fraud and theft ... you want to make sure this buyer gets reported as a scammer because if he is trying it with you, then he will be doing it with multiple people. To contact eBay, navigate through the maze of questions in the "Help and Contact" link at the bottom of most pages, and a phone number will eventually pop up at the bottom of a screen.

How long will I have to wait for the case to be closed, (assuming the buyer never responds) and or when will I be able to relist the item?
Will I even be able to relist the item again?
How is this going to affect me as a seller?

I don't know how you "cancelled" the transaction, but as long as you selected something like "Buyer requested cancellation" or "Problem with Address", you shouldn't be affected as a seller Cancellations usually happen quickly, or in a day or two. And, yes, you can relist ... you can relist even if the item hasn't yet cancelled.

When selling high-dollar tech, follow best practices to avoid thieves:

List your item at a competitive price (check sold listings)
Sell only to US addresses ... use Buy It Now with immediate payment required.
Ship only to the payment address, and do not accept after-sale address changes or any other changes to the terms of the sale.
Communicate only through eBay messaging.

And should I be worried about having given my email to them? I just changed a bunch of my passwords and blocked their number, but I'm afraid they might try to contact me through my email.

I wouldn't be concerned.

View Best Answer in original post

7606dennis · ‎08-22-2019

Why did you accept such an offer?

Advise the buyer that they will need to communicate only through eBay messages.

"It is an intelligent man that is aware of his own ignorance."

7606dennis · ‎08-22-2019

I would contact eBay and report the scam.

"It is an intelligent man that is aware of his own ignorance."

dnew_8024 · ‎08-22-2019

Honestly I don't know, initially I thought it had something to do with the "best offer" system but after looking into it, that's not how best offer works. I should have done some more research beforehand...

And that's a good idea, I never considered that before, do scammers usually want to communicate via text? Because I got another offer on the same item and they also wanted to communicate via text, but now I'm really wary of it and wondering if I should report it.

candd205 · ‎08-22-2019

You did the right things. Stop worrying about this. It's an easy one. You didn't get scammed... yay. Now follow ebay instructions about the 7 days. Don't trust any e-mails you get to your regular e-mail, even if they look like they are from ebay or paypal, delete them, certainly don't click a link in them. Don't trust an e-mail that says you got paid. Go to paypal and see if your money is there before you ever send anything. Only communicate with ebay through ebay. Relist your item in the 7 days that ebay said you could.

dnew_8024 · ‎08-22-2019

I have, thank you. After looking into it I also found out that they only made the account today so it was definitely some scam.

dnew_8024 · ‎08-22-2019

Alright, thank you so much. I'm just a little shaken up because I'm getting ready to go to college in like two days and was really worried, I've never had to deal with something like this before...

alcoforever · ‎08-22-2019

Scam - anytime you get an offer over asking.

Scam - anytime they want to add for gift cards.

Scam - anytime the want to text you.

Scam - anytime they want your paypal email address

You can cancel the transaction using 'problem with buyer's address.' You can then immediately relist and will get your FVF's credited. Downside is the perp can leave you bad feedback.

Alternatively, you can open an NPB case in the Resolution Center 48 hours after the sale and then close it 96 hours after that. Then you can relist the item. This will get your FVF's back and the perp will not be able to leave you feedback.

orangehound · ‎08-22-2019

@dnew_8024 wrote:
So I'm selling headphones, listed as "buy it now or best offer" and got an offer around $30 more than the listed price, so I got excited

Yep, thieves love to make offers more than people are asking because ... well ... the thief isn't paying.

On high theft items (e.g. popular tech), it is always best practice to price and sell items at market rates so as to attract legitimate buyers.

They agreed, but then they said they were going to add around $500 in payment so that I could buy gift cards for them. Immediately I knew something was wrong so I told them I was not going to buy giftcards and that I was cancelling the transaction.

Yep, that's a common theft tactic. Kudos to you for recognizing it!!

This is my first time having to cancel a transaction so I'm a little confused as to how it works and would really appreciate if I could get some advice on it.

You should call eBay, and talk with someone who works with fraud and theft ... you want to make sure this buyer gets reported as a scammer because if he is trying it with you, then he will be doing it with multiple people. To contact eBay, navigate through the maze of questions in the "Help and Contact" link at the bottom of most pages, and a phone number will eventually pop up at the bottom of a screen.

How long will I have to wait for the case to be closed, (assuming the buyer never responds) and or when will I be able to relist the item?
Will I even be able to relist the item again?
How is this going to affect me as a seller?

I don't know how you "cancelled" the transaction, but as long as you selected something like "Buyer requested cancellation" or "Problem with Address", you shouldn't be affected as a seller Cancellations usually happen quickly, or in a day or two. And, yes, you can relist ... you can relist even if the item hasn't yet cancelled.

When selling high-dollar tech, follow best practices to avoid thieves:

List your item at a competitive price (check sold listings)
Sell only to US addresses ... use Buy It Now with immediate payment required.
Ship only to the payment address, and do not accept after-sale address changes or any other changes to the terms of the sale.
Communicate only through eBay messaging.

And should I be worried about having given my email to them? I just changed a bunch of my passwords and blocked their number, but I'm afraid they might try to contact me through my email.

I wouldn't be concerned.