Phone Number Access by Sellers/buyers- Big questions here- Scammer/safety Alert. Help PLease!

[27teamswords]

I now have the PHONE NUMBERS and addresses of around 300 people I sold garden seeds to.

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I SHOULD NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION SO EASY! In my humble opinion.... It's a safety risk and massive privacy reveal. WHY EBAY? Let me explain...

Yes I know, phone numbers are required for some international shipments and when using certain companies like UPS, but I'm using USPS, shipping within the USA to within the USA with international shipping turned OFF on all  these auctions. SO why the numbers?

(incoming paranoid rant)What if I was a dangerous predator/stalker/crazy/scammer- I mean the list goes on. People besides just the police have access to the technology to track someones location if they know the phone number too.( obviously this is more sophisticated, but worst case scenario what someone having your phone number can mean Think about THAT! And for the scammers? a gold mine of potential victims(luckily I'm not a bad person, right?[said with a hint of sarcasm]....)

SO here's my next question, does a buyer also have automatic access to MY phone number? Will ebay give it to them if they request?

See, what I think Ebay NEEDS to do is only make phone numbers available to anyone one buyer OR seller, with a special request to Ebay itself for a VALID reason for ebay to provide that info. This will protect peoples privacy and risk. 

What do you all do to get around this? Do you get a phone number that's not your actual cell phone with some service? If so please help me out with where?. I saw a post from like a year ago about a guy who paid $5 to get a phone number from Skype or something I think? Please lead me in the right direction to protect MY phone number from sellers but still be able to "check" if anyone called or messaged. Is there any service out there like that?

Thank you in advance !

Sincerely,

Me

[mam98031]

Why is it a problem?  Ebay has been giving that info for years.  Occasionally we see a complaint here on the threads, but it is rare.  Most sellers have no desire to call a buyer unless there is a real problem and the same for buyers.

Yes, buyers get your too.  

In the past decade that you have been an Ebay member, has this presented any problem to you?

[27teamswords]

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@mam98031 wrote:

In the past decade that you have been an Ebay member, has this presented any problem to you?

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No, because I honestly had no idea that was the policy, and I just happened to notice that tonight when I was looking through past orders for a refund request I need to file with the third party company that manages Ebay Standard Envelope refunds.I was shocked, as my post implies.

THe problem here, as I've stated, is that I am concerned for not only MY safety, but of everyone elses.

ANd now that I think of it. I get a TON of spam calls, and even some known scams! How did they get my number huh?

Can you answer as to how Ebay users can protect themselves from this?

[mam98031]

Why would your safety be at risk because your buyer had your phone number?  Most likely don't even know it is available to them for a short period of time after they purchase from a seller.

Spam calls are not likely coming from any buyer you have ever had.

Your best protection will likely be signing up for the Federal Do Not Call list.

https://www.donotcall.gov/

I respect your concern and that you have questions because this is all new for you.  But you are likely just fine.  Your phone number doesn't stay forever available to your buyers.  Just for a period of time after the transaction.

[yuzuha · Accepted solution]

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@27teamswords wrote:

What do you all do to get around this? Do you get a phone number that's not your actual cell phone with some service? If so please help me out with where?. I saw a post from like a year ago about a guy who paid $5 to get a phone number from Skype or something I think? Please lead me in the right direction to protect MY phone number from sellers but still be able to "check" if anyone called or messaged. Is there any service out there like that?

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Google Voice. It's free.

[27teamswords]

Yes, thank you, But, There is and has UNDOUBETLY been many cases where people abuse the ability of having the phone number to maybe harass, bother,  scam, disturb, or of course who knows what has happened!You may not see people post here about it too for whatever reasons.

I mean imagine getting woke up at 3AM from a buyer calling you?It's just too personal, and potentially dangerous.

Imagine your number Actually getting into the hands of bad people.

Thank you for respecting my opinion and I yours, and will also use the advice you gave in addition to the guy below saying " use google voice" I'm going to look into it.

[27teamswords]

Thank you! I'm goiing to look into this!

[annadryl]

In 22 years I've never been phone-called by a buyer or anyone on or from ebay. If it was 3am I would miss it anyway.

Maybe best to dis-connect a bit, don't worry about it so much.

Congrats on your seed sales, hope it goes great. It's March and time to start planting!

[johnrj1226]

There are tons of ways scammers can get you name/address besides eBay e.g. Goggle search.  I keep getting calls from someone wanting to buy my home.

FYI  eBay only allows access  to buyers/sellers telephone numbers/addresses for a limited period of time while they are in a current transaction.

Looks like you have mined ~300 for your use.

Personally only accessed a buyers tele. # twice  in 1665 eBay transactions.

[kensgiftshop]

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@27teamswords wrote:

I mean imagine getting woke up at 3AM from a buyer calling you?It's just too personal, and potentially dangerous.

Imagine your number Actually getting into the hands of bad people.

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Do what I do, don't answer the phone.

If the number isn't stored in my phone, I don't answer.

I think you would be more worried about bad people having your address, then your phone number?

[luckythewinner]

What do you all do to get around this? Do you get a phone number that's not your actual cell phone with some service?

I have been here for two decades and have six selling accounts. And like you, I have never had an issue arise from this before. So I have done nothing to "get around" it. 

People besides just the police have access to the technology to track someones location

If they have that ability, they also have the ability to get your phone number.

[bashort]

I have been called by quite a few buyers over the years, usually a technical question or a inquiry about if I have something for a particular application, never been a problem.

WE actually had our number listed in the description when that was allowed and anyone who knows our ebay store name and knows how to use google can easily find the #, been that way for years, not one 3AM or crazy call

[milehighender]

I sold an item to a buyer, and hence, have their phone number in the order details. There is an issue with the order and I would like to contact the buyer to rectify the problem. I have sent a message in eBay messages, but I think the buyer doesn't spend a lot of time on eBay. Does it violate eBay policy to directly contact a buyer after a sale? I understand eBay messages are forwarded to the email of record, but have not heard from my buyer since the message was sent by me.

[aeparts1]

"Can you answer as to how Ebay users can protect themselves from this?"

It's easy to protect yourself from this: Enter a fake phone # on your eBay account if you are worried about it.

[broto_64]

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@27teamswords wrote:

I mean imagine getting woke up at 3AM from a buyer calling you?It's just too personal, and potentially dangerous.

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It's a trade off, I believe you can de-select sharing phone numbers in your settings but doing so will noticeably increase fraudulent orders for you. Plainly put sharing phone numbers brings out the honesty in both buyers and sellers.

That said having been self-employed for a couple of decades I can tell you I learned there are certain things one must accept as reality, customers calling at any time of day or night is one of those. It is for this reason I leave my phone in another room (or turn the ringer off) at night when I go to sleep, and I sleep undisturbed.

It's not that I don't feel your concern, simply not being woke up at night is hardly the worst I can imagine could happen and I'm also not particularly excited about the fact that buyers and sellers both share phone numbers either but it's a type of necessary evil. As well in over a decade of selling here I've not ran into any nightmare scenarios, if anything I've had a few sellers who called or texted me trying to sell me something but I quickly figured out how they got my phone number and those sellers can be reported for that.