As a new seller how do you protect yourself against scamers?
I started selling a week back and already get Pms of picutres with phone numbers or emails asking for pics or videos. Asuming they're scammers. My last 3 listings I get messages from the "Buyer" saying they want to change adresss thing is it's not the orginal buyers account etc.
I'm mainly selling electronics I've recorded serial numbers in the photos and desciptions and give as much info as I can. Thing is I'm worried about a buyer saying the box was empty or it arrived broken etc etc. Is there any bulletproof way to avoid buyers like this or at least try to reduce it.
I'm selling mid to high priced tier used electronics from HDDs, camera's, NAS system and some other things just laying around my house just trying to get some money for stuff I dont use anymore and would rather not get scammed.
albertabrightalberta
·5 months ago"already get Pms of picutres with phone numbers or emails asking for pics or videos."
^^^Red flag indicator of a scammer. They know they can't give contact information so they send it as an image. NO honest buyer would do that. Then when you contact them either by phone or email (huge ebay policy violation BTW), they'll have your contact info and will send fake receipts telling you that you've been paid and to ship the item(s). You'll have no money and will lose the items.
"My last 3 listings I get messages from the "Buyer" saying they want to change adresss thing is it's not the orginal buyers account "
Glad you caught that the sender of the messages isn't the same ID as the buyer. That's a scam too.
"I'm mainly selling electronics I've recorded serial numbers in the photos and desciptions and give as much info as I can. Thing is I'm worried about a buyer saying the box was empty or it arrived broken etc etc. Is there any bulletproof way to avoid buyers like this or at least try to reduce it."
No way to bulletproof yourself against scammers but as you've been told by others, you're a magnet for scammers.
"I'm selling mid to high priced tier used electronics from HDDs, camera's, NAS system and some other things just laying around my house just trying to get some money for stuff I dont use anymore and would rather not get scammed."
I've been selling on ebay for 25 years, have thousands of sales under my belt and would NEVER consider selling a phone, computer or electronics item on ebay.
christworks
·5 months ago@snazzplatypus You will never been able to 100% protect yourself from scammers on eBay. You have to understand that going into it. If it scares you, then find a way to sell items in person.
Personally, I would not start right off the bat selling high end electronics, used or new. While there is always a potential to be scammed, you are prime right now given you have a new account. Honest buyers will also be worried you are going to scam them and they may be less likely to purchase from you until you have a longer account history. This means you are at a higher risk of dealing with a scammer.
If you are going to go forward with this, there are several things I would do right now.
1) When selling something that is powered, make a video for the listing to show the item works. You may not be able to test every function, but anything will help to garner trust with honest buyers and some scammers won't want to mess with you because they may think you know what you are doing. eBay allows up to a 150MB video. They say it is limited to 1 minute, but I've gone up to 1:30 without issues as long as I get the file size down below 150MB.
2) Offer 30-day free returns. Again, this will attract honest buyers and has the potential to scare off a scammer.
3) Block anybody that gives you a bad feeling. Even if someone seems fine, take a few moments and look at the feedback they have left other sellers. This will give you a general idea of what type of buyer you are dealing with. If I see more than a couple of negative reviews or any that talk about slow shipping or other issues that may be beyond the seller's control, I block them. If I see any positive feedback they've left that indicates a seller "made things right" or give me any indication this person is prone to getting partial refunds, I block them. If they ask multiple questions, or questions that can be answered by reading the listing, I block them. You can block up to 5,000 people. Don't be afraid to take advantage of it.
4) Educate yourself. eBay has a wealth of information available to you as a seller so you know what your responsibility is. Make sure you understand eBay's Monday Back Guarantee.
5) If there is an issue, direct the buyer to open a return if they haven't already. Scammers will often want to talk to you in messages. Normally they start by telling you there is a problem or something is missing. Then they will ask something like, "How do you want to work this out?" or "What can you do to make this right?" They are fishing for a partial refund. I would urge you not to give into that no matter what they tell you or what images they may send you to "prove" they are being honest. (AI is making it easier day-by-day to take an image of a real item and make it look like it was damaged in shipping. It is harder to tell, but other tools are getting better at picking up on when an image is AI generated.) Simply tell the buyer to open a return. Send them the shipping label. Wait to refund until you have the item back in your possession. Do not refund until you have the item back.
You are not a Top Rated Seller so for now you won't have the ability to reduce refunds. Scammers know this. If you get scammed, you might as well refund the buyer or else eBay will do it for you and they will use your funds. You'll also get a ding on your account because eBay stepped in. If you did get scammed, you can report the buyer for buyer abuse. This will get you a small refund on the return shipping and protect you from any negative feedback the buyer leaves.
I sell a lot of used and vintage electronics, from VCRs, CRT TVs, cameras, phones, etc. I did not move into that category until after I had about 18 months or so of selling under my belt. I've not had any scams with any of those things, thankfully. I am well aware I always could. I do what I can to protect myself and it has pretty much worked for almost 4 years now.
One more thing. If you are ever in doubt about something, don't be afraid to come here and ask. Do that before you take any action. It is much more difficult to correct things after the fact.
inhawaii
·5 months agoThere is no way to 100% protect yourself from being scammed.
It can/will happen to most of us.
Hopefully it wont happen too often.
"Any buyer can rip off any seller any time by simply making a false claim."
"Don't sell anything on ebay that you can't afford to lose."
inhawaii
·5 months agoShip ONLY to the address on the ebay shipping label.
If the buyer asks to ship it to another address, decline, cancel the sale, have the buyer re-purchase it, this time with the correct address.
pls-consignments
·5 months agoUnfortunately, this a great example of how eBay views Sellers, especially new ones. They are fully aware that this platform is riddled with nefarious buyers that prey upon new (inexperienced) Sellers with higher-end items. You would think they could provide a simple training video (maybe even required) during account set-up that would help new sellers protect their livelihoods. However, it appears that this is the last thing eBay wants prospective sellers to know.
luckythewinner
·5 months agoAs a new seller how do you protect yourself against scamers?
Generally speaking, every transaction on eBay carries the risk of fraud. There is no way for sellers to protect themselves completely from fraud.
Many sellers have adopted the mantra of "don't sell anything you cannot afford to lose". Others will recommend not selling items that are known to be high-scam items.
People wanting you to email, text or call outside eBay are usually trying to get your contact info so trhey can send you fake 'notifications' to trick you into shipping items without getting paid.
reallynicestamps
·5 months agoOnly ship to the address eBay gives you.
Use the (discounted) shipping labels eBay gives you.
You are already cross-checking names and addresses. Smart move.
Basically, if you sell electronics online, you will be a target.
If you if you sell electronics online, with a low FB rating, you will be a large juicy target.
If your items are in good demand, you may find a local market online site more secure, like FBMarketplace.
Agree to meet in a neutral place like a coffee shop where you are known.
tobaccocardyahoo
·5 months agoMy opinion is the minority opinion on how to protect yourself.
It is opposed by many because it places the blame on the seller for why they get cheated.
The ultimate control on the level of risk you take is your choice of items to list.
New sellers wear a target on their chest, every scammer on Ebay will consider whether they are likely to succeed in cheating you, and whether what you are selling is worth the effort and risks of being an outlaw.
The higher the ticket the electronic device is, and the easier it is to fence, the greater your risk.
You are already taking a higher than average risk because the likelihood of an inexperienced Ebay seller losing all protection because they did not follow the appropriate procedures is high. Not every seller learns the rules before they list.
Your reason for coming to Ebay to sell, coincides with high risk. You should consider alternatives for human contact sales.
caldreamer
·5 months agoSellers usually target new Seller or anyone selling "high value items" (especially electronics). Anyone, can contact credit card company and "reverse payment" AFTER they receive your item (keep both item + your money). Credit card company do NOT require customer to "return item" and allow customer 6-months to complain.
My suggestion is to sell to USA only (hopefully, less scammers). Use "BUY IT NOW" pricing and NO "best offer". Best Offer gives scammer a way to contact you.
Things you should be aware of when selling on EBAY:
Against EBAY rules to "change shipping address" (this allows customer to claim "did not receive item"). You will be forced to give customer a "full refund" unless, you have tracking proving item was delivered to "original address" on EBAY records.
EBAY holds Seller responsible if item gets damaged or lost during shipment (EBAY will be forced to refund (purchase price + shipping).
EBAY 30-Day Money Back Guarantee (overrides "no refund" policy) and allows customers to claim "not as described, counterfeit, defective, missing parts (EBAY will force you to refund (purchase price + shipping BOTH ways). EBAY does NOT require the customer to prove their claims (they can lie and claim anything). EBAY always rules in favor of the customer.
Do NOT contact anyone "outside of EBAY" (personal email, social media or phone). This could cause your account to be terminated. Also, you are not allowed to include "your personal contact information" in your listing (this is a big no-no).
There are many, many different types of scams going around EBAY. There are websites instructing people how to "run scams on EBAY". There is really no way to protect yourself 100% (even if customer returns a "box of rocks" EBAY will still force to refund (purchase price + shipping).
That being said, most customers on EBAY are honest but selling online is always a "roll of the dice".
snazzplatypus
OP5 months agoI'd rather not sell to new profiles or profiles that have been opened for years with no activity. Is there anyway to automatically block these buyers? I know I could cancel after the buyer purchases the listing but think thats a ding on your account. Also yea al my listings are u.s to u.s only
gurlcat
·5 months agoThere's no way to filter out buyers due to low activity, but there is for buyers with BAD activity, at least as far as canceling orders or not paying for accepted offers or auctions. That's in your Seller Preferences (ask if you don't know where to find that). Yes you can get a defect for canceling an order, in fact those are the heftiest defects of all. If you look at your Performance page, you can see how few of those you could get before going into Below Standard status -basically as a new seller with very few sales, you can't afford even one of those defects. This is why I say (again) always come here for advice before making any decisions.
dryophelia
·5 months agoInteresting… snazzplatapus was created 6 years ago with just 4 feedback.
Would such a user be ‘ok’ to buy?
snazzplatypus
OP5 months agofor my high priced items I'd rather those accounts be blocked yes.
gurlcat
·5 months ago@snazzplatypus If you're (rightfully) too nervous to sell these pricey items here, and too fed up with local marketplace sales, I hate to say it but the pawn shop is probably your only remaining option if you need money fast. You probably already know this but they won't give you anywhere near the items' actual value because they have to make a profit when they resell, but if you have more than 1 local shop, at least you can find which will offer the most.
snazzplatypus
OP5 months agoThanks I'm gonna try getting my feedback up a little if that even matters to ebay i dont know. I tried the pawn shops in my area. I was flabbergasted for something that had an orginal value of 8k I wanted 4k they offered me 2k while on ebay it goes for 2600-3000. So not much more but still was kinda **bleep** lol.
reallynicestamps
·5 months agosomething that had an orginal value of 8k I wanted 4k they offered me 2k while on ebay it goes for 2600-3000.
Yes.
They have to Hold the item for 30 days in most municipalities as a barrier against fencing stolen goods.
And take a lot of ID from the person pawning.
And then after paying wages, rent and utilities, hope to find a buyer.
So a $600 to $1000 markup, which is not a profit.
And you have $2000 in your pocket which you didn't have when you walked in the door.
BTW , as a new seller, eBay will Hold the buyer's payment against your performance for up to 30 days. It can be shorter, but probably not in high -value electronics.
gurlcat
·5 months ago@snazzplatypus Feedback doesn't matter one lick to eBay, but to buyers (and scammers) it's important. The more experience people can see under your belt, the more good buyers will trust you, and the more bad buyers will keep looking for a real rookie to blindside. The great thing is it doesn't matter what the items were, so look for things you can just sell bunches of, without profit being the big goal.
Oh, but don't mess up, LOL. The last thing you need while building your numbers is a negative feedback or account status drop.
soh.maryl
·5 months agoThere is no way to pre-emptively block any category of buyers.
And when you cancel you need to choose your reasons carefully because almost anything except "buyer requested" or "problem with address" will, yes, get you a defect.
albertabrightalberta
·5 months agoIsn't that a bit hypocritical?
Your account has been open for 6 years without activity for years and just in the last month, you made a couple of purchases of shipping supplies. Aren't you glad that seller didn't refuse to honor your purchases?
And if you don't trust newbie buyers, why should they trust you, a new seller with high fraud and expensive items?
gurlcat
·5 months agoElectronics are hands-down the #1 most-scammed category on eBay. That's true even for highly experienced sellers with Top Rated Seller status and the fullest extent of eBay Seller Protections .... but when scammers are on the prowl they especially seek new sellers because they know they'll be less informed on how to handle a scam. Sorry to be the bearer of such bad news, but at least you're getting it before losing high-dollar inventory. If I were you I would take down the electronics temporarily, source some non-electronic, lower-value items and sell a bunch of those for at least few months, before relisting the scam magnets.
Oh, and always come here for help the minute you think something looks shady. Don't wait til you've already responded because your instincts could be wrong, and most bad choices on eBay are irreversible.
snazzplatypus
OP5 months agoI was gonna do all that just list a ton of small things and wait months but going off to school in a month or 2 and just looking for the extra money dont have much time to wait around. Thought about selling local but last time didn't go well cops called etc not really gonna try that again.
mtgraves7984
·5 months ago@snazzplatypus
Know that eBay is not the place for new or returning sellers to make fast cash. Good luck to you.
eburtonlab
·5 months agoThere is no fool-proof way to avoid all scams, but many can be avoided by using common sense.
Never contact a user outside of eBay prior to receiving payment; any outside eBay contact method can be used to send a fake "you've been paid -- ship now" message.
Never ship until you have verified on ebay.com that you have actually been paid; never rely on an email message or follow any links from an email message to eBay (or any site where you are required to enter credentials or financial details).
Scammers frequently target new users selling expensive items with various innocent-seeming requests for more information, pictures or video, or contact outside of eBay, where the scammer has control over the communication and where sellers have no protection.
There is very little a new seller can do to entirely protect from a scammer that pays, receives the item, requests a "not as described" return for a refund, and ships back a box of rocks. Thankfully, such scams are not that common, as most scammers would rather just have money than your particular item.
jonathanbrightlight
·5 months agoYeah, anyone that tries to get you to communicate outside of eBay is a scammer. There is never a need to email, text, or call anyone. You can report those messages and otherwise ignore them (the report option is in the top right when you're viewing the message, the three dots).
Unfortunately, it looks like your account is gone, and I checked that the username didn't just change. Are you still here on eBay, @snazzplatypus ?
snazzplatypus
OP5 months agoyea i changed my username before posting guess it hasnt been updated on the forum though
jonathanbrightlight
·5 months agoAh, okay, was hoping you hadn't been removed. I'm surprised it hasn't updated now, but oh well.
You can't protect yourself against those who would claim an item was broken or a box was empty, really. How expensive are the items you're selling? It's generally recommended to start small and with items you can afford to lose if something does go wrong. If you follow policy, you're less likely to just lose out because you refunded too early or didn't respond to something, but it's never possible to guarantee you won't be scammed.
snazzplatypus
OP5 months agoWell i have 6 HDDS im selling for 500-450 and a camera for around 2600, lens for 800 those of course gonna list last after getting some feedback. Right now just sold a few sd cards, readers, bike gps. Haven't recieved any feedback though so guess i have to wait for automatic feedback. I dont want to ask for it as I perosnally wouldn't want to be asked. Thing is I dont have much to sell so I won't get much buyer feedback before listing the pricy items.
soh.maryl
·5 months agoWhy did you change your user name?
snazzplatypus
OP5 months agoI would rather not have my name on a public forum but guess that's too late
soh.maryl
·5 months agoNo one wants to get scammed. BUT it has been my understanding that there are certain categories attract more scammers than others and that, in a dispute, eBay will generally act on the buyer's side.
For those who want to change their delivery address, they can do that on the invoice when paying. You do not accept any requests for address changes except at that point.
For the rest of your message, thee IS always a certain amount of risk with online selling.