An important security alert for your account-ADVICE?
An item sold at $466, with $177 shipping on Friday. Was shipped out with priority shipping through UPS with extra insurance due to high value automotive part. We are closed on weekends, so i came in this Monday morning to a message from a new account, as well as a "An important security alert for your account" email from eBay. Message from new account states "I’m messaging you from a different account since my main eBay one got blocked. My order number’s (redacted) I paid for overnight shipping, just wanted to check — was it actually sent overnight?" and email from eBay states
"It looks like you may have been in touch with (redacted) and we want to let you know that some security concerns have come up with this account. We recommend taking some precautions to make sure your account stays secure.
- Stop all communication with (redacted).
- Don’t respond to their offers to buy or sell an item.
- Don’t respond to requests to change your order or shipping information.
- Don’t click on or copy and paste any links they send you.
- If you shipped an item to (redacted), contact the shipper to have it returned to you.
- If you sent payment outside of eBay, contact your payment service provider to alert them of a potentially fraudulent charge."
It was obviously shipped to a different account, and the payment was confirmed, which i have just now noticed was created same day as purchase, with no reviews or feedback on their account. Do i need to try to get my item returned/cancelled with the shipping company, or just let the issue run its course? It is extra insured. Not sure how to go about this, any advice to put my mind at ease. Thanks!
gone.c-33
·10 months agoDid the original buyer account specifically ask for “Overnight shippingâ€? That is often a red flag for scammers using stolen credit cards, they hope to receive the item before the actual cardholder notices the fraudulent charge.
You mentioned the package is on its way to Delaware? To a freight forwarder perhaps?
For that amount of money, I wouldn’t gamble on seller protection and try to have the package recalled.
That’s just me but with those two instances combined and the issues with freight forwarders having multiple zip codes and scammers starting to exploit that, I would try to prevent an INR claim/payment dispute altogether.
lacemaker3
·10 months ago@iwannagofastbmwparts
In your last paragraph, you said that the actual buyer was using a brand new account, just created that day, with no feedback. That was probably a guest purchase, meaning that the buyer did not log into their account to make the purchase. A guest purchaser can't contact the seller through eBay, and a guest purchase can't be linked to an existing account after the fact.
So, when the buyer wanted to contact you, they couldn't do it through the guest account, which is a one-time use account, with a randomly assigned ID. So they logged into their original eBay account, and contacted you from there. That is potentially concerning, but probably not in this case, because you said that the user ID that contacted you had the original order # and order-specific information. The only way they could know that if it was the same person who made the guest purchase. They were just using the only method they could figure out to contact you, from a different user ID.
The warning from eBay was because sometimes scammers will contact a seller after a sale, and try to trick them into shipping to a different address. So eBay sends warnings, not to ship to a different address. The warning was not about the original guest purchase, so you are fine to ship to that purchaser.
You had already shipped this item to the original address that was on the order details, right? In that case, there is no real reason to be concerned about this. As long as you shipped to the address that was on the order details, you will be covered.
This will almost certainly turn out just fine. As long as it does, there's no reason to block either account. The purchase was made from a one-time-use guest account, and will never be used again. The contact was made the buyer's original user ID, and doesn't appear to be a scammer.
FYI, if you block a user ID, then the user can't contact you in any way, so even if you decide to block them, I would wait and see how this turns out before you do. I doubt there will be any issues though.
mam98031
·10 months ago@iwannagofastbmwparts
I completely understand why this email has you concerned. I know how I felt the first couple times I got one. Typically nothing comes of these messages.
If you haven't shipped the item, then I would cancel the sale and refund the buyer.
If you have shipped it out. Do nothing. It is highly likely there is no issue and your buyer will receive the item. You likely would never hear from the buyer again.
I've had many of these over the years. I think in all the ones I've gotten, they always come in well after I've shipped the item and a few was after the buyer received the item. I have never had an issue with this ever.
So My suggestion is just go about your business. This transaction is highly likely to be just fine. Try not to worry about it.
Oh a bonus for you is, when Ebay issues these emails, they refund your FVFs to your account. So a little bonus is wonderful, remember, you will be fine.
herway
·10 months agoI had one like this last year, I had the package intercepted and returned to me.
The buyer did reach out to me, through a new account and wanted me to resend it.
If ebay has an issue with the buyer, then I have to believe it’s legitimate and get my item back. And also to not communicate with the buyer.
It did cost me $27 to have it intercepted but it was a $350 item.
az93
·10 months agoUps doesn't offer priority. Even usps doesn't offer overnight anymore. They offer priority express for 2 to 3 day delivery. Good you have a tracking number. I would be concerned. I might even give them a call because buyer's phone number is provided with every sale.
12345jamesstamps
·10 months agoNothing to do.
Usually eBay doesn't take funds from the sale.
I have had some of these.
Block buyer(s).
Might get item back as well...a big plus.
Don't do a refund...there can always be a future dispute with a credit card used.
jonathanbrightlight
·10 months agoThe message asking you about the shipping came from a different account, correct? It's very possibly a scam attempt that has nothing to do with the original buyer. Even though they had the order number (assuming that was the correct one), it's not something you need to worry about if you have confirmed delivery to the address on file, which I realize you might not actually have that confirmation just yet but you should soon. I would do nothing, and not respond to the message from that other account. If it is the same buyer, they'll get their item and everything will be fine, and if it's not, then responding will do nothing good.
iwannagofastbmwparts
OP10 months agoYes! The message came from a separate account than what was the original purchase. They had the correct tracking number and order number. Not planning on responding to the message. Parcel has already made it to Kentucky on its way to Delaware. Payment was confirmed. Waiting on delivery confirmed, and i guess will be going from there. Will definitely be blocking both accounts from buying and will learn from this to not ship/be weary to VERY new accounts. Fingers crossed nothing to do. Thank you for feedback!
monica-sells
·10 months ago"...Parcel has already made it to Kentucky on its way to Denmark..."
Just guessing the replies are not aware of this fact......
(nevermind...I see you caught it...it makes a huge difference)
the_fancy_fox
·10 months agoI type data, long message, but then I reread your post and what eBay said, personally, I’d recall the package.
dhbookds
·10 months agoDo i need to try to get my item returned/cancelled with the shipping company, or just let the issue run its course?
Do nothing........have had several of these (and read of many others on this site)........ebay gave you the shipping address and will take the hit...... You will not lose the payment.
caldreamer
·10 months agoAbsolutely, you should carrier and have item returned immediately. EBAY is telling this is a fraudulent transaction, that means you won't get paid.