finding a seller
another seller has piggybacked onto my account, causing my selling rights to be restricted and all listings pulled. Ebay insists that it is MY responsibility to hunt this seller down and get them to unlink our accounts, otherwise, our account is restricted indefinitely. anyone else have this issue? Anyone know how I can find this seller when they have no listings currently?
24 comments
hardrhymer76
·11 months agoThere is no "linking" of separate accounts on the user side. Whatever eBay is calling it internally, there is a scenario where they detect an IP address matches one of a suspended or banned account, thereby associating them as related or being used by the same person.
I think it's possible that you were unlucky enough to be assigned an IP address by your VPN that had already been flagged by eBay in the past. Unfortunately, not all CSRs are properly trained to handle certain issues, and I think the one(s) you were speaking with failed to recognize what the problem actually is with your account. An important question to be asking is whether or not your account is banned, which is harder to get reversed than merely "restricted".
Disable your VPN, power-cycle your modem/router and contact CS again. Maybe you'll get someone competent next time. If you've used up all your appeals, this may be a case where reaching out to eBay via the social media channels may be your last option.
Whether I'm right about this or if you truly have been somehow compromised from the outside, I hope you get it sorted because it doesn't sound good.
dhbookds
·11 months agoDid they tell you the other account owed money?
Used to be on some of these.......people found that someone had used their computer to log in to ebay (on their own account, not yours)........so review who comes into the house/who might sell on ebay. Also, that account would owe ebay money and if it was paid off, ebay would release the hold on the non problem account. don't know if any of that would apply today.......
gone.c-33
·11 months agoSounds more like they have linked your account to another suspended account.
Could be through name, address, IP address, logging in to your account from a location where the other person logged in or a guest at your house logging in to their account while on your WiFi.
silverback
OP11 months agoLinked to another suspended account is indeed, probably the clearest way to phrase the problem. I kept debating with eBay that there is no way I would be able to find this other person's info and they would have it all right there to remedy the problem, to unlink the accounts, but they said that is not their policy.
Any ideas on how to find this other person or to unlink the accounts?
momtoabeautifuldaughter
·11 months agoI'd say nope. Have you ever logged onto eBay on a library computer or any computer/phone at a location other than your home?
kensgiftshop
·11 months agoNot knowing who it is, not a lot you can do, but what they said, ask neighbors and family members.
bdmh-enterprises
·11 months agoIt is really hard to tell with the terms you are using if your account has been physically compromised and taken over by another party or if you are being blocked because of the actions of someone else on the network you're using.
Using a VPN would certainly up the chances of the latter.
tobaccocardyahoo
·11 months agoTell us what the symptoms of this "piggybacking" are.
If you allowed your account to be compromised, you are being punished appropriately.
silverback
OP11 months agowe did not allow access. We were unaware of any issue until suddenly eBay restricted our account
le-5262
·11 months agoThat would be scary...
and probably illegal.
If it were me...
I'd probably be on the telephone asking advice from a police officer.
This seems way above my paygrade for sure.
After I found out who it was and why...
I'd probably throw my computer in the swamp.
dhbookds
·11 months agoHow were the accounts linked? Thru internet address? are you in a dorm/apartment house?
silverback
OP11 months agono and we always use a VPN when using eBay.
adamcartwright
·11 months ago@silverback
You are using a VPN when you're at home on your own locked (hopefully) network?
As @bdmh-enterprises says, that can open you up to problems.
Do a Google search for "how using a VPN can get you into trouble with eBay" and read the AI overview. I think that may be your problem.
Here's an excerpt:
silverback
OP11 months agoThanks, but I discussed that point with eBay as well and they have noted VPN use on my account but said it was this linked account that was suspending my account. Again, can't understand why they are unable to sever the link
adamcartwright
·11 months ago@silverback
What do they mean by linked account? Piggybacking?
Did they explain that any further?
bdmh-enterprises
·11 months agoThe only account linking within eBay I'm aware of is the feature that allows business' to give employees limited access to the account.
Of course CS can't properly describe it either, they have no clue.
This really sounds like an IP or public PC login issue. Wasn't there a regular here that logged in at the library and had account issues?
adamcartwright
·11 months ago@bdmh-enterprises
Yes -- I remember that discussion.
It was a cautionary tale, as this situation is looking.
albertabrightalberta
·11 months agoThat was @1786davycrockett
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/So-long-and-thanks-for-all-the-fish/td-p/35239320
Although he'd used a computer at the library, he didn't have a cell phone to receive a text and verify his identity.
kensgiftshop
·11 months agoBecause the other account needs fixed before they'll do anything for your account.
albertabrightalberta
·11 months agoit's not ebay's job to "sever" a link if you (purposely or not) shared your internet with someone else. They don't know whether that "link" is a friend, relative, roommate or spouse.
They expect you to keep your account secure.
momtoabeautifuldaughter
·11 months agoI'd say that is why, it looks suspicious
bonjourami
·11 months ago"another seller has piggybacked onto my account, causing my selling rights to be restricted and all listings pulled."
How is that even possible? Does he have your password?
silverback
OP11 months agothat's what I keep asking eBay and they want me to go ask all my family, friends & neighbors and ask them if they breached my account! I have changed passwords but eBay says they are not able to unlink the accounts and it's my responsibility to figure this out myself and talk this stranger, who has breached my account, into resolving this for me. After 27 years with eBay, this is how they have helped. 4 appeals were denied because this interloper is still attached to my account
kensgiftshop
·11 months agoDon't think anyone got into your account, sounds more like your account is associated with another one that was suspended.
If you used WIFI anywhere and the suspended account also used it, that would connect the two accounts.