Would you report this person?
Summary: steve_stuff shared an experience about a potential buyer who sent messages containing contact information, suggesting communication outside eBay. This buyer had numerous negative feedbacks for similar items. The discussion revolves around whether to report the buyer, with most participants suggesting reporting and blocking due to the policy violations. steve_stuff confirmed they blocked and reported the buyer, seeking advice on how to handle the situation. Participants also discussed eBay's message blocking settings and shared personal anecdotes.
Person sent two messages seconds apart that arrive as one - 'Do you have more [item]' and 'I buy [item]' - We say yes but not up for sale right now.
At this point we check their fb left - Set to show 200, it was TWENTY SEVEN negs for 'those items' stating 'seller cancelled no reason' and 'seller lied' - plus six replies by sellers about him lying and SENDING CONTACT INFO. Also got four positive/neg from sellers. So we blocked ... and then noticed the new four messages in one, 'I pay good, I buy lots, Let's talk' and the last one, a photo of what is most likely their phone number and email address. We didn't click on the number/address or reply.
Now the dilemma: half of my ebay seller friends say report, the other say 'don't get on ebay's radar'
What would you do.
christworks
·3 weeks ago@steve_stuff
If I am going to be on eBay's radar, I'd rather it be for reporting someone implying to take food (re: money) out of the mouth of eBay, then to not to report them and their AI find the message and flag them.
Report the messages and sleep tight.
steve_stuff
OPSep 8, 2026 at 2:22 PMJust reread what I first posted and realized I didn't mention that this person was blocked before we came here to asked about also reporting them.
iamalwaysright
·Sep 8, 2026 at 3:01 PM · EditedBlocked before by you? From your original post it seems that the buyer hasn’t bought anything from you yet. So how do you know you blocked them before (unless you unblocked them recently)? Sellers are unable to receive any messages sent by a buyer that is in your blocked list. Or did I read your post wrong and incorrectly assumed you missed a period punctuation between “before” and “we”? Which in that case, I don’t think that additional info changes anything here.
Regardless even if they were previously blocked or not, I’d still report the buyer either way.
steve_stuff
OPSep 8, 2026 at 5:51 PMOK -
this was the first time contacted by this person.
We checked FB left and was about to manually block when new message[s] came in.
Looked at it first, saw contact info and then blocked - luckily they hadn't bid on item.
I then asked other sellers we know and finally came here.
And we have reported them
kandf_vintage_finds
·Sep 8, 2026 at 1:19 PMyou blocked them. that's all i would do. time to move on.
biggymoe
·Sep 7, 2026 at 7:25 PMThis a BLOCK for sure.
stuff4divas
·Sep 7, 2026 at 4:52 PM@steve_stuff i would report and block
steve_stuff
OPSep 7, 2026 at 5:44 PMOur cats agree with you.
chapeau-noir
·Sep 7, 2026 at 6:04 PMThe orange one looks like she's saying "Block them! Do you really need to ask??"
stuff4divas
·Sep 7, 2026 at 9:53 PM@chapeau-noir and the grey white is saying "i have more interesting things to pay attention to" LOL
steve_stuff
OPSep 8, 2026 at 1:13 PMAnd her name is Rosie 2.0 - or fuzzy butt cuddle bunny
iamalwaysright
·Sep 8, 2026 at 3:07 PMWhere is Rosie 1.0?
steve_stuff
OPSep 8, 2026 at 5:38 PMBuried in the backyard, actually right below that window, next to her buddy of 19 years, Rental [the cat]
steve_stuff
OPSep 8, 2026 at 1:09 PMOrange one is Mumbles - because she does.
chapeau-noir
·Sep 8, 2026 at 8:20 PMMy tuxedo used to grumble to herself. Once she became annoyed about something and stalked out of the house and down the front steps, muttering and making low meows the entire way.
asset_liquidators
·Sep 7, 2026 at 4:47 PMInstant block.
mamacassidy
·Sep 7, 2026 at 4:39 PMI would report just to CYA.
I don't know if ebay's AI program can pick up the info in the photos, but I know they scan messages and listings looking for "selling outside ebay" violations, so I'd report this just to get it on the record. I'd state that this seller sent you unsolicited personal information and that you have blocked him and are now reporting his violation.
steve_stuff
OPSep 8, 2026 at 1:05 PMI want to get the joke but I don't speak acronym - What does CYA mean?
jonathanbrightlight
·Sep 8, 2026 at 2:52 PMCover Your A...
Basically, proactively protect yourself.
shire123
·Sep 7, 2026 at 3:52 PMDefinitely report but don't expect anything to happen. Block and be done with it.
steve_stuff
OPSep 7, 2026 at 4:29 PM"... report but don't expect anything to happen"
I don't know - If I'm looking at a seller FB I don't see the ID of the 'leavers' - so being able to contact sellers and match this guy ID to the neg received or pos/neg they left, they are more likely to reply to my 'did you report' - (4 no, 2 yes out of ten]
and if answer is no I point out if 'more others' had, they wouldn't have this problem. So maybe - who really knows - we will see
greatstuff80
·Sep 7, 2026 at 3:20 PM · EditedThat's an instant block for me. Yes, report them. The only reasons they can have for sending you their phone number and email is to try to get you to sell outside eBay ( a policy violation) or to scam you.
darn_yankee
·Sep 7, 2026 at 2:49 PM"...it was TWENTY SEVEN negs for 'those items' stating 'seller cancelled no reason' and 'seller lied' - plus six replies by sellers about him lying and SENDING CONTACT INFO."
I would block this potential buyer in a heartbeat.
dirk12955
·Sep 7, 2026 at 6:07 PMLess than a heartbeat.
Report and block
bashort
·Sep 7, 2026 at 2:38 PMnothing to report them about but I would block them
steve_stuff
OPSep 7, 2026 at 3:16 PMNothing to report them about???
They send us a message saying 'let's talk' along with a photo of a hand written note of a phone number and email address.
chapeau-noir
·Sep 7, 2026 at 11:50 PMClassic!
jonathanbrightlight
·Sep 8, 2026 at 2:53 PMYeah, if it weren't for that, I probably wouldn't see any reason to report it, but that is a major violation and I would report it to make sure it doesn't look like maybe you then still did contact them outside of eBay.