How to read a seller's feedback page and spot a fraudulent seller

[eburtonlab]

Before making a purchase, it is always a good idea to examine a seller's feedback page to learn a little bit about the seller's history.

This seller has been registered for four years in China, and has 100% feedback, and enough feedback for recent sales to have detailed seller ratings stars visible.

Not a prolific seller, with only 16 positive feedback in the last year, and nothing in the last month, but that is not terribly suspicious for a small-time seller that sells one or two items per month.

Let's look at some individual feedback comments and see if we can notice anything:

Private listings by themselves may not necessarily be a red flag -- many sellers prefer to protect their buyers' privacy if they are selling high end antiques or artwork, or possibly medical or personal items -- but this seller is selling very ordinary household consumer goods with no privacy implications. Such private listings prevent other users from seeing exactly what the seller has sold previously, and for how much. So this seller could have been selling furniture... or key chains. There is no way to tell.

Now look closely at the buyers. The usernames are obscured, but look at the feedback numbers. All the feedback left is from users with one or two feedback. Lots of feedback only from single digit feedback users is a definite red flag; either experienced buyers are avoiding this seller entirely, or someone is padding their feedback using new accounts. If you read some of the comments, they appear to be cut and pasted from elsewhere on the page, and several are exact duplicates. Compare this feedback page to the page of a legitimate seller and the differences are stark.

At first glance this seller has good feedback based on the number and percentage, but a closer look reveals serious warning signs of a fraudulent account with padded feedback.

[mudshark61369]

@eburtonlab,

Good Stuff!!

Now for fraudulent sellers who have hijacked other accounts.

Here are the things to look for that may indicate a hi-jacked account

On the listing page:

• A very low or too good to be true price.
• Multiple Quantity available Buy It Now listing.
• A single very expensive item with seller contact info in the listing.
• Item location may not give a city name and state or province
• Extended shipping time frame for domestic sales. 10 to 14+ days.
• Photo check shows the item(s) were lifted from other sites or listings.
•  

On their Feedback Profile Page;

• The seller registered several years ago or longer.
• All feedback except for 1 or 2 are over a year old.
• The recent ones received in the Last Year or 6 months, are for purchases.
• The seller may have some previous sales but not for the type of item being sold currently.  None for multiples of the same item.
• If there is recent selling feedback they are from low feedback number members.

[hmycctv-4]

Are you studying the ebayers from China😂

[eburtonlab]

I have several searches bookmarked that are designed to find certain common scam items that are listed at too-good-to-be-true prices.

As mudshark61369 indicated, scam listings can appear in otherwise ordinary accounts that are hijacked, so the location that the account was registered is not always a reliable indicator, unless you notice an obvious mismatch such as a seller registered in Belgium selling furniture that only ships to the US; even then, it is possible that the seller has recently moved or is merely a drop-shipper rather than a scammer. But that is still something worth looking at before committing to a purchase -- users may have good reasons to avoid buying from drop shippers if alternatives are available.

Scammers are also able to register new accounts and build up the feedback over time, or else purchase such accounts from others, so being able to notice suspicious feedback patterns can be very useful in identifying accounts to avoid buying from. Scammers will use whatever accounts they can get their hands on, and not surprisingly, scammers are willing to provide false details when registering accounts, but it is very difficult to fake a convincing history of consistent feedback for sales if users know what signs to look out for.

[*lady*madonna*]

Excellent post. Should be pinned to the top of the Buying board.

[wpt05]

@eburtonlab 

Report an issue with a seller | eBay

"Report a seller"  

Online Customer Service - Report an issue with a seller (ebay.com)

"The seller has violated one of eBay’s policies"  

Feedback manipulation policy | eBay

"Registering multiple accounts or working with others to exchange feedback with the purpose of artificially increasing a feedback score"  

[donsdetour]

don't forget to look at the revised feedback score also.

[eye_of_the_tiger]

Hah! I was laughing reading the feedback comments!

[eye_of_the_tiger]

Some of this seller's feedback comments don't even make sense!

[oneblindcat]

Check seller's feedback left for others, as well.

[7606dennis]

It is also a good practice for sellers to check the feedback profile of bidders/buyers when possible before the transaction takes place.  While all buyers will have 100% positive ratings, a check of their feedback left for others and especially their bid retraction record can be quite revealing.

[moxiedrinker]

I thank you and everyone else for the answers! I guess I found that one seller who felt free to comment ,but was hiding his own feedback. 

[butchie1966]

I thank you very much for the information provided and since I have a buyer on Ebay for a very long time and this the first time I have ever had a seller tell me they refused to cancel my order so my only result for that seller would be to make any other buyers aware what they are all about and give them the poorest review .

Thank You!!

[7606dennis]

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@butchie1966 wrote:

I thank you very much for the information provided and since I have a buyer on Ebay for a very long time and this the first time I have ever had a seller tell me they refused to cancel my order so my only result for that seller would be to make any other buyers aware what they are all about and give them the poorest review .

Thank You!!

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Interesting!  How many times have your requested that a seller cancel a transaction for you.  Frankly, your threat here of giving the seller poor feedback for not doing what they are not required to do speaks volumes of your desirability as a customer.  Thank you very much for bringing it to our attention.

[mudshark61369]

@butchie1966,

Your post has nothing whatsoever to do with what the original topic was about.  You should have started your own topic about the issue you have which isn't about how to detect a fraudulent seller. 

There is nothing fraudulent about a seller not responding to, or refusing to accept an offer cancellation request. When you bid on an auction, or click on a Buy It Now button, you have entered into a contract to pay. It takes both parties of that contract to agree to cancel it.  

https://www.ebay.com/help/buying/buyers-can-cancel-order/buyers-can-cancel-order?id=4004