Seller refuses to process payment and sell item

[postingid7659]

I won an item last Monday night from a seller who  it turns out does not take Paypal.  He processes his own cards through a super sketchy web page.   Okay this is strange, who in their right mind doesn't take Paypal.  

So I send my card data through he tells me it's declined.  I send it through again, nothing.   I check my bank and he's never run the card.  I ask again on Thursday when he will process the card, he sends a new link to try to pay and it's for someone else's item, different name, address, item and price.  

Today I asked again when will he process the card. I get an invoice sent twice and an unpaid item case filed.  The links to pay in the invoice do not work, they come up error messages.  Request Total also comes up an error message.  I cannot pay for the item through PayPal so I cannot prove to eBay I paid for the item.  He is 1000 miles away so I can't go darken his door in person.   I suspect the seller is disappointed in the final price and intends to relist the item.  He is active online so I tried to call and the line is off the hook.  

Not sure why this guy is even allowed on eBay, I can't even find a way to report them as a non-performing seller.   I have to wait until at least tomorrow.  

Is eBay phone support working during their normal hours?  

If this guy had PayPal it would have been paid for within half an hour of the auction close. 

Since I am on lockdown up here I will make all kinds of calls to make this guy's life miserable.   

[mudshark61369]

@postingid7659,

eBay's call center is not working due to the virus.

You are being scammed. Never complete a transaction off ebay, or give out your card info to a seller who does not have a merchant account you can directly access that has a secure (padlock symbol) on it.  Chances are they are hoping you get frustrated and agree to paying by a PayPal money request, money order or gift cards.

"I get an invoice sent twice and an unpaid item case filed".

Respond to the case by saying the seller has tried to get you to pay outside of ebay/PayPal.  If the emailed you directly mention that in the comments and add that they included a link to an off site card processor. 

Then go to the listing and use the Report Item Button or go to the Resolution Center button at the bottom of any ebay page. click > on the page that opens in the help box select Resolving buying problems > scroll down to Report an item or issue with a seller >  use the report button I would select avoiding ebay fees  since that is what they would be doing if you were able to complete the transaction using one of the fake payment invoices.

[myboardid]

If I were you I would immediately cancel that card and get it removed from my account. The seller is NOT ALLOWED to only take cards for payment, and NEVER through an off-eBay website. Repeat - CANCEL THE CARD.

[earlyant-77]

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@myboardid wrote:
If I were you I would immediately cancel that card and get it removed from my account. The seller is NOT ALLOWED to only take cards for payment, and NEVER through an off-eBay website. Repeat - CANCEL THE CARD.

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^^ THIS needs to be repeated.

[reallynicestamps]

Even when we had an active B&M store with a merchant credit card account, most of our online customers preferred to pay through Paypal.

This included shop customers who knew us by name and happily handed over cards when we were face to face.

EBay did at one time allow merchants to use their credit card accounts directly and also allowed some other payment processors, although at the moment I can only remember the Indian PaisaPal.

You can contact eBay through FaceBook and Twitter (private messages) as well as email through the Help and Contact.

There is no phone service at this time.