eBay

anfa-3031 · ‎03-12-2022

I went to purchase some spring clothes for my kids using a 200 gift card, and when I applied the redemption code; the message says "This code can't be applied to your order"

When I check my balance, it went from 200 to 0, therefore, ebay just stole my balance.

I followed all the terms and conditions. I called useless customer service , and they had me take a pic of the card and purchase receipts and send it to them.

What a huge waste of money and time. I will be glad when this scam is over, so I can go back to amazon.

simba6 · ‎03-12-2022

Another reason to never buy gift cards.

azaz_8302 · ‎03-12-2022

@anfa-3031 wrote:
I called useless customer service , and they had me take a pic of the card and purchase receipts and send it to them.

Where did you find the number to call @anfa-3031? Because it sounds like you were talking to a scammer.

Perhaps go back to Checkout, and pop open the Gift Cards section to see if your $200 is there?

candd205 · ‎03-12-2022

I don't think customer service would ask you to send pics of the card and receipts. I think once you gave away the number and security code to someone (probably a scammer if you googled eBay to get the phone number), then your money was spent moments later (by the scammer). Sorry if this is what happened to you. Check all your other cards too if you were planning to buy a car with all these cards. That money is gone once you send the pic to a scammer.

downunder-61 · ‎03-13-2022

I am afraid you gave the info from your card to a scammer, and eBay has no control over your actions nor the fact that you chose to do that, sorry.

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aproudparent2010 · ‎03-13-2022

eBay would not have you take pictures of the gift card....you called a scammer that has nothing to do with eBay.

soh.maryl · ‎03-13-2022

Still struggling to understand your situation. So you bought eBay gift cards with the intent of buying spring clothing for your youngsters? Did you know that you don't have to use gift cards to shop on eBay? You can usually use whatever credit or bank cards you have to make purchases.

maxine*j · ‎03-13-2022

Without more details, it's hard to know just how this scam worked -- but you were scammed.

If you initiated the telephone call and got through to someone, that someone was not working for eBay. For some time now, eBay has not had a telephone number to call. It would be interesting to know where you got this telephone number. (Other means of contact are used.)

If you were told to take pictures of the card and send it, you were not talking to anyone at eBay. No one at eBay woud ask for this, for a number of reasons.

If you bought the gift card yourself, why? You could just have bought directly, even without an account, as one can checkout as a "guest".

So, somehow, someone tricked you into buying the cards and then giving them the numbers (which they could see in the photos) and they spent your $200.

I am sorry this happened to you.

=

soh.maryl · ‎03-13-2022

And the ones with the most intriguing problems almost never return. Notice that?

maxine*j · ‎03-13-2022

@soh.maryl wrote:
And the ones with the most intriguing problems almost never return. Notice that?

What I've noticed is that, increasingly, on every forum, there are mostly post-and-poofs.

Whether people have legitimate questions, are just ranting, or are seeking specific info (such identifications or translations on the Collectcibles and Arts and similar boards), they ask and vanish.

Even if you tag them in your responses, so they get Notification Bells, they never return. Honest to gosh, I do not know what they're doing or what they expect.

-

kathiec · ‎03-13-2022

@soh.maryl wrote:
Still struggling to understand your situation. So you bought eBay gift cards with the intent of buying spring clothing for your youngsters? Did you know that you don't have to use gift cards to shop on eBay? You can usually use whatever credit or bank cards you have to make purchases.

There's a surprisingly large number of people who fall under the term "unbanked". They don't have credit or bank cards, they seldom even have bank accounts. They cash their paycheck and use the cash to purchase money orders to pay bills and buy giftcards for online purchases. I'm not saying the OP necessarily falls into this group, but yes, there are legitimate reasons for someone to buy giftcards to shop here.

computeraidllc · ‎03-13-2022

@soh.maryl wrote:
Still struggling to understand your situation. So you bought eBay gift cards with the intent of buying spring clothing for your youngsters? Did you know that you don't have to use gift cards to shop on eBay? You can usually use whatever credit or bank cards you have to make purchases.

Some people don't have credit or debit cards. There are still a very large number of people in the US who don't have bank accounts so buying online would involve buying a reloadable credit card or a gift card for a merchant then use the number online to shop. You can buy these cards with cash.

reallynicestamps · ‎03-13-2022

And tragically for those who are scammed like the OP, these are often the most vulnerable members of society.

maxine*j · ‎03-13-2022

@computeraidllc wrote:

Some people don't have credit or debit cards. There are still a very large number of people in the US who don't have bank accounts so buying online would involve buying a reloadable credit card or a gift card for a merchant then use the number online to shop. You can buy these cards with cash.

True. But if someone has the ability to go to one of the retail stores that sells eBay gift cards and plunk down $200 in cash, why not just shop at that store or another retailer? The things that most ordinary people, the people who don't have credit cards or bank accounts, buy are sold at the same retailers where the eBay gift cards are sold, like the big drugstore chains, the big grocery chains and convenience store chains, a couple of the "dollar store" chains, and so on.

Certainly any of us can come into a bit of money and suddenly find outselves able to shop for more than the basics, but would "Oh! I can shop on eBay!" be the first thought?

.

fab_finds4u · ‎03-13-2022

When you purchase a gift card you can't use it right away. It takes up to 4 hours to become activated, and longer if purchased through some stores. If you tried to pay right after buying the card it will say 0 balance until it becomes activated.

If you found the number for eBay on the internet it is a scam site. Scammers list fake eBay numbers and you get the scammer. eBay does not ask you for the redemption code on the phone or by email.

Too bad you didn't research eBay Gift Cards terms, faqs and how to pay. It says NEVER share the redemption code with ANYONE. If you were prematurely trying to use the card you screwed up by giving the numbers to someone, and eBay would not ask you for a picture of the card.

I'm sorry you didn't come here first to ask why your card wasn't working.

Anyway, the scam is over so hurry on over to Amazon.

Before you go--- Anyone can go in a store and grab a handful of eBay Gift cards and note the numbers on the back of the bottom left side of the card and put the card back. It contains the redemption code minus the last four digits. You don't have to scratch off the code to to figure it out. Then all they have to do is is keep running the code guessing the last four digits until they get a hit and drain your card.