Newley signed user bought product but have not made any payment

[beltexperts]

I noticed a user that just created an eBay account today has bought my products but has not made the payment yet.  I am wondering if it is a scam user that just wanted to take my items out of stock.  Wondering if some has seen the same issue. 

Thanks 

[jda05121]

Talk about impatient......

[beltexperts]

@jda05121  thanks for the helpful reply.  

here is the message I got from the buyer (@andgeof-18) which I suspect is either scammer or bot. 

"

Just one question regarding the item. Kindly text me (786) 8696920 or write me on my e-mail is countrycowboy798@gmail.com. Thanks

"

[bonjourami]

Scammer.

[simba6]

They want to send you a FAKE you have been paid letter.  A scammer trying to trick you into sending items that were never paid for.   You might want to list as fixed price but it now and set it to require payment right away.  That will "run off" such scammers.

[soh.maryl]

You are smart enough not to reply, right?

[soh.maryl]

If you would have informed us, in your first message, about that message you received, we would have been immediately able to tell you that you were looking at a scammer.

Also want to inform you that, just because a buyer is new, that doesn't make them a scammer.  Regular genuine buyers do have at least 4 days to pay.  Keep that in mind.  

[beltexperts]

I just got the message from the buyer and I posted here right away. I appreciate the community help.

Noticing the buyer just created the account and made the purchase was kinda fishey

[beltexperts]

Yep.  Did not reply to the buyer 

[downunder-61]

If a buyer hasn’t paid within 4 days, on the 5th day you can go to your Seller Hub to cancel the transaction using the “Buyer hasn't paid” reason and this gives the buyer a strike and you can relist. In future to have eBay automatically cancel your transactions due to non-payment:

Go here:   https://www.ebay.com/Cancel/Preference/UnpaidPurchase                                     

Also - add this buyers id to your Blocked Bidder List

[cberdunn]

I received the exact same message today from a different buyer ID after a purchase. I believe they are playing this same scheme over and over. I wonder if I should call ebay and inform them of this as it is not an isolated incident and will likely continue. I'm not sure there is anything they can do, but thank you for raising this on this forum. I found it when I googled the email. 

[mam98031 · Accepted solution]

@beltexperts 

Keep in mind that for something to be a "scam" the thief will somehow make money off of you via free products or partial refunds or something.  They have to come out ahead if it is a "scam".  

For your current problem unless you are considering shipping out the product before payment has been made, your buyer has no way to "scam" you.

But you do have a problem.  The moment that buyer said they wanted you to text them, things changed.  ANYTIME I buyer wants you to take communication with them off Ebay you can be 100% sure that they are going to try get you to ship them the product without proper payment or give you some sketchy type of payment that you will think is real, then ship the item only to find out you were never really paid.  

So I'd say CANCEL the transaction using the reason Problem with Buyer's address.  Then you are free to list it again and try all over again.

Keep in mind that not all new Ebay members, even accounts set up on the same day are bad people.  Some will be as you have found out, but they aren't all that way.  Some come to find a specific something they want or need and will become a very good Ebayer.  So do try to take things on a case by case basis as they aren't all bad.  We all had to start somewhere.

Great catch on this one.  I hope your future is much brighter.

[the-atx-closet]

Just received the exact same message  

[mam98031]

---

@the-atx-closet wrote:

Just received the exact same message  

---

It is a SCAM.  You are guaranteed that when you get something like this it is a SCAM.  Report the buyer to Ebay.

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/resolving-buyer-issues/reporting-issue-buyer?id=4084

[rcilli11]

I will confirm that this is not a legitimate buyer. They also purchased one of our items last night, with a different buyer ID that was created yesterday but with the same email countrycowboy798@gmail.com asking for our paypal for payment and to text their phone number with a Dallas area code. We know not to respond and to not accept payment outside the platform unless it's cash so will be canceling this order. Thanks for posting this to help us out!