Buyer asking me to text urgently before sending payment

[pacr7011]

New seller here, a buyer is asking me to urgently text them before they send payment.  The seller has a brand new account and this feels sketchy.  Any guidance or Ebay policies I should know about?

[wastingtime101]

It is a definite scam. Do not comply. You can wait out the 4 days and cancel or just cancel now. That "buyer" intends to send you a fake payment e-mail and possibly scam you out of some gift cards in the process. Don't take things off eBay. There is no reason to do so.

Oops, forgot to include the all-important links:

Resolving Unpaid Items

Reporting a Buyer

Blocked Buyer List 

Canceling an Order

[donsdetour]

Scam its to get you to try and purchase off eBay , and or send fake payment notice to get free stuff: OR GIVE ADDRESS NOT ON FILE WITH EBAY ETC.....

Text is a big sign of scam do not fall for such.

https://www.ebay.com/help/buying/working-sellers/seller-fraud?id=4024 

https://pages.ebay.com/securitycenter/stay_safe.html 

[terrycece62]

No texting allowed

looks like you are attempting to engage in off eBay transaction to avoid eBay fees 

Ignore the request ONLY message buyer through eBay messaging

Ya this is a scam run and run fast 

Stop engaging now

[house*of*paws · Accepted solution]

Hi @pacr7011 

Only a scammer would ask you to text them.  They want your personal info so they can send you a FAKE email that pretends you’ve been paid.

DO NOT reply.  Put their Username on your Blocked Bidders List.

This happens mostly to new sellers.  Glad you didn’t fall for it!  Good luck!  🙂

[fashunu4eeuh]

You have good instincts. As the other posters said, this is a scam attempt.

It is against policy to send contact information thru eBay Messages prior to the sale. (Once the transaction is complete, then contact info can be shared, obviously.) This rule applies to both buyers and sellers, and eBay will screen messages to find offenders and penalize them.

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/member-behaviour-policies/publishing-contact-information-policy?i...

So your buyer has violated policy if they sent their phone number to you. Never take communication off eBay. All of it should go thru the eBay message portal. Never give your phone number or email to a buyer. They do not need it to make a purchase. 

[fab_finds4u]

Why would you need to text them? You don't.   Anything they need to ask  could've been asked