12-01-2020 07:01 AM
Hello new to selling on Ebay and I got two offers this morning. Both had messages requesting I text them because they had some questions about my product. For me that is a red flag because they could of just asked me in the message. Scam?
12-01-2020 07:06 AM
A message that says "I am interested in your item, kindly text me" is generally the start of a scam where the scammer winds up sending a phony PayPal email that makes it look like the seller has received a payment when none has actually been received. Scammers like to target new sellers, particularly those selling expensive items.
Similarly, any potential buyer that wants to pay more than your buy-it-now price or asks you to purchase a gift card for any reason is trying to scam you. eBay has no way for a seller to add the extra cost to the transaction, so that should tell you that the buyer has no intention of paying you through eBay (or at all).
Sending contact information (text or email) prior to a transaction is a violation of eBay policy; this policy is designed to protect honest buyers and sellers from this sort of thing, and to prevent off-eBay sales.
Ignore anyone that wants to communicate outside of eBay prior to a transaction payment. eBay will likely close the scammer's account eventually; unfortunately the scammer will simply open another account and continue sending such messages.
As a seller you should always check your PayPal account directly (not following a link in an email) to see if you have actually been paid prior to shipping. If an actual buyer does not send an actual payment, file an unpaid item dispute and go through that process to get your fees back and to give the "buyer" a strike -- and set your buying requirement to reject bids from users with two or more strikes.
12-01-2020 07:07 AM
@philgoodknits wrote:Hello new to selling on Ebay and I got two offers this morning. Both had messages requesting I text them because they had some questions about my product. For me that is a red flag because they could of just asked me in the message. Scam?
Your instincts are correct.
Generally speaking, people who want you to text or email them are trying to get your email address or phone number so they can communicate with you outside the eBay system.
Once they have you communicating outside the eBay system, they are free to perpetrate a scam without eBay being able to see the messages.
These scams generally involve either (a) some attempt to trick you into thinking they have paid when they have not; or (b) to promise to send you "extra money" to buy gift cards to put in the package, and then trick you into giving the gift card number to then beforehand.
12-01-2020 07:44 AM
Scam?
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Yes.
A genuine buyer would ask questions via ebay messages.
12-01-2020 07:56 AM
@philgoodknits wrote:Scam?
Scam.
At this point, my mind is busy reworking the famous Monty Python song:
"Scam, scam, scam, scam,
Scam, scam, scam, scam,
Mighty SCAM!!! Wonderful SCAM!!!"
(repeat verse 98 times)
12-01-2020 09:32 AM
It may not be a scam but scammers use that to great effect.
12-01-2020 09:47 AM - edited 12-01-2020 09:47 AM
Of course it's a scam.
Stop and think a minute - if they can contact you through an Ebay message, why can't they ask their questions through Ebay messages? Why do they need you to text them?
The answer is they are crooks who want to dupe you into sending them free stuff. They are thieves.
Block the ID https://www.ebay.com/bmgt/BuyerBlock? so they can't buy/bid on any of your stuff. Ignore any further messages.