Buyers asking questions after their offer is accepted

[collectingjax]

Hi, 

I'm a fairly new seller and have run into a bothersome situation several times. I post an item for sale, a Buyer submits an offer, I accept their offer, and then they ask me to text them outside of Ebay before they pay for the item.

The first time this occurred,  I responded through Ebay, never received a response and the Buyer never paid for the item.

Today, I have two similar instances on two different items. Both Buyers have additional questions and want me to text them before making payment. 

This feels like a scam, but I don't see how a scammer could benefit from orchestrating this. I don't want to require immediate payment on my items for sale, but I may if this practice becomes prevalent.

Can anyone help me understand this behavior?

Thanks and regards,

Robert

[lamber9347]

@collectingjax It is because you have zero feedback so that makes you look inexperienced as a seller. Therefore you are a target for scammers. All of these are scams and good on your for recognizing them as such. If you intend on continuing to sell online, then you need to first build up feedback. Start buying small items. Start selling off small cheap items. Always leave FB for your buyers as that helps to encourage them to do the same. Once you have built up FB than scammers will leave you alone as they will presume you know what you are doing. Best of luck to you....

[7794heather]

Yup. Scams. You are a new seller selling higher priced collectibles. NEVER text or email anyone outside of ebay.

Put buyers on BBL list, then wait 4 days and report them so they will get unpaid strikes and with most sellers, restrict their buying. Then you can relist.

Scammers go after 0 to low feedback sellers thinking they don't know any better. 

I would put immediate payment on your items until you get your feedback score up, or buy small things to get that number up. Otherwise you'll be dealing with this for awhile.

Also change your buyer preferences to restrict buyers who have 2 or more UPI strikes against them. Might slow these down for you.

Glad you came here first!

[lamber9347]

To answer your question, scammers target new sellers and attempt to get them to text because then it is off site. They will then get the inexperienced seller to purchase gift cards, which are bogus, or other such nonsense because the seller is new and is blinded by the offers of easy money. That's why they are so concentrated in getting your mobile phone. It happens very frequently to new sellers. 

[mr_lincoln]

Yes @collectingjax they are scams ... if you text them they have your phone number (personal information) ... they will want to do a deal off eBay and probably want you to include gift cards for them ... just ignore, add to your blocked list and move one.  Let the 4  day window time out so when you cancel the transaction those IDs get an Unpaid item strike.

Your situation is one reason I never use the Make offer feature on eBay ... I still get members messaging me making offers but that is a different animal from the make offer process ...

Regards,

Mr. L