Help sorting through buyer offers

[abszebra32]

Hi,

I'm a new seller and wouldn't normally do this if I didn't have circumstances where I needed to be doing it. I know my listing is a prime target for scams (computer) given my inexperience, and I have done some reading trying to be responsible about knowing how offers work and the like, but I haven't found too much information about the question I have: what can you do as a seller to tell if a buyer is legitimate when they don't trip over the obvious red flags, but still make you pause a bit?

So. I know that it is not always a problem to be selling to accounts with little feedback, although it is risky. But currently, I have two separate offers from individuals from different countries, one with zero feedback and one with 1 piece of feedback.

• They appear to have the same PO box/shipping address, which is what is giving me pause.
• They also both have notes on their profile to the effect of "please send text/video of the item working to this number".
• They're not new accounts, they have been on eBay for 4+ years at the least.

I am not sure what to do in this situation. People can definitely have circumstances that would lead to these situations, so I hate to suspect, but I am a little worried about whether the offers are real. Is it normal for buyers to have these types of notes on their profiles? Should I reject these offers?

[bonjourami]

The identical address you see is a freight forwarding company. Anytime a prospective bidder asks you to text them, they are a scammer.Block them.

[nobody*s_perfect]

So many red flags!  I would not accept either of those offers.

[soh.maryl]

Having the same shipping address sounds like several people using the same freight forwarder, not actually a problem, but strange coincidence.

What you should be leery about is that request to send text/video to prove function.

Personally, would not even respond to those offers.  

[jimw1776]

I would not even respond; I'd block them both; go on with my life...but...start listing, and selling less expensive items...get some sales, and feedback, and put the sale of that expensive item on hold.  You are now a scam magnet.  Good luck to you.

[ckimodog]

@abszebra32 

Sorry this is scam attempt.  Accept no offers and block this person:

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/resolving-buyer-issues/blocking-buyer-ebay?id=4082&st=3&pos=2&quer...

Here's some things to look for as a new seller:

1. Buyer asks for your email address, Paypal address-they can't pay you directly to Paypal
2. Buyer sends you a phone number to text/call him/her-don't do it
3. Buyer asks you to buy gift cards to go with the order-don't do it
4. Buyer asks you to send the item to a different address after paying-again, don't do it
5. Buyer wants you to send the item overnight/express and will pay you a lot extra to do this-No they won't
6. Buyers says that they cannot pay through the eBay website and sends you a link to click on so that the payment will go through-they're lying to you
7. Buyer offers more for your item than the price you have it listed for.-Forget about it, it won't happen

As a new seller you should accept returns.  No returns does not mean no refunds.  You should also revise your listing and remove the best offer.  If you sell your computer at a fixed buy it now price, immediate payment required on NO best offers, hopefully you'll get a serious buyer.  

To be honest, I wouldn't even list that computer on this platform.  Never list something you can't afford to lose and it could very well happen as a new seller.  I would sell that computer locally for cash.  Less drama...less headaches...more money in your pocket instead of losing it & the item to a scammer.  I hope this was helpful. 

Good luck to you

[mtgraves7984]

"Please send text/video to..." will get you on my Blocked Bidder List so fast it makes my own head spin. Glad you took pause.

As a heads up, you'll cut down on that nonsense if you list at the least you'll take and ditch the OBO. Good luck.

[kensgiftshop]

I would get rid of best offer, all you're going to attract are scammers.

Require immediate payment and it'll get rid of most of the scammers.

[ittybitnot · Accepted solution]

Having the same shipping address sounds like several people using the same freight forwarder, not actually a problem, but strange coincidence.

@soh.maryl 

It is NOT a problem, so long as the seller is aware a Freight Forwarder is being used and knows how to head off the problem when/if the typical phony SNAD claim comes in.   Buyers that use Freight Forwarders void the Money Back Guarantee, but eBay treats it like any other sale anyway.  If the seller is not informed, and knows to INFORM ebay, what happens next is not a pretty sight. 

eBay + Newbie seller + expensive item + freight forwarder + phony claim + fake tracking return scam = recipe for disaster

For your reading pleasure: 

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Buyer-using-USPS-return-scam-Ebay-decided-case-in-buyers-favor...

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Help-Miami-Freight-Forwarder-says-wrong-item-sent-and-returnin...

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Getting-screwed-over-for-months-as-a-seller-on-on-an-blatant/m...

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Ebay-refunded-a-buyer-without-me-getting-my-item-back-from/m-p...

 

[abszebra32]

Hi everyone--thank you so much for your answers and information, I really appreciate it. I will reject the offers and be sure to read up on the links you all provided. I am glad I asked!

[abszebra32]

Thank you so much! I wasn't sure what the norms surrounding that were, and none of the "how to identify scams" articles I found mentioned that part about buyer profiles.

[soh.maryl]

You DO know that there is no requirement that you actually reject those offers, right?

You are free to just ignore them and let them expire.  

[abszebra32]

Thank you so much! I really really appreciate the information and the advice on how to revise my listing. Unfortunately I am not in a situation where selling locally is less of a headache, otherwise I would do so in a heartbeat. One thing that I have found is that it is a little difficult to navigate around the listing page and find all the payment information I am looking for. I turned off offers, but can I take that only having the "buy it now" option means immediate payment requested, or is there a box somewhere else I should check?

[abszebra32]

Thank you so much, you all have been really helpful and made me feel a lot better about this process! I will be blocking the bidders immediately.

[abszebra32]

I did see that was an option. Is it better to let offers expire over outright rejecting them?