How humiliating.

[naqahdriah]

This isn't something I expect to get resolved here, but I think it should be here for others to see, and eBay to potentially consider.

Every few months or so, when I need money for school, I usually sell a few things, and I've never had a problem, a negative feedback, or any issues. I sold a few things recently, and on one of them, the buyer contacted me with an issue and asked if they could return it; I said sure, go ahead and initiate one and as soon as they did, I accepted. However, they were ultimately able to resolve the issue they were having, and messaged me to ask if they could cancel the return, and I agreed. The instant they did, eBay withheld all of my payouts for "performance review". Okay, I don't know what part of my "performance" merited it, but fine.

The next thing I get is the real insult. I get an email saying that "they noticed activity that we believe is a risk to our community". Promptly handling a return is a "risk" to their community? It gets better; they then demand that I upload purchase receipts for everything I've sold to release my funds. I have complied with this (after all, I'm actually not the thief eBay is apparently accusing me of being), but what a humiliating way to be treated. I have no negative feedback, their own records show that I always ship immediately, and in the very first instance a customer requested (and then cancelled) a return, I responded and accepted immediately. What if I had been selling antiques? What is a person simply didn't have a receipt? Does the buyer get a free product while eBay pockets the payout? Gross.

eBay can make whatever claims they wish about "security" and "risk", but presuming all of your users to be criminals is gross, and I hope it nets them the results they deserve.

[chapeau-noir]

None of that matters - returning/new sellers all get vetted now, PARTICULARLY when they sell high dollar items as you do after being gone for a while.  Accounts are hijacked, can be sold online, etc.  - there's a lot of internet fraud and this is how eBay tries to stem some of it.

Don't take it personally.

[naqahdriah]

Someone hijacks an account or buys it online... then, to get an eBay payment, has to change all of the profile information, add a bank account with matching information, so that they can sell items and then actually ship (and have the buyer receive) them? From a 10 feedback account?

I'll just take your word for why that's better than just making an account, since they vet both anyway.

And I do take being called a thief / fraud / scammer personally. The reason someone does it is irrelevant.

[katzrul15 · Accepted solution]

@naqahdriah 

Sorry about everything - even as a seasoned Seller (over 18 years now), if I suddenly listed and sold almost $5k of items in a short time span, e-Bay would treat me exactly the same.  

Every online site has issues with fraud right now and they are working to protect their Buyers.

My son is in college and I know the stress of needing to generate some cash at the beginning of a school year semester.  

Hang in there!  Hopefully there are no further issues and you get your monies soon.  On the high-value items that exceeded $750, I hope you used signature confirmation on those deliveries?

All the BEST this semester!  Good luck!

[fashunu4eeuh]

@naqahdriah Though it took me most of my life as a younger adult to make this happen, I am glad now to have the ability of not taking business matters personally. It will save you much heartache in the future when you are able to do the same. You were not singled out by a person, but by a bot. It's routine. When a set of occurrences happen in the right order, it triggers eBay's security bots. It is not a reflection on you. So don't sweat the algorithmic trigger. You have conducted yourself with dignity, are well-spoken, and I commend your efforts to take care of your customers. Best of luck to you in your studies.

[chapeau-noir]

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@naqahdriah wrote:

Someone hijacks an account or buys it online... then, to get an eBay payment, has to change all of the profile information, add a bank account with matching information, so that they can sell items and then actually ship (and have the buyer receive) them? From a 10 feedback account?

I'll just take your word for why that's better than just making an account, since they vet both anyway.

And I do take being called a thief / fraud / scammer personally. The reason someone does it is irrelevant.

---

Seriously, no one called you a thief or scammer or anything else.  This is just the vetting process we're all stuck with.  I went through this with my other buying account and I've been selling here for years - didn't even think twice about it, even though, yes, it was annoying, but why on earth would I take a simple business process personally?

[naqahdriah]

I'm sure eBay would treat you the same... and, personally, I think that's not okay. Neither buyers nor sellers should be presumed to be degenerates, but that's eBays modus operandi. "You sold something worth more than a few dollars" I don't believe is sufficient justification to make accusations at people, especially when there haven't been any indications actually from either of the parties actually involved. It's the very definition of 'guilty until proven innocent', and no one should be okay with that no matter how "noble" the goal, in my opinion.

I appreciate the well wishes. I did use signature delivery for stuff, and I'm sure it will all turn out fine; as I said, I complied with the request and gathered up all of the receipts and submitted them. I just don't think that this situation is the solution (or even part of one) for whatever it is they profess to be addressing.

[naqahdriah]

And that's fair, nothing wrong with you feeling that way. I just feel differently.

For example - "give us receipts to prove you didn't steal this stuff" pretty clearly comes across as being called a thief; else, why ask for them? Businesses have had "processes" for decades that have been changed over time, because the were found to be unethical, or insulting to their customers; simply being a "business process" doesn't shield them from scrutiny.

Further, I've both sold stuff (and bought a ton) on Amazon virtually since their inception... yet they've never once done anything remotely similar to me, and somehow they're a business with a trillion dollar market cap. It's crazy how they get by, given what eBay apparently needs to do, no?

[chapeau-noir]

No one has that kind of power over me, so I guess it's not something I experience.  I get exasperated, but to me it's just all business.  Now, whether you want to engage in it is an entirely different subject and totally your right not to want to.  I'm just saying that eBay doesn't know you from anyone else and they're just putting you through the same vetting as everyone else.

Amazon is a whole different subject.

[luckythewinner]

---

---

eBay can make whatever claims they wish about "security" and "risk"

Yes, they can. It's in the user agreement you acknowledged. 

but presuming all of your users to be criminals is gross

Are you suggesting they have also done this to every other eBay seller in addition to you?

[metaltech1]

I know exactly how you feel.

I used to just sell my collectibles here.  I did not have receipts for any of them as I had them for DECADES.

Then, I get my family giving me stuff to sell since I told them how easy it was.  They didn't have receipts either.

Now, here I am, with two garage full of collectibles and what not just taking up space because I am leery of sending out my ID, SSN and all my banking information to a platform I've been doing business with for years with no problems.  Heck, I even got the Top Rated Seller distinction they day after I found out I could not list until I signed up for Managed Payments.

I was told "Don't worry.  This is how EVERYBODY does it now.  It's safe and secure!"

........and then, BOOM!!!

chapeau-noir says accounts are hi-jacked and sold on line.........  That does not fill me with confidence that all the information required to even list on here is secure or safe.

Best of luck to you in school.

[maxine*j]

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@fashunu4eeuh wrote:

... You have conducted yourself with dignity, are well-spoken...

---

So much for that.

=

[naqahdriah]

So fun update - the email they sent me asking for receipts said "more specific details below" and then has... nothing, which is nice.

The account has a 'learn more' button, and hitting that gives 4 possible reasons which are:

1) ebay fees (I'm using their payments, so I assume they take these as they go?)

2) reimburse eBay for a return (I haven't had one)

3) violation of a rule or policy (the email gives no details, so I have no idea which one?)

4) couldn't verify account information (it matches my license, my added bank account info, and all of the receipts I just sent them?)

3 is the only one I can imagine, but from my perspective I've sold as described, shipped quickly, and had no issues with buyers, so I'm not sure what rule or policy it would be... and this is the problem with punitive systems that are totally opaque. If I did something wrong, and they won't give me any idea what that was... how do I avoid whatever it is in the future?

[mr_lincoln]

@naqahdriah   I suspect what triggered eBay's review of your account is you have been registered since 2015, have  (10) FB count ... and low activity.  They are trying to make sure your account has not been hacked by a real criminal.  That happens and as part of eBay's security they monitor that type of situation.

Your account is one of over 19 MILLION (or in and around that) Selling accounts. 

So at the end of the day, its not personal, its just business and they are doing their doing their job.

Mr. L

[redmodelt]

It could have to do with no apparent sales (looking at feedback) for 6 months than a string of higher priced items sold, that trigger the request of proof of ownership. It is not a personal attack and should not be taken as such, it is a business request.