Issues with Scammy offers

[heliotro-16]

So I have sold on eBay before (had an account years ago but lost access to the email so I had to make a new account) but have never had issues with these scammers placing offers on my items and then asking for me to text/email aka conduct business outside eBay. I have reported these incidents already.  But what gives? How does anyone deal with these? Any help appreciated, thanks!

[donsdetour]

New user is a scammer magnet;

Just put them on your blocked bidders list. not even worth reporting.

[srony786]

I suggest you tell them that they can only purchase the product via eBay and then if they contact you again about it you should report them, I haven't had any messages like that but the best approach is to report them and tell that privately buying / selling is not allowed.

[heliotro-16]

I will try that, thank you! I have already sent screenshots to spoof@ebay but this advice is much more useful. 

[fashunu4eeuh]

List fixed price with Immediate Payment Required to avoid this problem. At least until you build up a little feedback. Then you are not as attractive a target. These scammers are interested in inexperienced sellers in particular. Some scammers hope to prey on a new seller’s lack of knowledge about eBay policy. Or  hope one might be fooled into buying gift cards to include with the “sale”. 

As you are likely aware, there is no way to completely avoid fraud in online sales. The best way to deal with it here is to know the eBay policies. Very little eBay can do either, or is willing to do. A scam attempt is not yet a crime. The often-overseas fraudsters are clever and merely get  a new easy-to-create account when the current one gets reported.

[heliotro-16]

Thanks, I will take this into consideration.  I have never had this issue before. Did not know if it was something I was doing wrong? 

[stainlessenginecovers]

Scammers are on all platforms selling, buying etc. and in the past 5 years it has got much worse. 

[reallynicestamps]

No, but when you were selling before there were more auctions and you may not have realized that today less than 15% of eBay transactions are auctions. Even those usually allow for a Buy It Now or a Best Offer option.

The Immediate Payment Required is a relatively recent Seller Protection, maybe three years?

[slippinjimmy]

---

@heliotro-16 wrote:

So I have sold on eBay before (had an account years ago but lost access to the email so I had to make a new account) but have never had issues with these scammers placing offers on my items and then asking for me to text/email aka conduct business outside eBay. I have reported these incidents already.  But what gives? How does anyone deal with these? Any help appreciated, thanks!

---

eBay has blocked many of the old routes that scammers took and Managed Payment really ended many of the old scams.

Thieves are creative, when one door slams them in the face they find another door to open, taking transactions off eBay is one of the few ways the scammers can be successful so that is what they do.

The old chestnut of fraudulent returns still lives but it actually takes real money (and creates a paper trail) to pull those off while the off eBay fake payment messages cost the scammer nothing.

The best way to avoid this is to stop doing Auctions, use Fixed Price with Immediate Payment Required.

When your Auctions only get one bid it's clear that it's a product / listing format conflict. Auctions are only worth doing if you consistently get multiple bidders.

[luckythewinner]

---

@heliotro-16 wrote:

How does anyone deal with these?

---

One way to deal with them is to stop accepting offers, and lower your price instead. That way the legitimate buyers will buy the item, and the scammers won't. 

[stainlessenginecovers]

@reallynicestamps   

FYI: Immediate Payment has been going on since, at least, 2011 when I started selling full time; as that is all I use. 

[heliotro-16]

How does one set up "Immediate Payment"? I cannot seem to find that option on mobile or web version of eBay. 

[dryophelia · Accepted solution]

@heliotro-16 

How immediate payment works and how to request it for your listing. 

Apologies for the font size. 

[heliotro-16]

Thank you so much!

[heliotro-16]

I'm going to try that, thanks for the advice!