Newly created accounts and address issues

[juiceorboost]

Ive only started to become somewhat serious about selling on ebay but here lately Ive been getting a large amount of buyers with newly created accounts, 1 day to 2 weeks old, names that are just random letters, zero to max 4 feedback and theres always something strange with the address, streets with only an abadonded house or straight to a post office but its not a PO Box or anything, its like the center itself ordered my item. I cant help but feel something isnt right but Im not sure what to do.. I always try to contact them but almost never get any form of response. I recently contacted ebay over 2 of these in the same day and the rep changed my buyer limits to where people like this could not big, buy or purchase any item from me(or so he told me) but somehow they are still getting through.   

Is this a common form of scam or what? What should I watch out for? How can I best protect myself from these issues? Ive had some reps tell me I am FORCED to sell to them and others that say cancel the transaction and block them... Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated, Thanks

[pburn · Accepted solution]

If you have legitimate concerns about a buyer's address, I would contact him/her ASAP for a clarification/cancellation. Let the buyer know specifically what issues you have with the address.

After confirming that the address is incorrect in eBay/PayPal, I would cancel the transaction using that as the reason. They can correct the address and repurchase the item--which may create a vicious circle. I'd probably block them after cancelling the transaction, myself.

If the buyer does not respond, cancel with the "problem with buyer's address" reason--but make sure you have reliable documentation that there really is a problem, and you're not just working off a hunch.

[emerald40]

Strange looking names with 0 feedback could be guest accounts.  They come, they buy and then they leave.  If they purchase again, they create another guest account name.

As far as the rep changing your buyer limits so they could no longer purchase from you, this makes little sense. 

As for the strange addresses, how are you checking to see if they are valid.  If they are not you can cancel with the reason of problem with address.  That will not cause a defect. 

[emerald40]

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@pburn wrote:

If you have legitimate concerns about a buyer's address, I would contact him/her ASAP for a clarification/cancellation. Let the buyer know specifically what issues you have with the address.

After confirming that the address is incorrect in eBay/PayPal, I would cancel the transaction using that as the reason. They can correct the address and repurchase the item--which may create a vicious circle. I'd probably block them after cancelling the transaction, myself.

If the buyer does not respond, cancel with the "problem with buyer's address" reason--but make sure you have reliable documentation that there really is a problem, and you're not just working off a hunch.

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I believe the OP stated that she/he atttempts to contact them, but in most cases they do not respond.

[pburn]

Right. That's why I added that last paragraph.

"If the buyer does not respond . . . "

Just to cover that eventuality. 🙂

[emerald40]

I am curious what ebay would consider a valid source to look up an address to see if it is valid so a seller can use problem with address as a valid cancellation reason if it is not.

[juiceorboost]

Thank you, I did exactly that but have not received a response yet. The problem with the most recent one is it goes to the post office itself address. Ive never had it pop up like that before. Same is listed on Pay pal as well but the buyers "real" name is also random letters nothing that makes sense. Also the address seems to pop up as 2 different addresses when looked at through google, it shows one being a post office but the other is far off at the edge of the zip code, again something ive not seen before when a lot of my stuff goes to California.

[juiceorboost]

The last time I had a similar issue I called ebay because the address had nothing on the road for miles other then 1 house that you can plainly see no one would legally be allowed to live in. He told me on the phone he could set my buyer requirements so people with new accounts and or no feedback(5 minimum) would not be able to purchase from me. I checked through ebay & paypal then google mapped it. It brings up 2 different options, one is a post office itself and the other is in the middle of a road with no house on it and the closes houses are not the address listed. Thank you for the info, I didn't think about guest accounts, figured a rep would have told me that given my amount of concern over something as simple as a guest account

[emerald40]

JMO, but if the name is just various letters that do not make sense and there are two conflicting addresses, then that would be a valid reason to cancel as problem with address, especially if you get no response from them to clarify.

Now I could understand someone living way out in the sticks so the address is kind of confusing, but the name should at least be clear.

And as I said, if you use problem with address that will not result in a defect.

[emerald40]

He told me on the phone he could set my buyer requirements so people with new accounts and or no feedback(5 minimum) would not be able to purchase from me

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As far as I know there is no such block that would apply to you.

Some sellers can control how many items (multiples) one buyer can purchase from them at one time, but that would not apply in this case.

[janet9988]

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@juiceorboost wrote:
The last time I had a similar issue I called ebay because the address had nothing on the road for miles other then 1 house that you can plainly see no one would legally be allowed to live in. He told me on the phone he could set my buyer requirements so people with new accounts and or no feedback(5 minimum) would not be able to purchase from me. I checked through ebay & paypal then google mapped it. It brings up 2 different options, one is a post office itself and the other is in the middle of a road with no house on it and the closes houses are not the address listed. Thank you for the info, I didn't think about guest accounts, figured a rep would have told me that given my amount of concern over something as simple as a guest account

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There is NO such block.