Non-instant Payment Fraud

[adjustone]

This is a scam. I am plagued by this and eBay and PayPal are not doing anything about it except the advise to block buyers, and cancel transactions.

I have over 20 of these, and it has been happening for a month. The problem is eBay automatically charges the fees, so I can not relist items even though I made no money during the fake sales.

The pattern is the same for all the transactions.

1. The buyer pays via non-instant payment, presumably connected to a bank account with no actual funds.
2. There is no "claim" button on Paypal, the status is also "Pending" instead of "on hold" and it says "Do not ship yet."
3. The buyer messages shortly after the purchase and asks to "send the item soon, it is an emergency/a gift for my son/daughter"

It is an obvious pattern for fraud and eBay is not doing anything about it, I have messaged them so many times and not one of their support had been helpful.

I am selling mobile phones, the fees tend to rack up... Considering quitting selling on eBay because of this.

I hope eBay notices this and allows sellers to block non-instant payments again! 😞

I HAVE been able to receive payment from actual buyers in between these fake ones... So this is an obvious pattern here, an obvious fraud. But I feel so helpless because eBay isn't helping! 😞

[*eponymous*]

Fees are charged when a listing ends, even if you don't get paid.

Wait for the bounced check notice, then file unpaid item report.

Close that in 4 days to get the fee credit.

Then relist.

Do BIN with immediate payment to avoid the problem.

Sell cheap items to build feedback before you list cellphones.

[tunicaslot]

You are selling one of the riskiest items on Ebay and are ripe for scammers. As ep advised - sell some low cost items and get that feedback built up. I have over 2500 feedback and have been here almost 20 yrs and there is no way I would ever sell phones here - you're very brave.

[dakotasmoke]

Doesnt immediate payment required prevent buyers using an echeck?

[lookng2015]

Yes, which means the scammers can't send a payment with no funds available in their bank account.

[sidemouse]

While this is a scam you are also helping perpetrate it and that is why ebay and paypal are powerless to do anything about it, unfortunately you're practically giving it to them... As the posters above have said... I have a selling account and I also have around 3,000 feedback and I recently tried to auction a video card (not even the most high end one but not vintage) and after the third unpaid item dispute I simply listed it Buy-Now with Immediate Payment Required

This is the key:  Immediate Payment Required

When your sale has Immediate Payment Required enabled (this is in your selling preferences) once a buyer clicks on Buy It Now they HAVE to pay with available funds or the sale doesn't go through.

If you do NOT require Immediate Payment then these buyers are clicking Buy It Now...

Not paying but instead they go to their Purchase History and click on "Mark as Paid" (or something to that effect) and then send you the silly email hoping you'll fall for the stupid strategy...

And it is stupid, but apparently some sellers still fall for it.

 You have to protect yourself here, someone is always hungry and if you do not protect yourself these hungry people will very likely take your lunch, eat it and not even say thank you.

[dhbookds]

OP is from Japan........  I'm guessing he may be using IMP, but perhaps the methods of payment are different there than here......

I would contact paypal and see if they have anything to suggest......  they are the ones who handle payments

[bobv1973]

Same thing happen to us, We noticed someone who bidded on a item of ours, And emailed us right away to send it out. And we told them we will wait till the status is no longer pending. THIS IS A SCAM!!!
Called the person out on it.

[a_c_green]

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@sidemouse wrote:

If you do NOT require Immediate Payment then these buyers are clicking Buy It Now...

Not paying but instead they go to their Purchase History and click on "Mark as Paid" (or something to that effect)

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"Payment Sent"

[adjustone]

Thank you for all the replies. I have immediate payment required enabled, and payments are all made through Paypal.

How is it that the funds have the hourglass on eBay and "do not ship" on PayPal even though they have balance in their banks?

I have tried waiting out several of them, to see if anything would clear. And no, of course not.

Also, is it unadvisable to sell high-value items with lower rating? 😞 Why is that?

Thank you very much you have all been more helpful than eBay support...

[tarpedge]

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@adjustone wrote:
Thank you for all the replies. I have immediate payment required enabled, and payments are all made through Paypal.

How is it that the funds have the hourglass on eBay and "do not ship" on PayPal even though they have balance in their banks?

I have tried waiting out several of them, to see if anything would clear. And no, of course not.

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The top up allows buyers to make payments despite an insufficient balance, with the undertaking that the additional funds will be deposited, which they will never do.

[dhbookds]

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@adjustone wrote:
Thank you for all the replies. I have immediate payment required enabled, and payments are all made through Paypal.

How is it that the funds have the hourglass on eBay and "do not ship" on PayPal even though they have balance in their banks?

I have tried waiting out several of them, to see if anything would clear. And no, of course not.

Also, is it unadvisable to sell high-value items with lower rating? 😞 Why is that?

Thank you very much you have all been more helpful than eBay support...

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What these people are trying is to get you to ship the item based on the "payment"......which, as you say will not clear.  They prey on low feedback sellers, because they hope with that little experience, the sellers will ship and they will get the high value item free.........

We've had several in the last several wks who have shipped, payment doesn't clear, so they lose the item. 

Again, I would contact paypal....to see if there is anything they can suggest you do about being scammed like this.  Right now, the only thing a seller can do is wait for clearance, check their pp  account to be sure when/if it has cleared.  Do not believe an email that it has cleared as fakes are sent, again in the hopes that inexperienced sellers will ship...........

[thatsallfolks]

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@adjustone wrote:
Thank you for all the replies. I have immediate payment required enabled, and payments are all made through Paypal.

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Apparently that feature works differently in Japan. When IPR is used on eBay USA, PayPal requires a payment source that is just that, immediate. No e-checks, no balance transfers, nothing. Buyers can use Paypal balance or a credit/debit card.

[castlemagicmemories]

You need to list these as fixed price listings with immediate payment required.

That will stop any shenanigans.

[adjustone]

Well that's a bummer!

Immediate payment works differently here it seems. I guess I'm stuck! 😞 I'll wait out until all the fees being asked of me are gone and list lower value items then.

What would be a good rating score before I start listing high value items? I actually have these on hand and if I wait long, the value will decrease as they are smartphones. 😞

I'm not about to pay hundreds of dollars in fees for the fake sales to list new items!

But seriously, you guys have helped way more than customer support have. Thank you for all the information and advise!