Scammers

[elizburkh2]

My first time selling. As soon as I post and item a person offers. Same person but different address. They want my email and want to pay off eBay. One time I gave my email. I get scam emails now. What to do? 

[stainlessenginecovers]

Nothing you can do but continue to ignore these people; try blocking on your email as well as you CAN block these supposed 'buyers' (although more will come out of the woodwork). 

[mtgraves7984]

Easy. Don't reply to these scammers and add their user names to your Block Bidder List. Hang in there...

[ckimodog]

Ignore, block and keep selling. 

PS If you want to rid yourself of these pests, avoid auction style listings with best offers and list all your items at a fixed buy it now price with immediate payment required checked off. Sport bidders and non - paying bidders steer clear of these listings as they must pay instantly. You're a new seller and new new sellers are their prime target to set up scams.  Good to see you came here first to be sure. Many do not and the results are having their bank account cleaned out.  Good luck with your future sales. 

[duffy4444]

   NEVER, EVER  reply to these scam "offers", as an "offer" is not a sale... Ignore them and add them to your Blocked Bidder List. They will continue to be a problem until you get much more feedback.

   Unfortunately this is what new sellers go thru when selling online. Patience, vigilance, time, more feedbacks to you, and NEVER responding to "offer" scammers will get you thru this... Congratulations on being smart enough to recognize this type of scam. Be aware that there are many other very smart scams, including sending you a fake email saying you've been paid, when you haven't. Only ship an item when it shows up in your eBay Seller Hub under Orders - Awaiting Shipment.

   Instead of using the auction format, using fixed format with immediate payment required will cut down on the number of scam attempts, as scammers have no intention of actually paying for a purchase. But also be aware of scammers who will pay, hope you ship the item to them, and then have a box-of-rocks return scam or credit card chargeback scam even months down the road after you think the sale is successfully over. This usually happens with higher-value items and new sellers, but can also happen at any time.

   We don't want to dissuade you about selling online, but it's just something we all are in the same boat in fighting.

Cheers, Duffy

[silverstatetreasureboxes]

@elizburkh2 

Follow everyone's good advice here. You are probably being targeted because you did give out your email Addy in the past.

You really don't list any scam worthy items so that's good and eventually they'll get bored and move to the next victim unfortunately. 

[elizburkh2]

Thank you for your advice. Is this a  “Right of passage” for new sellers? This is the only person who responded. I have other collectible  items like Hess truck toys but hesitate to put up for sale. Are these scammers “bots?” Or individuals? Thanks again! 

[duffy4444]

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@elizburkh2 wrote:

Thank you for your advice. Is this a  “Right of passage” for new sellers? This is the only person who responded. I have other collectible  items like Hess truck toys but hesitate to put up for sale. Are these scammers “bots?” Or individuals? Thanks again! 

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   There will most likely be other scam attempts against you, particularly if you start listing higher-value items like $100 and over. I've been around here for nearly 24 years now, and I have put my listing threshold at $80. I don' need the hassle, or the money badly enough to risk losing it.

   Scammers are generally not bots - they're real people who see a gold mine and willing victim, when a new seller with 0 or low feedback posts a higher value item for sale (although it can happen even with lower value items).

   You're absolutely right - it is a rite of passage for new sellers. It didn't use to be this way, but eBay no longer seems to use common sense by really fighting back to protect sellers as much as they do buyers - even scam buyers.

Cheers, Duffy

[silverstatetreasureboxes]

@elizburkh2 

No hun they are real and look like the dirt one carries indoors on their shoes! The internet is full of scammers, you must be diligent and smarter than those who try and steal from you and I can see that you are! Best to you.

[reallynicestamps]

Block the scam ID.

Report the scam (mention the request to move the sale off eBay).

Delete the Message.

[elizburkh2]

Thank you for your kind info and your insights and advice from experience. Very helpful.

eBAy is not  happy playground! Ha! 

[paulhua3]

Borrow Mr. Peabody's Wayback machine, delete that email, and come on back, happy.

[zip-a-deedoodah · Accepted solution]

Sadly once a scammer has your email its possible they might sell it on the dark net to other scammers.  I've had my personal email address for nearly 25 years and to change it would be a huge headache, so I put up with a fairly large amount of scam emails most of it goin into my junk box.  My email settings are set to receive text only emails and I am VERY careful about opening links in emails.

[elizburkh2]

Thank you all for giving me an overview of what it's like to deal on eBay.  Not such a fun place with scammers all over.  It is great, however, to have someone  respond with positive and helpful comments! To contact anyone from eBay seems next to impossible - I tried - no response...

[mtgraves7984]

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@elizburkh2 wrote:

Thank you all for giving me an overview of what it's like to deal on eBay.  Not such a fun place with scammers all over.  It is great, however, to have someone  respond with positive and helpful comments! To contact anyone from eBay seems next to impossible - I tried - no response...

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@elizburkh2 

I've sold here for a decade-and-a-half, and only found this Board a couple of years ago. YES... it IS the place to be!

Bookmark this and spend some time reading even when you don't have problems... and good luck to you. 😁