Your account has been restricted-- listing flagged by bot in error

[tgriffey69]

Hi,

Long story short,  my iPad listings were flagged by a bot because the description contained "iCloud locks". In the listing i put the "device works great has no pass code or iCloud locks and is activation ready. " I talked to customer service and they said that triggered the bot. I have been putting that in the listing for 8 years now, without an issue.  So this happened like 2 weeks ago and gave me  3 day restriction. Customer service couldn't do anything. I just let it go.  I just got hit again for the same issue and now a 7 day ban and my active listings are hidden. I had created the listing weeks prior and just made it active and forgot to take out iCloud lock wording. Once again reached out to customer service, they agreed that my listing for the iPad is good and its not a locked device but they cant do anything. Had the call escalated to a manager but they refused to do anything. So essentially a bot can flag my listing instantly and restrict my account and no human can override the bot decision even when Ebay says they are wrong.  Does anyone know how I can escalate the issue and get in touch with someone that has a way of actually helping or am I just at the mercy of the all powerful AI bot? Thank you!!!!!!!!!

[mam98031]

What is the best process for this type of thing happening?

kyle@ebay 

devon@ebay 

elizabeth@ebay 

[tgriffey69]

Thank you mam98031 for escalating the issue. I am new to the forum and didnt know how to go about that.

To reiterate the issue, I am selling iPads which I have been doing 8 years and put in the listing that the" iPad has no pass code or iCloud lock and is activation ready."  So the iCloud lock wording is triggering the AI and flag the listing and restrict my account.

You can go on right now and search iCloud locks ipads and iPhones and people are selling them even though its against eBay's policy and I am selling perfectly fine devices with no locks and I am being attacked. 

This is all worrisome for all of us where a bot catches a keyword that you have no idea can be problematic and shut you down and there is no human mechanism in place to challenge  or correct the AI.

Preview

[kyle@ebay]

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@mam98031 wrote:

What is the best process for this type of thing happening?

kyle@ebay 

devon@ebay 

elizabeth@ebay 

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Hey @mam98031  thanks for flagging this.  I can't speak to any extenuating circumstances that may be present on the account, but generally speaking, a restriction like what has been described should be pretty quick and easy to get removed.  

@tgriffey69  I'd recommend contacting our Customer Service teams again at your earliest convenience to have them take another look and get you the proper resolution.

[tgriffey69]

Hi Kyle,

Thanks for the quick response.  So I did reach out to customer service again and also last night I reached out to Ask eBay on X. Both customer service and Ask eBay escalated the issue this morning and almost instantaneously the restriction was lifted.  So thank you to all involved and appreciate it immensely.

The customer service and manager I spoke to previously in the evenings  didn't have the proper training or resources it seemed to even escalate the issue. They wanted to help but seemed handcuffed. Hopefully in time, that can be rectified.

Thanks again!!

[mam98031]

Thank you Kyle, but the OP has done that a few times before coming here with no resolution to their issue.

Has Ebay also taken away the right to appeal in other areas other than Feedback if the AI makes a determination?

[mam98031]

On each Ebay page there is a link to contact Customer Service at the top of the page and again at the bottom of the page.

I would suggest that you contact Ebay for Business on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter for the better trained CSRs.

Here are your options for contacting Ebay Customer Service. Please be aware that for social media CS, you send them a Private Message and briefly explain what your problem or issue is. Feel free to leave your Name, address, phone number and/or your email address in this message. It is private and secure and it may help to speed up the response for you.

https://twitter.com/askebay

https://www.facebook.com/ebay

https://www.instagram.com/ebayforsellers/

Your options will be on the left. If you use the link below you can only get to the Automated Assistant or Chat box type AGENT in the box and hit enter. You will then get more options. Not all options are available 24/7. It will depend on staffing available. So sometimes you can request a call back and sometimes you can't. Sometimes you have the Chat option available and other times it won't me. If it is important to you to use one of those options, just try back later.

If you use a cell phone or other mobile device, you may need to turn off your Spam filter so that Ebay can call you.

If you are a seller outside of the US or Canada, you will need to use the Chat Option.

https://www.ebay.com/help/eua?id=5275&mkevt=1&mkpid

https://www.ebay.com/help/home