getting weird messages from buyer

[makaro1977]

Hi everyone,

just sold some dolls to someone in the US. During the auction i received several messages with only numbers, everytime 3-digit or 5-digit numbers with a '.' or ':' in between (for example 7:38). I asked the buyer to explain the weird messages but didn't receive any respons. My auctions have ended a few hours ago and i already received 5 new messages of that kind. Never happened or experienced before! Anyone ideas?

[a_c_green]

I'm wondering if the buyer is trying to get you to text him at the number(s) he is sending you. Don't take the bait. You have a series of high-priced sales completed, so don't be lured into off-site communication. If payment is not received within the next couple of days, file the Unpaid Item dispute.

[mam98031]

That is a new one on me.  

Just send the buyer an invoice and hope it gets paid quick so you can get it shipped out.  

If you are just responding off of one of these strange emails, maybe that is why your buyer isn't responding.  Go into the listing they purchased and send them a message from there.  See if that makes a difference.

[bigoljim47]

Are all the dolls you sold to the same buyer? I would be very suspicions. if the buyer gets it you may will have a chargeback saying "unauthorized Charges" my child done it.  

[makaro1977]

Yep, all auctions won by the same person. Thanks for your reply

[divwido]

And you choose that answer based on what?  Numbers?   Some kid is sending the OP codes?  More likely a crazy or non-verbal person.

[makaro1977]

the invoice was sent a few hours ago, no payment or reaction so far. i have a very unpleasant feeling about this. Been scammed before. 😒

thanks for your reply!

[mam98031]

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@makaro1977 wrote:

the invoice was sent a few hours ago, no payment or reaction so far. i have a very unpleasant feeling about this. Been scammed before. 😒

thanks for your reply!

---

Don't borrow trouble.  Maybe there is a problem, but you haven't shipped anything, so you still have your products.

Buyers are rarely online as much as sellers.  So it is not usual at all that you haven't had a response yet.

Did you try emailing the buyer from one of the listings they won?  If not, why?  You have concerns, you should really see if you can communicate with your buyer.

[a_c_green]

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@makaro1977 wrote:

the invoice was sent a few hours ago, no payment or reaction so far. i have a very unpleasant feeling about this. Been scammed before. 😒

thanks for your reply!

---

Normally I would not suggest sending an invoice, as that locks in your shipping charge before you know what your buyer's Ship To: address is going to be, but I understand that this was going to be a combined shipment anyway. I had another idea that maybe their messaging software is barfing, and you're receiving the character codes rather than the letters of the message itself, but that's a bit of a stretch. 

What sort of a record does your buyer have? Are they longtime members or a new account? Have they left any feedback for others yet? 

[makaro1977]

The buyer has a (10) feedback, member since 2017. I've already contacted some of the sellers that have left feedback, but mostly the feedback was left automatically. They don't remember weird messaging. 

i have listed all messages below, from old to new

924.00

964.00

890.00

12:04

28:77

28:77

28:77

155.04

251.08

251.08

222.53

155.04

37.34

28.77

28.77

28.77

5:52

7:38

5:52

7:38

6:19

5:52

7:38

6:19

5:52

6:19

Who can break the code? 😁

[moondogblues]

Wow, that is pretty weird.

[hawkwind5454]

Ignore all of it, and move on. There's likely nothing to be gained by entertaining this any longer. I have seen scam invoices in threads on the boards, where the decimal points are placed in strange positions on figures [ie: 54.62.17] EBay is not the place for cryptic communications. You, yourself, said you had a bad feeling about all of this. Remember, if it walks like a duck...😊

[gracieallen01]

Personally, I would say that the messages you have received are intended to get you to send a message off ebay to which they could text you back.  I think you might want to step back and see what happens when you don't reply.  After the appropriate period of time, file a NPB and close it out after the 4 days if you don't get an understandable reply.  Sounds like a scam or the dog/cat/kid is really playing on the keyboard.

[jack_bucks_ghost]

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@makaro1977 wrote:

Who can break the code? 😁

---

I'll give it a shot: the first three numbers are the final sell price of three of the items (in GBP not dollars); the 28.77 is the price you charge for shipping on the items (again, in GBP); the small numbers might be the local time of particular bids (eBay displays here in US PDT); I'm stumped on the numbers around the 251.08 (thought they might be bids in GBP, but I don't see those exact numbers--may be different due to daily fluctuations in exchange rate)...there does seem to be some patterns here, if not logical meaning...lol...ok, I tried

[mam98031]

We have all agreed this is strange.  I don't think that is the point anymore.  

Did you ever try to contact the buyer from the listing, NOT replying to one of these odd messages??  That is the only way you might have a way of finding out if the buyer is generating these messages or there is some other issue.  You should give your buyer the opportunity to communicate with you as these odd messages may or may not be from them.  I would not assume they are.

Did you invoice them?  Have they paid?