is this a normal request?

[dh62337]

hello i am kind of new to ebay selling and i am selling some of my old games. I got this message today from a user about one of them. is this a normal request or should I ignore it?

 

[albertabrightalberta]

Sounds scammy. 

[ckimodog · Accepted solution]

Be careful.  Why do they want you to add a number to the photo? Next they'll ask you to send your Paypal address to pay you which you cannot do.  Then they'll send you a fake invoice.  If they want to purchase it tell them they can purchase it with the payment methods ebay provides on the listing.   If they don't respond it's a scam attempt.  New sellers are targets, especially for items like this one.  Again, be alert to scammers.  No gift cards or payment methods other than what Ebay posts.

Happy Selling!

[soh.maryl]

Ignore and block.

[rugerskick]

It reeks of scam.  Block the buyer.  Dont respond back.

[lepke1979]

Sounds like a variation of the phone scam where they want to make sure you're a real person by using your phone number to send a code which you reply with. I guess they do it to sign up for something. Never actually did it beyond messing with the person a little. Although, could also have been a bot for all I know.

If it's the same idea, not sure how it would work with a photo.

[stainlessenginecovers]

If they are giving you that number- it's just what it says; to be sure  you have it in hand. You can take a picture, open with Paint and add the digits, save and then attach. 

They are not asking you for any other info that would do anything, so not an issue. 

[dh62337]

okay thank you!

[simba6]

Yes for a SCAMMER.  It's to get your contact info to send a fake you have been paid notice to.

[kensgiftshop]

@dh62337 

I don't see anything wrong with that message.

If they want you to contact them by phone or email, then yes, it would be a scam.

[ittybitnot]

@dh62337 

So long as your auction has no bids, you could add a photo to your listing.   Never make contact via phone or text. 

[mybigsale]

@dh62337 
"but I want to make sure you have it."

Respond through eBay messaging:

Please purchase the item first. I want to make sure you have funds for purchase. I will include the number 87456 with the cartridge, so you know I sent it. 🙄

[kitschy*loot]

I think the person is paranoid and trying to verify you actually have the item. The Only thing I would do is provide additional photos and that's either good enough or it isn't. 

[tealt]

@dh62337 

It's an unusual request, but not necessarily one with nefarious intent.  At this point the potential buyer hasn't asked for any of your contact information.

If the message came through the eBay messaging system, I'd do the photo as requested and send it back through the eBay messaging system. 

If the message came from elsewhere, I'd ignore it.  If, after receiving your photo, the buyer then asked for contact info, texted, or wanted anything outside of eBay, I'd also ignore them.

I wonder if the buyer had themselves been scammed in the past by a low-feedback seller who listed an item they didn't have, received the buyer's payment, and then didn't send the item and/or vanished.

[coolections]

Be very careful when reading replies. Not knowing about the cartridge for the Pokemon game, (you do), it may not be a scam. Many of those games are counterfeit so buyer probably wants to make sure yours is the real deal.  As long as you reply (in Ebay messages), and do nothing outside of Ebay you should be fine. Many here think everything on Ebay is a scam.