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?

 

[coolections]

@lepke1979   Where did the message say anything about a phone number?

[sookie*stackhouse]

I assume the number they are giving you is associated in some way with an id they have. They want you to send photos for them to use. 

Just add an additional photo in your listing, without the number requested. If they request again, block and move on.

[shipscript]

@dh62337 

I usually have fun toying with scammers. I don't think the request is a scam, and is more likely a burned buyer. But to remain safe, I would reverse the numbers to 65478 and add the photo to the listing lineup, and then let the buyer know through eBay messages. That will either suffice and you'll get a buyer, or, if the buyer is a scammer, they'll continue to ask questions that get into your personal contact info, and then you will know they have a scam in mind.

[wastingtime101]

So here's the thing @dh62337. This is either an attempt to prove you have the item and are not a scammer, or it's an attempt to get pics so they can scam someone else.

Scenario 1: Buyer wants to verify you actually have the product. Nothing wrong with that.

Scenario 2: Buyer listed the product somewhere else and needs the photo to prove they have the item in question.

What would I do? I would take the photo they asked for, but I would not use their number code. I would include a piece of paper with your eBay ID and today's date written diagonally across your eBay ID. Place it right in the middle of the object. It proves you have it, but they can't crop out your ID to use the photo with bad intentions.

Or you can print out a copy of their eBay message and take a picture of that with the item.

Edit to add: GF sells on a high-end luxury site and the venue frequently asks sellers to take pics of the item with the venue's name and date then submit it to them through e-mail to verify they are in possession of the item and not some scammer seller.

[eburtonlab]

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.

Adding the numbers digitally with a paint program does not prove anything. You could do the exact same thing with a photo you found on the internet.

The user wants "proof of life" -- like a kidnapping victim holding up today's newspaper. Photoshopping the newspaper into the picture is not proof of anything.

[wastingtime101]

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@stainlessenginecovers wrote:

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. 

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Adding numbers with photo editing software would probably make the buyer think the OP is a scammer that doesn't have the product.

[a_c_green]

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@stainlessenginecovers wrote:

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. 

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That's not really proving that you have the item itself; you would simply be adding the digits to a previously-existing image file. What they want is for the seller to photograph the item with something added per their request, to prove that you have the item right there on hand.

[discountdenimdeals]

I don't think it's of any harm unless they start asking for personal info. They are probably wanting confirmation because you are a new seller.

[lepke1979]

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@coolections wrote:

@lepke1979   Where did the message say anything about a phone number?

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It didn't.

[onefootflipper]

The market is essentially endless for popular video game titles. They will often sell the same exact day if you are literally $1 cheaper than the next guy. I would block any video game buyer who messaged me with any sort of weirdness at all.  No thanks, I will just sell to someone else tomorrow.

[stainlessenginecovers]

Yes, a scammer (seller) can 'photo shop' a number onto any photo; but bottom line to this is 

The Buyer is getting NO INFORMATION that can be used to a.) scam b.) scam and c.) scam anything.

WHEN the buyer then asks for ANYTHING MORE beyond simply 'buying it'... then you may have something to worry about. 

[downunder-61]

I am looking at it from another perspective.......

This may be a buyer who has been burnt before, and by getting you to write that number and take a pic of it beside the cartridge, it is verifying that you actually have the cartridge in your possession.

[asset_liquidators]

LOL those scams are not BOTS. I like to play dumb and respond by telling them "okay, I will send you a code now". They keep getting mad and trying to explain that they are going to send ME a code so I respond again that "okay, I will get a code sent to you right away". I like to see how long I can string them along.

The other one I like to do is say they can send me a code and then I keep giving them a totally different number until they give up. I figure the longer I waste their time the less time they have to scam someone that doesn't know any better. 

[stephenmorgan]

87456 is the Zip Code for Vicente Guerrero, Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico

[simply-the-best-for-you]

More likely, it's a buyer that's been burned b/c they aren't asking for personal info.   If you choose to respond & I don't see anything wrong with doing so, I would do what is standard for "proof", which is putting a sign with the current date on it, not the number they requested.   Just in case the number has some nefarious intent associated with it.  

As others have mentioned, be cognizant of the signs of a scam, but so far, it's not any obvious scam.  If it were me, I might send a pic with the current date, but if I had a lot of interest, I might just ignore.