please - need help asap!

[c.b.]

I sold a big-money item to a zero-feedback buyer.  the curious thing is that this buyer hasn't had any activity since he signed up in 2015.  I've had no problems in the past with people who register just to bid on or buy my items, and with people who signed up a few weeks or months earlier and then bought from me as the first purchase.  but, given how we all forget IDs and passwords when we don't use them for several years, i worry that there might be a problem.  what is the possibility the account was hacked, and how do i find out?   otherwise, no issues.

thanks!

[ed8108]

With shipping high dollar items, absolutely "be prepared" should possible issues latter arise.

[c.b.]

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@ted_200wrote:

If the account was hacked, you'll want to watch out for the package re-direct scam. 

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this brings up a question... i am familiar with the re-direct when being requested through emails.  is there a scam that involves a re-direct once the package is already in shipment?  for instance, what if the buyer goes onto fedex and requests a re-direct through their delivery manager system?  do you know if that would potentially involve a scam?

[castlemagicmemories]

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@ed8108wrote:

I don 't know the item that you have sold.

Perhaps you may want to film the item as it is being packaged, and film the exact weight of the mail article.

Hope this may be of some help to you.

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With all due respect, reading the  Board frequently reveals, as has been posted time and time again, that filming is absolutely no good as ebay does not accept that as evidence of any kind.  It would provide no protection and just waste time.

[ted_200]

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@c.b.wrote:

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@ted_200wrote:

If the account was hacked, you'll want to watch out for the package re-direct scam. 

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this brings up a question... i am familiar with the re-direct when being requested through emails.  is there a scam that involves a re-direct once the package is already in shipment?  for instance, what if the buyer goes onto fedex and requests a re-direct through their delivery manager system?  do you know if that would potentially involve a scam?

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That exact thing has been the subject of a recent discussion here.

The hypothetical scenario is a buyer account is hijacked, they pay with the attached PayPal Acct. which could be set up for no login payments on eBay, and leave the ship address the same as the legit account holder, then redirect the item somewhere else once it's shipped.  With USPS at least, I think this can be solved by marking it "Do Not Forward - Return to Sender".  I'm only thinking out loud here, but it may impede any effort to redirect if the seller were to withold the tracking number from the buyer... I don't really know how all that works in detail...

[lhbm]

I understand why you were cautious and concerned. I certainly didn’t mean to insinuate that you were wrong to be worried about possible hacking and I think it speaks well of you to want to know for sure, for what that’s worth. I only mentioned my somewhat similar experience as an alternative to that. I hope everything with the sale is on the up and up & go wells. 🙂

[ted_200]

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@castlemagicmemorieswrote:

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@ed8108wrote:

I don 't know the item that you have sold.

Perhaps you may want to film the item as it is being packaged, and film the exact weight of the mail article.

Hope this may be of some help to you.

---

With all due respect, reading the  Board frequently reveals, as has been posted time and time again, that filming is absolutely no good as ebay does not accept that as evidence of any kind.  It would provide no protection and just waste time.

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While that has proven true in the vast majority of cases we've seen here, I am aware that PayPal at least did receive photographic evidence from a seller who lost an appeal there and then suffered a product-switcherooni return, and they subsequently gave him his money back. 

It could also influence the outcome of an arbitrated dispute with the venue, or be admissible in court. 

[rixstuff]

I have had buyers sign up for ebay SPECIFICALLY to buy what I was selling and many went on to be long-time repeat buyers.  We all started with nothing.  They arent a problem until they are so give the guy a chance to screw up before condeming him.  Just follow the rules and dont do anything weird or outside the rules.

[kensgiftshop]

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@c.b.wrote:

I sold a big-money item to a zero-feedback buyer.  the curious thing is that this buyer hasn't had any activity since he signed up in 2015.  I've had no problems in the past with people who register just to bid on or buy my items, and with people who signed up a few weeks or months earlier and then bought from me as the first purchase.  but, given how we all forget IDs and passwords when we don't use them for several years, i worry that there might be a problem.  what is the possibility the account was hacked, and how do i find out?   otherwise, no issues.

thanks!

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Just because the account doesn't show any activity for awhile, doesn't mean he hasn't used it in awhile. He might use it everyday, but just now found something they were interested in buying.

[c.b.]

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@rixstuffwrote:

I have had buyers sign up for ebay SPECIFICALLY to buy what I was selling and many went on to be long-time repeat buyers.  We all started with nothing.  They arent a problem until they are so give the guy a chance to screw up before condeming him.  Just follow the rules and dont do anything weird or outside the rules.

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i am NOT 'condemning' anyone -- esp the REGISTERED user.  if you had read what i said, you would have seen that i specifed how i was only concerned about the account being hacked since it has been dormant for years, but "otherwise, no issues."

you probably didn't read my other responses either, so i will quote...

" i am NOT questioning the status of the REGISTERED user.  i take pride in the fact that i have been a very positive first purchase by several newly registered ebayers."

and, yes -- that includes people registering with ebay specifically to buy one of my items.

i never said anything negative about the zero feedback, itself.  i am only being cautious about the possibility of a hack.  you need to read ALL the words and not get stuck on the zero feedback bias.

for the record, and for anyone else who is in this discussion... i just saw this posted.  if the poster's info is accurate (i believe so, given the attention to detail), there may be people hacking accounts just with intention to buy.   take a look at this...

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/So-many-Cancellation-requests-and-Unauthorized-use-of-buyer/m-...

[turquoisetulips]

"Perhaps you may want to film the item as it is being packaged, and film the exact weight of the mail article."

Why? Sam - unquote 

I think its because there have been  instances when a dishonest buyer will accuse the seller of sending them  something completely  worthless and not what they ordered .  Filming yourself putting the item in the box  helps  in those cases . If the op suspects  his buyer  may not be on the up and up ,, its good advice .  Tulips 

[ed8108]

Ebay if it choses to do so can make general policy exceptions, on a individual basis, with respect to credibility of claims.

I would give ebay the opportunity to accept or decline.

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@castlemagicmemorieswrote:With all due respect, reading the  Board frequently reveals, as has been posted time and time again, that filming is absolutely no good as ebay does not accept that as evidence of any kind.  It would provide no protection and just waste time.

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ED8108 writes 

Outside of ebay, it may not just represent a waste of time with respect to issues that may arise insurance claims, mail issues, fraud, etc

On very high dollar items, a seller's investment of just a little bit of time may prove to be very wise.

[turquoisetulips]

With all due respect, reading the  Board frequently reveals, as has been posted time and time again, that filming is absolutely no good as ebay does not accept that as evidence of any kind.  It would provide no protection and just waste time. castlemagic to ed - unquote ----------------------------

 Filming yourself putting an item in a box  and using just that one thing as proof , then I could see e bay rejecting it . However when the seller puts everything else  together as proof ,, tracking number , receipts , sig  and filming  then the seller  should have a very good case . I would think so anyway ,, unless a dishonest buyer  has the same kind of  luck of the likes of OJ Simpson or Casey Anthony . Tulips 

[c.b.]

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@kensgiftshopwrote:

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Just because the account doesn't show any activity for awhile, doesn't mean he hasn't used it in awhile. He might use it everyday, but just now found something they were interested in buying.

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you are right -- he may be using it but just not buying anything.  you prob didn't get to my response further on, which says, " I surely do understand people not jumping right in.  or, maybe the buyer has bid on some items and never won anything. "

i think the bidding would be a logical postulate since people do not need to sign in just to view items--it would only be if they were trying to bid (or buy).  so, the buyer may have signed in for the purpose of bidding...then again, like you said, the person may have been signed on continuously.  who knows?   however, the lack of activity for 3 years does stand out, so i am here to obtain solid advice in case it is indicative of an issue.   and, i have been getting really good advice from the people on here.  thank you, too, for your perspective.

[coolections]

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@c.b.wrote:

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while i do not think you are one of the pessimists on here, i find it very interesting that the last time i came here with a question about shipping a multi-thousand-dollar purchase (this not that big), all the chicken-littles were telling me that my buyer would probably end up being a scammer.  i did not believe that...and everything turned out fine.  yet, everyone was insisting that i should have been more suspicious--even though there was nothing to indicate that i should have been.

 no matter what, i have found the help this time to be much more valuable.  thank you, all, for your help! 

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No matter the reply, no matter the situation there will ALWAYS be 3/4 people saying everyone is a scammer, and 1/4 people saying it should be fine. Basically you have to just read the responses and make up your own mind as to what to do in any situation. 99% of the time all goes well.

[go-bad-chicken]

If you ship via USPS you can take an extra step and gain a little bit more protection by using either:

Restricted Delivery

Specify the person who can sign for and receive your item. Must be purchased in combination with another extra service as follows: Certified Mail, COD, Insured Mail (over $500), Registered Mail, or Signature Confirmation.

OR

Adult Signature Restricted Delivery

With this service, your item is delivered only after the addressee or their authorized agent verifies their identity, shows that they’re 21 years of age or older, and signs for it.

Both of these services add an extra layer of protection as both of them require the buyer to show actual goverment issued ID ,in order to receive the package. When I choose to employ this feature I only use the name that is apart of the official Pay Pal transaction record.

The PITA part of doing all of this is that I purchase USPS postage through eBay labels, along with USPS insurance, and Signature Confirmation. But I then have to go to the post office to add either the

Restricted Delivery service or the Adult Signature Restricted Delivery service, but not really that big of a deal. Especially considering the concerns that you currently have.

Sometimes peace of mind is worth some extra steps and a couple of extra bucks.