Stupidly listed a $500 item on eBay.
Buyer created an account today and I have received an eBay notification that the buyer has paid and lives in NT. Funds won't be released until after the 25th (15 days)
It's obviously a scam, can I cancel the transaction without penalty?
How does the scam actually work?
OP said it’s a new account.
why wont the funds be released until then?
EBay holds the funds to protect the buyer in case you don’t send the item or there is a problem with it. It does this for all newish sellers or sellers who haven’t sold for a while.
Don't understand the 15 days thing. Only send it once funds clear? You can contact the seller and ask them if they're OK with that, if not can ask them to cancel.
contact themselves?
The eBay explanation is it's because I have a limited selling history
Regardless of whether they hold the funds for 0 days or 15 days if in the event something happened and eBay didn't side with you they'd still bill you for the amount owed.
If the money lands in your account you're still on the hook until it arrives to the buyer in the condition that it was sold as.
they'd still bill you for the amount owed.
Correct, they'll reach their hand into your bank account and take the money out. You'll have no choice.
The funds have cleared and are sitting in eBay. Not sure if you ever use eBay, but typically no seller gets paid before sending the item.
I don't understand how it's any different from a legitimate purchase?
Person browses eBay, finds item to buy, creates account, makes the purchase.
his gut feeling has been right this whole time
If they were that skeptical then don't use eBay. Someone with 100 feedback can still scam.
Facebook marketplace or Gumtree with cash is the only way
But you need to deal with lowballers
Simple as ignoring them
I'll get a baseball bat ready whenever I meeting em.
You only sell baseball bats ?
@Protractor: Are Wood or Aluminium bats the way to go?
I was going to go with https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/335742326887?chn=ps&norover=1&mk…
They should know better than to mess with a tough guy like you.
Is Gumtree even still viable? I listed a number of items (typically in the $20-100 range) both on eBay and GT. I never got any bite on GT. All I got were would-be scammers asking for my email address.
Yeah but was is your social security number?
I would say gumtree still has a place for large household items, but that’s about it.
To waste your time
Exact thing happened to me last year, a buyer made an account the exact same day they purchased an expensive item from me. (& there were other listings of the item for less via other sellers, so made no sense to order from me, other than scamming)
eBay confirmed on the phone, that I should cancel due to an 'issue with buyers address', which doesn't penalise your account.
It can help if when a listing is made you specify a buyer must have a feedback score of "x"
Yeah I used to do that when I lived overseas. Never got scammed.
Do you also write “no lowballers”?
I wonder if they could figure out how to jump over this hurdle.
I don’t think this option exists anymore. I remember it being available under Buyer Management settings, but it’s no longer there. There was also a setting to block buyers who hadn’t completed phone verification, but that seems to be gone as well.
If I’m wrong, can anyone confirm where either of these settings have moved?
Just cancel it if your got feeling suspects a scam.
There's nothing you can do about the funds withholding thing though.
You are crying again since the recent one. Ebay has to protect the buyer because he is a new buyer, sellers unwilling to post their bought item morever you have not sold many item so far. Post it w/o before shipping deadline, otherwise if the buyer claims not recieved, ebay refund the buyer by charging you and the buyer keeps the item. Stop crying.
None of the things you mention necessarily imply it is a scam. But if you don't feel comfortable then do what is best for you.
ebay is the pus of the internet.
I used to think they sided with sellers, but sellers say they favour buyers. In reality they are gaming both and enabling the scumbags of the web on both sides of the ledger.
I've been burnt for the last time
Avoid,is all I can say.
Avoid avoid avoid
You must be new to the internet. Good luck.
You must be new to comprehending. Gooderuck
Do you sell often? 15 days is a long time, usually the funds clear in my account even before I send it.
I've sold stuff to 1 day old accounts, and it cleared just as fast. I think the long hold might be something to do with your account.
No, mostly buy
Firstly, the funds clearing is irrelevant to this being a scam.
You can try googling the name to see if anything comes up, google maps the address, search the white pages to see if you can match the name and address.
You can also contact the buyer and share your concern, or ask questions about the item/postage to gauge their response.
Ultimately, if you’re unsatisfied, just cancel the sale (and select buyer asked to cancel). Don’t worry about any potential marks against your account, unless you get a lot of them they don’t really matter, protecting your own financial interests comes first.
It's obviously a scam, can I cancel the transaction without penalty?
What's the obvious part? That someone has bought something you listed?
All you've said is that:
Neither of those tell you anything about it being a scam.
Seems like you need to take your tinfoil hat off and look up how ebay works.
Stolen account
Claimed goods not delivered
Claimed wrong goods sent
Etc