Would This Raise Your Suspicions?

OscarCharlie

I have a few years of experience selling items on ebay and yesterday I sold an electronic item that was listed as brand new and sealed for over £100. Someone bought it, but immediately Paypal held the payment to investigate. I also request on my ebay sales immediate payment on BIN items.

Having looked at the buyer’s information I became concerned and refunded the payment and requested to cancel the transaction via ebay. That was this morning as of yet the buyer has not made contact.

Buyer’s user name states they are registered in the US in 2008, but Paypal address is registered in the UK. There are not many transactions on the account except for the last few days when there has been a massive increase in purchasing of electrical items of high value – including six of the same item I was selling. Also I see the buyer has not left feedback for any purchases made, but his own feedback has increased rapidly in the past week.

Do I have the right to be suspicious? Most of the purchases have been made in the early hours of the morning UK time as well.

Buyer seems to use a real name on eBay, but there is a different name on the Paypal address – which is verified and another name on the payment card used!

Any help appreciated.

Obviously_the_best

Hmmm... I'd certainly be sending special delivery to the address on the PayPal (not eBay) invoice, but other than that, I wouldn't sweat it.

The switching of names does seem a bit odd however ... maybe try phoning PayPal?

OscarCharlie

It would have gone SD anyway as standard but I have cancelled the same and refunded. Also relisted the item and blocked the bidder.

soolin

You do realise that buyer needs to agree the mutual or it needs to time out in 7 days otherwise you've lost your FVfs?

The name difference is not an issue at all perhaps the rest is a little worrying but personally I would have held off doing anything rash for a day or so to see if PayPal recalled the payment .

OscarCharlie

soolin wrote: »

You do realise that buyer needs to agree the mutual or it needs to time out in 7 days otherwise you've lost your FVfs?

The name difference is not an issue at all perhaps the rest is a little worrying but personally I would have held off doing anything rash for a day or so to see if PayPal recalled the payment .

I know that but I do suspect that ebay will see that there is fraud being conducted on the account and I have reported the buyer. All the purchases are to me suspicious, and they are all big name brands laptops, ipods, hardrives, phones... and items are bought in massive batches days at a time within minutes of each other, it just looks really weird!

Besides part of the reason I listed this with a immediate payment needed was because I wanted to make a little extra cash for a weekend away and I knew it had potential to sell quickly.

I just hope that the buyer runs a mile and I get my FVF’s back!

I shall keep you posted.

theonlywayisup

OscarCharlie wrote: »

I know that but I do suspect that ebay will see that there is fraud being conducted on the account and I have reported the buyer. All the purchases are to me suspicious, and they are all big name brands laptops, ipods, hardrives, phones... and items are bought in massive batches days at a time within minutes of each other, it just looks really weird!

Besides part of the reason I listed this with a immediate payment needed was because I wanted to make a little extra cash for a weekend away and I knew it had potential to sell quickly.

I just hope that the buyer runs a mile and I get my FVF’s back!

I shall keep you posted.

Aside of what you think - and eBay certainly doesn't think - you will need to get your fees back by requesting a cancellation. And that isn't a done deal.

OscarCharlie

theonlywayisup wrote: »

Aside of what you think - and eBay certainly doesn't think - you will need to get your fees back by requesting a cancellation. And that isn't a done deal.

I know, I already said that. I have to wait 7 days if the buyer does not reply! As I previously said I do not think he will!

soolin

OscarCharlie wrote: »

I know, I already said that. I have to wait 7 days if the buyer does not reply! As I previously said I do not think he will!

Unfortunately he can decline the transaction and still not pay

OscarCharlie

soolin wrote: »

Unfortunately he can decline the transaction and still not pay

I know, but I suspect ebay will find out there is fraudently activity on the account. If ebay do not do anything and the buyer continues to purchase these items I will raise my concerns with the police.

Poppie68

OscarCharlie wrote: »

I know, but I suspect ebay will find out there is fraudently activity on the account. If ebay do not do anything and the buyer continues to purchase these items I will raise my concerns with the police.

The police won't be interested, it is down to anyone who spots or suspects fraudulant activity on Ebay to report the listing to Ebay and hopefully Ebay will be on the ball and deal with these hijacked accounts .

sequence

If he is a scammer, and it sounds like he is, he won't give a damn about a cancellation request. His sole interest will be buying as many items in the shortest possible time, before paypal and ebay catch up to him (which they will in time). Then hack a new account, rinse, repeat etc.