is it a scam?
Summary: liamam_594 received a suspicious message from a buyer claiming to be purchasing an item for their cousin in Ontario, requesting communication outside of eBay's platform. Several participants advised against engaging in communication outside of eBay's messaging system, noting that it is a common scam tactic to target inexperienced sellers. marnotom! questioned how the buyer obtained their number, while reallynicestamps and recped strongly stated that any attempt to contact outside eBay's system is a scam. ilikehockeyjerseys elaborated on how scammers target high-value items sold by less experienced users. The consensus is to handle all transactions and communications through eBay to protect against scams, as reaffirmed by fergua3 who recommended reverting to eBay messaging to see if the 'buyer' disappears.
I justreceived a text from the buyer from USA who says she's getting the item for a cousin in Ontario and wants to talk to me before proceeding with the payment. She also wants me to text her my username and price of the item... Is this a attempt of a scam?
Thank you for your input.
Anonymous User
·3 years agoilikehockeyjerseys
·3 years agoScammers look for less experienced accounts that sell high value items like shoes, phones, or graphics cards. The way they tell you are less experienced is through your feedback number beside your name. Anything in the single or double digit, and they will bank on you not knowing about eBay's policies.
I would strongly advise you to look into if there are any types of eBay cosigners for shoes (there are for sports cards and other hobbies). Everybody has to start somewhere, and eBay's Authenticity program makes it a good platform for things like shoes, but the risk is very high for someone who is not well versed in selling on eBay, and whose account will also attract scammers due to having a low feedback number.
If you insist on continuing to sell shoes worth hundreds of dollars on an inexperienced looking account, you have to understand that you're going to be pestered by scammers. At the very least, I would spend some time reading about eBay's buyer and seller protection so that you know all the loopholes that scammers might try to use.
fergua3
·3 years agosmart of you to come here asking for advice. Sadly, too many new users are taken for lots of $$ due to inexperience.
Tell the 'buyer' that because of Ebay policy, all further communication must take place through Ebay messages, not text messages and watch how fast the buyer disappears...
brettjet38
·3 years agobyto253
·3 years agoYup, scam. Just say no to texts and storylines. Keep it all in ebay messages in order to keep your seller protection.
recped
·3 years ago@liamam_594
Of course it's a scam attempt!
I figured it might be an expensive phone but instead it's expensive shoes.
ANY attempt by anyone to contact an eBay seller off eBay prior to a sale is definitely a scam, an attempt after the sale but before the (real via eBay) payment is almost certainly a scam.
As long as you have Best Offer on that listing you will continue to get scam attempts.
mrdutch1001
·3 years agoif this potential "buyer" is texting you regarding a high value item, that is a red flag and as you are a new/inexperienced seller listing a high priced item you are a target for scammers. Do everything by the eBay rules- that means everything! including messages >and that means NO texts!....ebay cannot protect you if things go wrong, when you are conducting conversations outside of eBay.
reallynicestamps
·3 years agoText= Scam.
Prove me wrong.
marnotom!
·3 years agoBut, yes, you’re right to be suspicious about this.
liamam_594
OP3 years agoShe gave me her number on ebay chats and I texted her through that.
Thanks for your feedback I will be cautious.
reallynicestamps
·3 years agoMessage each other only through eBay Messages.
You an also attach photos to those.
They can also change the address temporarily on the invoice if (note IF) they buy and pay for the Thing.
needsmorerobots
·3 years agoThis scam couldn't be more suttle if it stripped naked, painted on it's body "SCAM" in big red letters and sang "Happy Scam Days are Here Again". (Credit to Blackadder)
In other words, it's a scam.