Do scammers use their real names or not?

[meelo_darling]

As both a longtime buyer and seller, a question I have always had is this. Do buyers use their real names on their buyer accounts? What about their seller accounts?

The reason I ask is, if they are forced to use their real names, wouldn't they be worried about being named and shamed on the Internet? Or further, tracked down and harassed for their scamming activities?

If they do not us real names on their accounts, how are they getting away with this? Hhow are they managing to have a Paypal account with a fake name (isn't Paypal linked to a real bank account with a REAL name?), and would Ebay indeed allow they to use fake names (that don't match up with the name on their Paypal account, etc)?

In other words, wouldn't people using their real names be more likely to be honest in their online transactions? Your thoughts?

[meelo_darling]

To clarify: I meant, do buyers use their real names for their "ship to" address?

[lyndal1838]

What a very odd question!  You are assuming that every buyer and seller is going to scam you!

As a very long time buyer with 2 accounts I can assure you that all my details are true and correct as far as my name and address is concerned and all my bank and credit card accounts in paypal have been verified regularly over the years.

None of my bank/CC accounts are new....they all predate my ebay accounts.

In over 15000 ebay transactions I have never scammed any seller but believe me several sellers have tried to take me for a ride.

If you are so afraid of being scammed by your trading partners why do you even shop online?

[joztamps]

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@meelo_darling wrote:
To clarify: I meant, do buyers use their real names for their "ship to" address?

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In legitimate purchases, it is common for there to be a difference between the ebay "buyer" name and the paypal "payer" name; I also regularly come across cases where the paypal "addressee" name adds a third to the list.

So scammers almost certainly use more than one name, any one or more of which may or may not be fair dinkum.

[springyzone]

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@meelo_darling wrote:

As both a longtime buyer and seller, a question I have always had is this. Do buyers use their real names on their buyer accounts? What about their seller accounts?

The reason I ask is, if they are forced to use their real names, wouldn't they be worried about being named and shamed on the Internet? Or further, tracked down and harassed for their scamming activities?

If they do not us real names on their accounts, how are they getting away with this? Hhow are they managing to have a Paypal account with a fake name (isn't Paypal linked to a real bank account with a REAL name?), and would Ebay indeed allow they to use fake names (that don't match up with the name on their Paypal account, etc)?

In other words, wouldn't people using their real names be more likely to be honest in their online transactions? Your thoughts?

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I suppose if you were a professional crook, you'd have no trouble using a false name and having documentation to back it up.

Whether small time scammers use false names I don't know.

I suppose there must be quite a few people who have registered in a false name or else a variation of their real name but they would have to give a real address of some sort so they could receive the goods (if they were a buyer). And I know, for instance, my paypal account is linked to my credit card and I imagine it would be harder to have a credit card under a false name.

Having said all that though, I have made paypal purchases (especially lately) where I have changed the address so the items go direct to whoever I bought the item for. I am in metro Melbourne & I just can't get to people's houses at the moment so it is easier that way. So the address showing is not  necessarily my real address but I am not trying to scam anyone.

The real issue is if it even matters if a scammer's real name is visible to the seller. For instance, I am showing here as springzone. That isn't my actual name, not in real life and not on other forums. If I scammed you, either as a buyer or seller, sure, you could see my real name but what good would it do you to come on eg this messageboard and announce it as no one would have a clue who you meant anyway. And even if you announced my ebay user name as well, the mods would be in fairly quickly to delete it.

That's the crux of the matter. Most sites these days are quick to stomp on any naming and shaming. And even if you were scammed and knew the name and address of the person, if it is for a small amount of money, it is not going to be worth your while trying to take it to court or anything. I'd say most small scammers on ebay know that and many of the scams I read about aren't easily provable eg a buyer who claims their last 20 untracked purchases have 'not arrived'.

And you have to be careful about naming and shaming people online under their real names anyway as there could possibly be legal consequences for that.

[*tippy*toes*]

I have never scammed as a buyer or seller and have never been scammed as a buyer or seller. My trading accounts have my real name. This account doesn't. This account is purely for posting on the forums.

Mr Tippy and I used to share a PayPal account. He now has his own. It is linked to my bank account and his credit card. My bank account is in my name. There has never been an issue with having it set up that way.

Most of the time you wouldn't know if a buyer or seller was using their real name or not. Even if the name seems to be "really out there", you have to remember that there are a certain element of parents who give their kids totally outrageous names.

[digital*ghost]

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@meelo_darling wrote:

As both a longtime buyer and seller, a question I have always had is this. Do buyers use their real names on their buyer accounts? What about their seller accounts?

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Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't, but even the ones who don't aren't necessarily scammers.

I received an order ages ago and the delivery name on the address, name on the eBay buyer account, and even the buyer name in the PayPal account was the name of an obscure video game character (definitely not a real name, as it's from a Japanese RPG that I've played myself, and it's a made-up word, it wasn't a guest payment, either so i have no idea how that name was allowed as the PayPal account holder, but it happened anyway). I got sketched out by it, but the order proceeded just fine. 

I hate it, actually, when buyers use fake names; IMO it should not be allowed (you can't use a fake name when you enter in to any other financial contract, you shouldn't be allowed to use one with online purchases, either, but I digress), so I have to remind myself that some buyers are just so paranoid about online safety that they want to obscure their details from all sellers, as there are some out there that are just as scared of sellers, as some sellers are of buyers (It was always kinda funny when I got a delivery address to send to "Bruce Wayne" and their email address was [real name]@email host  ). 

Do scammers use fake names? Yes, but so do a lot of non-scammers. Scammers often also use their real names, because they feel so removed from the situation, and so confident that there won't be any real world consequences, that it doesn't matter to them if one of their victims knows their real name.

At the end of the day, you can point to multiple little things as "red flags", but on their own they are warning signs of potential issues, rather than conclusive evidence of a definite problem, take whatever precautionary measures you feel appropriate to protect yourself. If you get a few red flags from a single buyer (or seller) then it's time to re-think whether you're willing to participate in a transaction with that person. 

[lyndal1838]

That reminds me of the member who came here spitting chips because he could not find out the real name and address of his seller but he had to provide his real name and address to the seller.

He took a bit of convincing that if he did not give the seller his name and address he would not get his item.

[meelo_darling]

You misunderstood my question. I never at any point said that every buyer or seller is going to scam me, nor did I assume such.

I asked what scammers themselves do. How do THEY conduct themselves on Ebay. DO they use their real names?

[lyndal1838]

I rather doubt that you will get an honest answer from a scammer.

Would you be honest if you were about to rip off a trading partner?

You actually clarified that you were asking if buyers used their real names in the delivery addresses.  I can only answer for myself but the answer is "Yes, this buyer uses her real name and address".

I would never presume to answer for a scammer as I have never scammed anyone in my life.