I found this discussion after posting the same problem.

It comes down to the inadequate menus that ebay provide to contact them through the help desk.

The supplier is still listed with ebay so presumably ebay has some leverage over the supplier to get a solution if only it could be raised with them.  

Unprecedented in my experience doesn’t equate to “hasn’t happened to me”, but rather “I’ve not come across such an instance on eBay, either in person or to anyone else, anecdotally or otherwise.”

This is certainly an interesting scenario.

I’m shocked because

• it’s unprecedented in my experience, and

• there is no such thing as a recall of an unbranded item sold by a Chinese seller or by an Australian seller on-selling or dropshipping electrical goods that haven’t been certified to Australian standards, unless the Australian seller of such an item wants to put itself under scrutiny for importing and selling such items (significant fines, possible imprisonment). No acknowledged manufacturer as there’s no branding, and it was churned out in China anyway so there won’t be any recall from the manufacturer. The only recall possible is by government order, and that means something serious has happened.

The item in question is still being sold on eBay by both Australian sellers and Chinese sellers. Why hasn’t eBay taken down those easily identified listings?

I am unclear why people are shocked that Ebay would alert buyers to  potential recall on a product they had purchased thru the Ebay system.

Ebay is a responsible corporate citizen, and they do actually block you from listing recalled items,  and if they have sufficient details in the Database about sales where a recall has being done, it is a simple DB query and the messages can easily be sent out to impacted buyers.

And I know you will all say that Ebay is not the seller,  true,  but they are a responsible platform, who will help out where possible.

As you've been made aware there is a problem with the item, if you continue to use it and it causes damage to the home, it's likely your home and contents insurance be voided.

OP, it’s such a bizarre occurrence that I’d guess most eBay members reading here would have thought it must be a scam.

Now that you’ve explained it was also a message in your inbox, the authenticity of the message is established, but the bizarreness remains!

As said, why eBay would be contacting you about an item being “recalled” is in my experience unprecedented.

That they did so about an item that is unbranded - by definition without a stated brand or Australian manufacturer - is so weird that my brow is wrinkling and I’m discussing this with our cat Ichabod. He is meowing in astonishment (or else he just wants some further patting).

Your reference to items sold by Coles and your dismissal of “unbranded” as meaning things without a brand name stamped on them are not really relevant. Coles is, as said by others here, an Australian company and they are subject to ACL and of course for selling electrical / electronic items that are manufactured to Australian standards. If they sell something of that sort not to Australian standards, they’d be in a world of trouble.

Unbranded doesn’t mean no brand name showing on the item. It means it’s churned out in a (usually Chinese) factory, of the poorest cheapest quality raw materials, its components made to function minimally and without regard for safety, adequacy, capacity etc, items which have not been tested AS REQUIRED for the electrical regulatory standards. What you do when you order from a Chinese seller selling unbranded items is bypass that process, and you put yourself at risk.

From a previous post in another thread:

@countessalmirena wrote:

 

I won't buy on the basis of the item being the cheapest. I buy on the basis of best value for money, and part of that value (for me) is that the item be genuine and that I can have confidence that it was made to the brand's specifications, both in manufacturing details and in materials used. This is something I can't over-stress, but it's difficult to convey how important this is. The difference can literally be that between life and death when it comes to electrical goods/electronics, because lower quality components are not fit for purpose. The least that could happen is that the item fails; the worst is that someone dies. Almost as bad is the possibility of fire damage, destruction of connected devices, etc., and the certainty that one's insurance won't cover that.

 

❝All electrical professionals should be conscious of the law of ‘subrogation’, which enables insurance companies to recoup money they have paid out on insurance claims from other parties who can be identified as being partially or fully responsible for the cause of the claim. So if you knowingly or unknowingly supply, install or specify counterfeit electrical goods that are found to have contributed to an insurance claim (e.g. fire or electrocution) because of being sub-standard or unsafe, you could be held liable for personal damages and possibly face imprisonment.❞ – Does It Comply? an initiative of NECA

 

I posted a reply on another thread, touching on "just in time fulfillment" among other things. [...]

 

In another thread, I've explained why "made in China" under contract to a brand is completely different to "made in China" without any quality control, faking capability and quality and brand, with the components not even being fit for purpose.

Raw materials are actually the costliest aspect of manufacturing in China, which is why these factories that churn out unbranded/fake/fraudulent items will skimp on the raw materials for the components. The intention is to make something/sell something that looks - ON THE OUTSIDE - very much like the expensive name-brand quality items that are made under contract and must meet certain standards, but which are revealed as the cheap made-to-fail rubbish they are once you look "under the hood", or try to use the item to the capacity/function/etc which is stated. It may work for a while, but it will not work to the extent or for as long or to the acceptable safety standard that the genuine item which it's imitating will work... and it is a safety hazard. It's a risk. It's not worth it.

In yet another thread, I touch briefly on the Regulatory Compliance Mark. You must be aware of the RCM requirement. I'll quote a bit from that thread here as well:

“There are regulations that apply to the supply of electrical equipment and appliances. The requirements set out in the regulations must be followed. A failure to do so is a criminal offence.”

“Regulations and Standards apply to all electrical equipment sold or offered for supply in Australia.   Certain types of equipment are classified as prescribed. These pieces of equipment must go through a certification process which ensures the equipment is compliant to the relevant safety standards before being offered for supply in Australia.”

“Regulatory Compliance Mark (RCM)

Prescribed electrical products must have an RCM on the appliance or an Australian approval number to show that the product has been certified.
This mark is currently recognised by all States and Territories of Australia.”

IN CONCLUSION

If eBay have contacted you directly about a router which you bought quite a while ago, what’s the chance that they are doing so because another buyer of the same item has had a catastrophic issue resulting from the use of that item? Fire, explosion, severe injury, death - and of course that buyer (or family) would have contacted eBay… and eBay, sort-of stuck in the middle with no legal responsibility but wanting to protect themselves as a result of the information, might well send out emails and messages warning buyers, using wording that really makes no sense but effectively washed their hands of the issue.

In other words, you’ve been warned. Continue using that router at own risk.

Contact the manufacturer,  oh I already said that

Like other people, I seriously doubt the message is genuine, but if you want to be 100% sure, do what papermoon said.

And you bought the item a long time ago? Even more unlikely eBay would message you about an item you bought a long time ago.

My very first thought was also that it is a scam.

If you want to be sure, check your messages in your eBay account (not your normal mailbox), as genuine eBay messages are also in your messages in your eBay account.

I have never heard of eBay contacting customers about recalled products - ever.

Maybe the scammer (if it is a scammer) saw your feedback in the seller's account (or the feedback the seller left for you), so they saw what you bought (it is not possible to see what you bought from your account, but it is usually possible from the seller's account, if the listings are not private or if you have not made your own  feedback private).

Were there any links in the email you received? I hope you didn't click on them if there were links.

I'm actually shocked you got a message from ebay, given that I can't see the brand mentioned in the details you gave.

The seller is not going to help you. If you bought a long time ago, the 30 day ebay window is long past.

Most things on ebay from random sellers don't come with any guarantee either, no matter what an ad says.

Ebay is not going to help you. The only help they give is for recent purchases where things have gone wrong. They are not in the warranty business. So contacting them for help won't be a lot of use.

All you can do is as sugar said, contact the actual manufacturers if you know the brand. Look up the website. Google the item, see what information you can find. 

I am not sure what you expect the seller to do about it?

Were they the actual company for the item?

Or just a 'random seller' ?

Maybe look up the manufacturers website, 

'has been recalled"

Is that all the message said?