topic Re: fraudulent sellers in Buying

fraudulent sellers

red101au — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:05:59 GMT

Can somebody please explain what happened to E-Bay?

this used to be a reliable market for purchases

however it has become a scammers paradise...

I specifically search items within Australia only and the posts for what I am looking to buy appear

yet almost every one of them are not actually from Australia...

I purchase items in good faith, I pay for them immediately

I am then informed the item delivery date (usually about a month) even though it is supposedly only a matter of hours away from my home

then the items do not arrive and I have to go through all the process of contacting the sellers only to be given the same scripted answers

they tell me they will send replacement item which also never arrives

so again contact the seller to get yet another scripted reply

next thing, I get a message stating a refund has been issued... even though I have specifically told them I dont want a refund, I want the item I purchased...

How are these sellers getting away with such blatant lies and false advertising?

does E-Bay not check seller accounts to determine locations of the sellers?

E-Bay has truly become just another site enabling scammers to rip people off.....

If i wanted to be ripped off, I would use Temu or Ali Baba or some other Chinese platform....

for shame E-Bay.... Do better, lift your game....

Re: fraudulent sellers

sandypebbles — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:16:30 GMT

Australia only does not mean the *item* is in Australia

This is a member to member forum that eBay rarely if ever read

No, eBay do not check if seller's items are located where they 'say' (how could they possibly do this?)

Yes, you are spot on

A few years ago, eBay was far better at 'doing something' about such sellers

Now they do exactly squat

Zero point wanting an item from a scammer seller they will only lie about, again

You as the buyer can however check who you are buying from before doing so

No, you do not have to contact the seller at all. You only need to open and follow through with the appropriate dispute. The seller(s) want to play games with you until it is too late for you to open one

Don't let them, don't play their games

Just because eBay allow scammers sellers to list does not mean you have to buy from the scammer

The estimated delivery date is clearly shown before you bid

Many sellers who are registered here dropship garbage from places like China

So all buyers need to do better by caring who they are buying from (by checking feedback, ignoring eBay automated feedback)

and if things turn dodgy, 100% open a dispute for item not received or item not as described rather than wanting the dodgy scammer seller to send the item/send it again. No need to send a single message to the seller

Re: fraudulent sellers

padi*0409 — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:27:35 GMT

@red101au wrote:

I specifically search items within Australia only and the posts for what I am looking to buy appear
yet almost every one of them are not actually from Australia...

When you do that search it means sellers who POST or have stock in Australia. Check the seller's feedback to see where they are registered.

I am then informed the item delivery date (usually about a month) even though it is supposedly only a matter of hours away from my home

It would have told you the delivery date ETA's in the listing.

then the items do not arrive and I have to go through all the process of contacting the sellers only to be given the same scripted answers
they tell me they will send replacement item which also never arrives
so again contact the seller to get yet another scripted reply
next thing, I get a message stating a refund has been issued... even though I have specifically told them I dont want a refund, I want the item I purchased...

NEVER ask for a replacement, just open an "item not received" through eBay's MBG. Stop corresponding with a dead-beat seller. Use a different seller with better feedback.

How are these sellers getting away with such blatant lies and false advertising?

Because buyers continue to use said sellers.

does E-Bay not check seller accounts to determine locations of the sellers?

No.

Edit. Snap Sandy, I didn't see your reply when I posted mine................

Re: fraudulent sellers

countessalmirena — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 07:11:24 GMT

I’m just here to say Amen! re sandy’s and padi’s posts.

As an extra little snippet, the Australia only filter is for listings where the item is in Australia or might be in Australia or has been stored in Australia in the past or might be stored in Australia in the future or could be en route to Australia by air or sea or is on a pallet on a wharf in China (or elsewhere) ready to be loaded onto a ship … In short, it’s “in Australia” in the highly equivocal “Just In Time” model.

The world has learned nothing about security of supply since COVID, and eBay have no interest in putting this irritating soi-disant–loophole to bed.

As a buyer, I always always ALWAYS check where the seller is registered.

I always check the seller’s total negatives (incl comments), and neutrals, and positives (as sometimes the positives are given problematic context by the associated comments).

I would not ask for a replacement, on the “Fool me once” principle. As both sandy and padi have said, ask for full refund once the latest estimated delivery date (EDD) has passed, and then look elsewhere for the item you want.

Alack… I was going to post just a simple Amen.

😳🤭

Re: fraudulent sellers

davewil1964 — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 07:30:36 GMT

That 10 character minimum got you, hey?

Re: fraudulent sellers

*casey* — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 07:50:06 GMT

"If i wanted to be ripped off, I would use Temu or Ali Baba or some other Chinese platform...."

But that's where shonky dropshipping sellers with very poor feedback, some of the exact sellers you've purchased from, are sourcing their items.

Re: fraudulent sellers

countessalmirena — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 09:40:37 GMT

@davewil1964 wrote:
That 10 character minimum got you, hey?

It got me like the Fire Swamp of Florin.

Re: fraudulent sellers

davewil1964 — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 09:57:28 GMT

I had to look that up. I don't do chick/kid flicks.