topic Re: Restricted Account and eBay Customer non-Care? in Selling

Restricted Account and eBay Customer non-Care?

lbb_trading_company — Sat, 10 Feb 2018 13:24:50 GMT

I thought I might summarise my recent eBay Customer Service Experience:

[I’m a seller over 10 years, 250+ 100% positive feedback].

Wed 7/2

eBay [email]: You’re account has been restricted [unknown reason] please upload your:

Driver’s License
Credit Card Statement
Supplier details for FC Watch you’re currently selling
Supplier details Audio Cables you’re currently selling

Me: Ok. [Upload all documents requested]

Fri 9/2 5:08AM

eBay [email]: Thank you for uploading the documents. However you uploaded the wrong documents. Please upload:

Supplier details for the CELL PHONES you sold in the past through eBay

Me: [**bleep**? You asked for supplier details for the watch and audio cable before?] Ok …[Upload all documents requested]

Friday 9/2 12:34PM

eBay [Telephone call from eBay]: You uploaded the wrong documents. We need you to upload the documents for:

FC Watch you were selling
Rolex Watch you sold previously
Glycine Watch you sold previously
SNES Mini you sold previously

Me: [Surprised eBay called me directly]. Why are you asking me to upload supplier docs for a whole other set of different items I sold previously? And I already uploaded the FC Watch invoices?

eBay [Kelly @eBay USA]: You sold the items at discount from retail price. Selling at a discount is suspicious. [She obviously doesn’t know where she’s working]

The invoice for the FC Watch was from a store in HK. That’s part of China. And “everyone knows China always sell fake things” [that’s literally what she said. Obviously HK doesn’t sell real Swiss watches also].

The SNES you sold has multi-coloured buttons. It should have grey buttons. So it’s gotta be a fake from China also. [**bleep**? So the invoice I provided is from EB Games in AUSTRALIA is also fake? Because in the US they don’t use colour buttons? **bleep**?].

Me: I uploaded my invoices and authenticity certificate, the watch was bought at an authorised dealer, and SNES in Europe/Japan/Australia has multi-colour buttons, only in US it has grey buttons. AND I BOUGHT THE SNES IN AUSTRALIA.

eBay [USA Kelly]: We still need the invoices.

Me: Ok [Upload all documents requested. Again]

Friday 9/2 12:58PM

eBay [email]: Thank you for uploading the documents. However you uploaded the wrong documents. Please upload documents for:

Rolex Watch you sold previously
Glycine Watch you sold previously
SNES Mini you sold previously

Me: [I ALREADY UPLOADED THOSE DOCUMENTS]!!! [Call eBay Customer non-Care]

eBay [Telephone @Philipines]: Sorry, it’s a different department handling your case. They can’t be contacted. Just upload the documents again.

Me: Ok. [Upload all documents requested. Again]

Friday 10/2 1:01AM

eBay [email]: Thank you for uploading the documents. However you uploaded the wrong documents. Please upload documents for:

Rolex Watch you sold previously
Glycine Watch you sold previously
SNES Mini you sold previously

Me: [**bleep**?!?!? I ALREADY UPLOADED AND EMAILED ALL THESE DOCUMENTS THREE TIMES.] [Upload all documents requested. Again. Email replied with documents (invoice, authenticity/registered guarantee card with Rolex). Again].

Me: [Call eBay Customer Care] What’s wrong the documents I’ve uploaded? Why you keep on asking me to upload different documents every time? and now I’ve literally uploaded every document for every item I’ve sold on eBay in the last 5 years you ask for the SAME documents I’ve already uploaded previously?

eBay [Telephone @Phillipines]: Yeah, I don’t know why also. It seems you uploaded too many documents [which eBAY ASKED ME TO!] The receipt, warranty card and authenticity certificate you’ve uploaded are more than enough. I’ll get my manager look into it. Just wait another three days see what they say. If they send you any more emails asking for further documents ignore it.

Friday 10/2 2:55PM

eBay [email]: Thank you for uploading the documents. However you uploaded the wrong documents. Please upload Supplier documents for:

Rolex Watch you sold previously

Me: …

I’m actually starting to feel I’m part of an elaborate internet scam.

Why do they keep asking me for invoice and supplier details, ID details, etc. for continuously different items, every other couple of days?

Is this really how eBay customer support is? Are they even bothering to check the documents I've uploaded? Is eBay staffers just “cut and paste” pointless document requests to their long-time sellers?

They haven't even told me why my account was restricted and which items my restriction applied to? I've literally provided invoice/purchase/authenticity/supplier documentation for EVERY SINGLE item I've sold on eBay for the past 5 years (which eBay asked me to provide documentation for) ... I have 100% positive feedback over 8 years (250+ feedback) ... and I still don't know which items I'm being restricted for or why?

Anyone have any suggestions dealing with the eBay Customer Service merry go round? The Customer Care in USA don't seem to care or be bothered to look into anything, the ones in Phillipines are friendly and professional, but don't seem to be able to do much (have to refer to US head office, who don't care, don't bother). Haven't had any contact with eBat Customer Care Australia, even though I called the Sydney number, and wrote to Customer Care Australia?

Re: Restricted Account and eBay Customer non-Care?

lm-entertainment — Sat, 10 Feb 2018 14:13:41 GMT

i must admit that i've never spoken to ebay Customer Care on the phone - but is there a reason why you're dealing with the US and not Australia? after all, it seems like all your products are australian (ie purchased here) and that your account is australian?

i've always made a point of speaking with people via email or via online chat and making sure i keep a copy of the email or chat transcript.

have you tried requesting a callback via ebay Australia and seeing how that goes? a lot of users on the boards here seem to be of the opinion that you get a higher level of service via using the call back feature as opposed to calling them yourself.

you definitely shouldn't have to go through uploading these documents time and time again. it does sound incredibly dodgey. that being said, a lot of the time you do get copied-and-pasted responses from reps or they don't know what they're talking about because they're just picking up part of the story (ie probably seeing that something on their end says you need to upload x documents and haven't looked at the full history).

i'm by no means an expert at all on these types of issues - but i'm sure someone here will have the best advice for you about what action to take from here. what you're currently doing though obviously isn't working.

i really hope you can get the problem resolved as i can only imagine how frustrating it is for you.

** edit - i did see that you said you have tried writing to ebay australia and calling them - but something seems to be wrong, because i highly doubt you should be speaking with people based in the US on the phone regarding this issue (?)

Re: Restricted Account and eBay Customer non-Care?

Anonymous — Sat, 10 Feb 2018 21:48:48 GMT

Have you used the 'call me' option or asked to speak to a supervisor so far?

Re: Restricted Account and eBay Customer non-Care?

clarry100 — Sat, 10 Feb 2018 22:35:16 GMT

That's a very bizarre sequence of events.

The only suggestion I can make as to why your account might have been limited is that ebay have received a complaint under the VERO program from one of the rights owners of the barnd name products you are selling.

Some brands require specific permission to sell their products on ebay.

Hence why they would be asking for valid sources of supply. But why they would ask over & over beats me.

Re: Restricted Account and eBay Customer non-Care?

porcelain_dolls_by_me — Sat, 10 Feb 2018 23:07:17 GMT

Are you 100% certain it is in fact EBay you are corresponding with?

That aside there is absolutely no way I would provide personal data such as a copy of my drivers license and credit card statement.

Great documents to use in an identity theft scenario.

Re: Restricted Account and eBay Customer non-Care?

digital*ghost — Sun, 11 Feb 2018 00:28:36 GMT

@lbb_trading_companywrote:

The invoice for the FC Watch was from a store in HK. That’s part of China. And “everyone knows China always sell fake things” [that’s literally what she said. Obviously HK doesn’t sell real Swiss watches also].

What the actual.... ? I don't know whether to laugh or cry at an eBay employee making that kind of statement, given the problems on eBay with such issues, that they don't seem to do anything about. (On a slightly different note - eBay US sanctioning an Aus seller and making that statement also just confirms their reasons for Aus or even US eBay not sanctioning Chinese sellers who are in clear violation of policies is total BS).

The whole thing would be incredibly frustrating (it was frustrating just to read), but it wouldn't surprise me for ebay to effectively stick someone in a Groundhog Day-like time loop. (Obviously account restrictions - if genuine - would be reflected in your account, and having called eBay directly and them confirming the issue, if not resolving it, would suggest they know what's going on.

I guess the only thing I can suggest from here is contacting eBay AU through their Facebook page (post on their wall, but keep it factual), you will at least get a response from an Australian team member.

Re: Restricted Account and eBay Customer non-Care?

collect247 — Sun, 11 Feb 2018 00:33:24 GMT

100% certain it is identity theft.

I'd be changing/cancelling everything.

Re: Restricted Account and eBay Customer non-Care?

digital*ghost — Sun, 11 Feb 2018 00:41:16 GMT

@collect247wrote:
100% certain it is identity theft.
I'd be changing/cancelling everything.

Except why keep asking for documents once they've already received the pertinent one, receipts for SNES' or having more than one digital copy of a document is of no benefit to a scammer, plus the OP has called eBay themselves (presumably getting the number on site, not from the email?) and had the issue confirmed.

In any case, if their account is restricted, that would be apparent immediately, eg they may be able to buy, but not list anything.

Re: Restricted Account and eBay Customer non-Care?

Anonymous — Sun, 11 Feb 2018 01:19:30 GMT

@digital*ghost
Except why keep asking for documents once they've already received the pertinent one, receipts for SNES' or having more than one digital copy of a document is of no benefit to a scammer, plus the OP has called eBay themselves (presumably getting the number on site, not from the email?) and had the issue confirmed.

In the case of being a scammer, just to be an annoying **bleep**,I'd imagine

But that is what I wondered , did all contact info come from the info/links given in the email, or did the phone number come from the ebay site proper?

Re: Restricted Account and eBay Customer non-Care?

imastawka — Sun, 11 Feb 2018 01:29:10 GMT

Amongst other things, the OP sold a watdch for $18,000.

Maybe they think it's a hi-jacked account?

The watch was sold to a noob as well, hope it's a genuine sale.

OP being a 'part-time' seller will have those monies on a 21 day hold.

Re: Restricted Account and eBay Customer non-Care?

digital*ghost — Sun, 11 Feb 2018 03:13:43 GMT

@Anonymouswrote:

In the case of being a scammer, just to be an annoying **bleep**,I'd imagine

A practised scammer wouldn't usually engage in antagonising their victim, though, particularly if the scam is identity theft - that's the sort of thing that (as we can see), makes people question and investigate things further, when it would be in a scammer's best interest to have the victim believe the ruse for as long as possible (in this case, upload the documents, everything is normal so all is well and carry on as normal). Generally, after they get what they want, they move on to the next victim, frequently changing phone numbers and the like as well, so if it goes on too long eventually the number will be disconnected, arousing further suspicion. Not saying it's impossible, just doesn't fit with the common MO.

Re: Restricted Account and eBay Customer non-Care?

zanadoo_56 — Sun, 11 Feb 2018 03:44:17 GMT

I read the OP's post with disbelief. Unfortunately I'm not allowed to say what I think of eBay's incompetence on this forum.

I know what the OP means about different colours in products. I spent some time looking for a vintage board game and when I checked out the US sellers some of the plastic bits in the game were not the colour I remembered.

Eventually I found an Oz seller and all became clear. The original game was made under licence in Oz by John Sands....everything was the same as the US version except some of the plastic pieces WERE a different colour, just as I remembered. I was very glad to buy the Oz version of the game. It just wouldn't have been the same if anything was 'wrong'.

Re: Restricted Account and eBay Customer non-Care?

clubesquire — Sun, 11 Feb 2018 03:54:05 GMT

Oh my! Our own petty issues pale to insignificance.

This is pretty scary stuff. And, all the time involved??

Ibb, not a nice thing to say, but better you than me - I'd end up a dithering mess.

My most sincere best wishes. Good luck!

Melina.

Re: Restricted Account and eBay Customer non-Care?

zanadoo_56 — Sun, 11 Feb 2018 04:54:14 GMT

@clubesquirewrote:
Oh my! Our own petty issues pale to insignificance.

This is pretty scary stuff. And, all the time involved??

Ibb, not a nice thing to say, but better you than me - I'd end up a dithering mess.

My most sincere best wishes. Good luck!

Melina.

???????????????

Re: Restricted Account and eBay Customer non-Care?

imastawka — Sun, 11 Feb 2018 05:44:55 GMT

Zanadoo, I think Melina meant that reply to the OP

Re: Restricted Account and eBay Customer non-Care?

porcelain_dolls_by_me — Sun, 11 Feb 2018 05:48:06 GMT

Unless of course the other party is trying to draw out the process for as long as possible.

Re: Restricted Account and eBay Customer non-Care?

clubesquire — Sun, 11 Feb 2018 07:02:35 GMT

Yes, replying to Ibb.

sorry to confuse zanadoo

Melina.

Re: Restricted Account and eBay Customer non-Care?

digital*ghost — Sun, 11 Feb 2018 07:14:32 GMT

@porcelain_dolls_by_mewrote:
Unless of course the other party is trying to draw out the process for as long as possible.

But there would need to be a logical reason for that, and I just don't see one. Scams are often unsophisticated and very simplistic, but the perpetrators of them are typically organised and have one goal.

If they were requesting more and more personal info, asking the OP to log into websites through supplied links to provide that info, maybe even eventually requesting processing fees or somesuch, then maybe, but this has the hallmarks of mindless, repetitive, and automated data request with no real rhyme or reason behind it.

In other words, it reeks of bureaucracy.

Re: Restricted Account and eBay Customer non-Care?

lm-entertainment — Sun, 11 Feb 2018 07:22:56 GMT

is "bureaucracy" code for 'ebay customer care dg?'

Re: Restricted Account and eBay Customer non-Care?

digital*ghost — Sun, 11 Feb 2018 08:07:56 GMT

@lm-entertainmentwrote:
is "bureaucracy" code for 'ebay customer care dg?'

Aye.

My absolute favourite thing about eBay customer service is when you request a callback. You know how when you call someone's mobile and there's the phone service's automated message that starts I'm sorry {pause} owner of phone awkwardly states their name {pause} isn't here right now..., well the message ebay plays when your phone rings for a callback and pick it up does something similar, except there's a woman's voice talking who refers to you directly, a pause, then a different voice that says "valued customer" then it reverts back to the original voice. It cracks me up because it's the most generic way ever to refer to someone, and they still used two different voice actors to do it and then spliced it together like the program is selecting from a list of references, and there's a chance it would say something else and you're perhaps meant to be pleased it selected 'valued customer' for you....