Getting phising/spam/scam text messages after a negative ebay experience.

[wasore_58]

I have been receiving a spam/scam text message pretty much every second day for the last month and this all started the day after leaving legitimate negative feedback and returning an item to a ebay seller who falsely advertised their products. The negative feedback included photographic proof of my claims, with no name calling, nothing against the feedback rules and only facts surrounding the product and the false claims. I purchased a LED light bar advertised as being way more powerful than it actually was when tested with an ammeter. The feedback was of course removed by ebay without question at the sellers request like it seems most negative feedback is these days.

Anyway my main concern here is I am curious how can I get the sellers contact information since they have blocked me and ebay has depreciated the 'find contact information' in advanced search. Ultimately I really wish I could contact other buyers who have had negative experience to see if they are also getting similar spam since having a 'run in' with this particular seller as this is obviously illegal if they have done this and it would be impossible to prove without getting in contact with other people.

I would like to think it was a coincidence but I have literally never had text messages like this in my entire life on my mobile, have been on ebay for around 15 years and never a problem like this and it happens the day after leaving a negative for a seller who falsely advertises their products, seems like one hell of a coincidence.

I really believe that this seller has provided my contact information to a nefarious third party or maybe even posted it online somewhere and now am receiving these messages with links to sites that are known for phishing which I have verified with virustotal.

I think being required to provide phone number is a joke if things like this can happen to people.

This is the 'results' for one of the links I was sent today;

https://www.virustotal.com/gui/url/1a371866151f080e1ebf29e7b9a752bc9abea5e9a2e20d7ade14941b5d749811/...

[countessalmirena · Accepted solution]

@wasore_58,

Australia is experiencing a tidal wave of spamming and scamming text messages, emails, and phone calls. The pandemic appears to have provided the ideal environment, as so many more people are isolating at home and feeling low... engaging more with social media... ripe for the plucking.

It's drawing a bow at a venture to link your experience with the seller with your subsequently receiving so many phishing/scam texts. Remember that

The seller probably does have two eBay stores, but as has been said, that's permitted.

There is no evidence that the seller passed on your information to some dark web fiend or call centre in Calcutta or elsewhere. As there are millions of Australians who have been bombarded with scam text messages, and I suggest that the very great majority of them haven't bought from your seller, it's a leap beyond logic to conclude that your seller has done anything other to accept a returned item, refund you, block you from further purchases, and request removal of negative feedback from eBay.

Your transaction with the seller is over, and it would be extraordinarily unwise for eBay to give you their contact information, particularly if you harboured the view that the seller had somehow "sold you out" to nefarious scammers. eBay also hide the username of other buyers precisely in order to protect their details... so again, it would be extraordinarily unwise for eBay to give you their contact information and for you to contact them.

At least you can take comfort in being savvy enough to know that these text messages are scams. It's a horrible blight which has cost vulnerable and techn-naïve people thousands of dollars... their life savings, in some cases. I just learned of a GP friend (so not a stupid person at all) who was conned into buying thousands of dollars' worth of gift cards to a scammer. I wish she had spoken to me beforehand; the staff at the store from whom she bought them all tried to dissuade her - but the scammer had terrified her with the consequences of not doing as he said and she wasn't listening. So... be thankful that you are not going to be one of those victims, and of course never click onto a link in a text message unless you are 100% sure of its legitimacy. No recorded message link, no "your parcel blah blah blah" link... you can always go straight to the carrier's page and input the article number.

[wasore_58]

Thanks, I do know having multiple accounts is not against the rules I have around 5 accounts myself. Also as mentioned a few times I do know it could just be a coincidence, one hell of a coincidence but all the same.

I did check my texts last night and appears it all started the same day I got a text about a cleaning position vacant from what appears to be a legitimate number that is affiliated with a 'Nepalise in bathurst' Facebook group so appears someone maybe posed my phone number publicly on Facebook. I will do some more sluthing, I don't use Facebook or buy anything online from other websites and haven't '**bleep**' off anyone else that I can think of. Also have very few friends so I think my suspicions are certainly not unfounded.

[veiled-lady]

It's probably random.

We've suddenly starting getting them a couple of times a day, with no idea what triggered them as our number isn't really out there that much.

They probably just try with a group of numbers to see how many hits they will get, then move on to the next lot.

[springyzone]

I think it is extremely likely to be coincidence.

I understand your point though that if you had been able to message other people who had bought from that seller, you may have had peace of mind as I'd be sure they too are receiving spam but I doubt that for them it all happened exactly after leaving a neg. We used to be able to contact other buyers in the past of course and I did do it a couple of times, and it was useful but it probably was a breach of privacy.

The trouble is, I think everyone is getting these spam emails and texts at the moment. What i do on my phone now is block and delete but as soon as I get rid of one persistent pest, another pops up.

As an aside, I don't think your neg should have been removed, either.