I just discovered that sellers can request bidders phone number!!

[sea.breeze]

I always thought that contact details could only be requested of people who have actually sold or purshased an item. But today I discover that merely bidding on an item, allows a seller to request the phone number of the bidder.

Isn't this a very curious situation, seeing as it facilites, for no legitimate reason the type of out of ebay contact that is specifically forbidden. Why would eBay allow this bypassing of the messaging system and make it easier for fraudsters to operate.

[zelly888]

Most sellers will have their details available in their listings including phone number

And why would you want a sellers phone number? unless there is a major problem

You can correspond with an email

[zelly888]

Any one can request details about a seller or a buyer as long as you are dealing with one another in a selling or buying/bidding situation.

[sea.breeze]

In answer to why I would want a seller's phone number, is that if I am buying something like an almost new macbook as I have a couple of times in the past, I like to talk to the seller in person.

[annies_fancy_dress]

Does that mean they can get your email as well?

Maybe that contributes to the mountain of junk mail that we receive.

[*sparklz*]

Sellers get your email when you win an item,  but when you get the request for details email it does not have the email address in it.

[davewil1964]

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@purusaha wrote:

Wow, it's been going on for that long? How can such a blatent security breach be available for so long.

It was an obviously fraudulent ad for a macbook, you know the type, zero feedback, latest macbook customised to the absolute max, phone number in ad, plus each photo purporting to be the actual object taken from all over the web, as is easily discoverd by pasting into google image search. And of course the dead giveaway 'absolutely no pick up allowed'.

I got a call almost immediately after placing a bid inviting me to make them an offer. I informed them that I'd not want to deal outside ebay to which they replied it's not outside ebay. In which case is not my bid my offer? They then told me I could pay by paypal, which of course would not be sympathetic to recovering the funds outside ebay. When I told them I suspect there is no laptop, they invited me to have sexual relations with myself, albeit in a more direct way.

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Why did you bid then?

As you knew it was fraudulent.

[sea.breeze]

In order to stop on of the saps bidding from being relieved of their coinage.

[davewil1964]

Sounds like auction interference to me.