Suspected scam

[james_thurston]

I have just sold an expensive coin on eBay. 

After the buyer messaged me and confirmed that he had paid, eBay sent me the following: 

"This is Susan from eBay, I'm the representative in charge of your transaction with the buyer

The major reason why the funds have not been reflected on your account is because we need to verify that the item has been shipped because some sellers will receive cleared funds in their account and they will refuse to ship out the item. So since the money has been debited from the buyer account, It will be on hold until you email us the picture of the shipping receipt for confirmation so we can release all your funds into your account. It's a measure for protecting both sellers and buyers..

This is done to make sure all transactions are safe and  secure for both the seller and buyer.

Get back to us as soon as possible.

Thanks,

eBay Worldwide"

This email address came from the address: ebay.nline.payment@gmail.com

Please advise if this is a scam - thanks 

[countessalmirena]

Yes, SCAM SCAM SCAM.

eBay did not contact you. That’s the scammer.

eBay don’t use gmail accounts. SCAM red flag.

eBay don’t hold seller payments in escrow in that manner.* They do not hold payments from being reflected in your account; if the buyer had actually paid, it would show in your Seller Hub. SCAM red flag.

* There are payment holds for new sellers, or infrequent sellers who haven’t sold for a while, or where a seller’s activity is unusual, but you’ll still see that a buyer has paid in your Seller Hub.

There’s no “representative in charge of your transaction with the buyer”. eBay doesn’t have the many millions of staff who could oversee each individual transaction. SCAM red flag.

Cease communication immediately with this “buyer”. Presumably you’ve already given the buyer your email address… which is a bad move. Be suspicious of all emails from this point on, including ones supposedly from trusted sources - bank, .gov, internet provider, ATO, etc.

If you provided any information to the “buyer” about pets, children, your bank, your full name, your address, your phone number, your first car, etc., you should be concerned. You may have some damage control to undertake.

Do not communicate with the buyer/fake eBay rep. Anything you say can only give them further information. Cease all contact and block them.