Account permentaly suspended but cant get any help/answers

[grantoboy]

Unsure where to turn for help with this one.

I have a main eBay account that I have had for almost 20 years now. Nothing special, mostly buying but some selling. I have 100% feedback and never any issue with my sales.

Created a 2nd eBay account to start selling virtual items from a game my son plays as I saw others selling the same on eBay. Did my research and found eBay allows more than 1 account and actually encourages it if selling items different to your main account. Also search that the items I wanted to sell were allowed and found that the items I wanted to sell could be sold on eBay with no issues.

Create new account, use my real details, verify my ID and bank (all details used are the same as my main account)

Create my listings make 23 sales (sell 55 items) and receive only positive feedback. Have a feedback rating of 15 (more but had return buyers)

I thought all was going well until I received a notification saying my account had been permanently suspended. Email below

We wanted to let you know that your eBay account has been permanently suspended because of activity that we believe was putting the eBay community at risk. We understand that this must be frustrating, but this decision was not made lightly and it’s important that we keep our marketplace safe for everyone. Learn more about how and why accounts can be suspended.

Here’s what you need to know

• You will no longer be able to use your account to buy or sell items and any new accounts you set up may also be suspended.
• Any listings have been removed and they can be viewed below.
• We’ve credited all associated fees except for the final value fee for your listings.
• Any outstanding selling fees are due and will be charged to your payment method on file. If you’ve already opened any dispute claims for these fees, they won’t be charged until the claims have been resolved.

If you have any questions or concerns, or think we’ve made a mistake, please get in touch. We’re here to help.

Confused, I contacted support as suggested only to be told they cannot tell me why I was suspended. I request to speak with a supervisor and am told one will call me in 24hrs. I waited 24hrs and received no call. Contact support again and explain my situation and ask to speak with a supervisor only to have the operator hang up on me. 

I do a quick search and find this appears to be normal practice that they just hang up on you, call again get another person kind of happy to help until they read my file and they go cold stone. I ask to speak with a supervisor and am told one would get back to me in 48hrs.

Knowing this is a tactic they have used on me before I agree and proceed to make contact via email only to get an instant response, email below

Thanks for contacting us about the suspension notification we sent you.

We wanted to let you know that your eBay account has been permanently suspended because of activity that we believe was putting the eBay community at risk. We understand that this must be frustrating, but this decision was not made lightly and it’s important that we keep our marketplace safe for everyone. Learn more about how and why accounts can be suspended. 

You will no longer be able to use your account to buy or sell items and any new accounts you set up may also be suspended.

If you have any questions or concerns, or think we’ve made a mistake, please get in touch. We’re here to help. 

Regards,

eBay

I have tried 2 further times with email only to get the same instant response. Appears they have just black listed me.

Now I sold only a small number of items (total $450) and have a payout owing to me of about $330. All items sold were delivered and no one lodged any complaints. I had it set to take all fees before payout also.

How do I go about obtaining these funds?

My account says "Your payouts are currently on hold because your eBay account is suspended. You'll start getting paid again when your account is reinstated" but since my account is permanently suspended, I am not sure this "reinstated" stage will ever happen.

No one at eBay support will help, I have no idea what it was I did to get suspended nor will anyone even respond to any of my questions, even tho the base of every email the send me says "If you have any questions or concerns, or think we’ve made a mistake, please get in touch. We’re here to help."

Any help with where I should go from here? This experience has really left a very poor taste in my mouth, not the experience I expected from such a company. Unsure if it makes any difference but I am located in Australia

[grantoboy]

To not poke the eBay bear anymore I have removed my listing until I can get confirmation about if what I want to sell can actually be sold via their platform due to the confusion around some of their policies.

Unsure how I will even be able to get this clarification but I will try my best.

Something to note, I did have the same listing on my original account while this incident was happening (no sales) and removed it after having my account given back. Now after removing the listings from the account that was suspended (as mentioned above) I received an email to my original account from eBay saying they have removed the listing due to not complying with a policy. (Despite the fact the listing had been removed by myself long before)

This email appears to be a some what generic email that was maybe sent to another member on a previous occasion as it spoke about items I was not even selling or had listed. This email claimed that I was selling hardware (I'm assume it referring to a pre installed device) and because it had Pokemon Go on it that the listing would be removed until the device was factory reset. The email did link to the listing I had but the information for the reason (at least I received a notification) spoke about items I was not even selling or portraying to sell. 

While it is somewhat of a step forward for eBay to contact me it also just adds to the confusion about what the hell is going on in the back end. 

Now the million dollar question, who or what do I contact to confirm if what I want to list can actually be listed?

[gutterpunkz05]

Million dollar question, free answer,,,roblox

[eol-products]

Some items require pre approval to sell and there was a link to contact ebay for this on the Everything Else > Information Products page.  You may be able to send a message there on what you are trying to sell.

When face masks required approval to sell I sent them a message and within a week they replied with confirmation and I had no issue listing them after that.

[danieh_6]

I read all this read all this thread and I do see some red flags.

1) You are selling in both AUD and USD the same item on this account you are talking from are you drop shipping?
2) You mentioned your son multiple times, nothing to do with your son but is your son too young to use ebay as that COULD be you are getting flagged, you are circumventing an age restriction for him,
3) What are you selling from clash of clans (the game) If you are selling accounts that is usually not allowed in most cases for any gaming platform.

[grantoboy]

Thanks for the reply.

Let me start with a bit of an update. I have received confirmation via email from eBay for both my accounts that the items I am currently selling (and the ones I also had listed recently) are allowed in their current listed form and they have no issues with the listings remaining. 

Moving on from that great news I will answer your questions.

1. Currently I am selling 1 item in USD and it is not linked with the other items I was selling. Its a physical item while the other items were virtual. Further to that the account with the USD listed items is not the account I have had any issue with. The account I had issues with only had AUD listings. In regard to the USD listing, it is something I researched and is allowed due to it being a product I sell in the US.

1. In regard to my son it was something in hindsight that did not need to be mention. I guess the best way to look it is selling a trading card my son opened with pocket money he was given and I sell it on my account. Not trying to circumvent any age restrictions etc

1. I am not selling anything from the game Clash of Clans. Unsure of the confusion here, but no Clash of Clans items.

[twyngwyn]

Stumped by eBay Account Suspensions, Part 2 (ecommercebytes.com)

[penduick69]

Hi Grantoboy,

I read your post and am experiencing the same when trying to get assistance and answers from eBay customer support. I have tried 4 times now, and it follows a script each time.

It starts with a warm

"I can see you opened this account 20+ years ago. Thank you for your loyalty." 

They listen to my problem, agree with me and then assure me that it will be escalated and responded to within 24-48 hours. 

I am now escalating this issue on priority basis and you can expect the reply from the team within next 24-48 hours.

Then, silence for the next few days. Each time I call with the reference number of the previous case, I get a new person offering to take ownership of escalating the problem, promising a timeframe of 24-48 hours. But each time, it appears to go nowhere. There is no confirmation that it's still being reviewed. After several attempts, it almost feels like eBay's customer service role is providing a wall. Staff are employed to listen sympathetically to your concerns, then humour you, and that is it. The job's finished. 

The whole process is incredibly frustrating and deflating. I sigh now each time I hear the phrase, 

"I can see you opened this account 20+ years ago. Thank you for your loyalty." 

Actions do speak louder than words.

Hey I just noticed in later communications that you may have has some luck. That is good news.

[sandypebbles]

Have you asked to speak with a supervisor yourself, there and then?

You are correct. Base level cs staff read from a pre-written script on the screen (the 24-48 hours part is the go to for any and every issue of any nature)

Very very rarely does it actually go anywhere, it is just there to get rid of people as fast as possible 

The loyalty part too, just with the number of years adjusted as need be 

[sugar249]

---

@sandypebbles wrote:

You are correct. Base level cs staff read from a pre-written script on the screen (the 24-48 hours part is the go to for any and every issue of any nature)

Very very rarely does it actually go anywhere, it is just there to get rid of people as fast as possible 

The loyalty part too, just with the number of years adjusted as need be 

---

Lets be honest here,  the 48 hour thing and years of service, oh and add to that your loyalty are all common to any call centre for large organisation.   

I just a week or 2 ago had the same script from my bank (a big 4),  and guess what over 6 business days later I am still waiting.  Maybe they share scripts.

Lets not just say this is an Ebay issue.

[grantoboy]

I honestly feel for you and understand the frustration you are going through.

I wish there was some advice I could give to assist but I am still in the dark with how/why mine happened.

I did have an eBay rep reach out to me via PM and understand they were the ones to get things right again for me. (after posting on this forum) I am not sure if I was just lucky or if they are trying to fix the current system, so I can't even help with that.

I will say I had a better experience with particular calls centers and extremely bad with others. I can only suggest you call early in the morning Australian time in the hopes you don't get the particular call center that appears to operate in the afternoon for us.