First time seller, Russian buyer. ADVICE PLEASE

[baker-5567]

Hello all,

Hoping the more experienced sellers can help me with this.

I'm a first time seller, and my listing has been up for a few weeks and no nibbles other than a Russian buyer. I originally listed the item as not shipping to Russia, but he has contacted me anyway.

He has all 0s for ratings, but his history prior to 2014 all seems positive (even though his profile says he's in the USA?). He has since "purchased" and asked me for an invoice.

I've read a few threads on here that warn against scammers in Russia claiming items aren't delivered (though most are 2014 or before..the situation may have improved). I've spoken with Ebay via online chat and they assure me that if I follow all procedures to the letter (tracking via Australia Post), that I will be protected by their policies if that eventuates.

My biggest concern is that as a first time seller, I won't get payment until the buyer has received the item, meaning that I have to pay for postage from my own pocket first and hope that it is a legit buyer. 

Any advice, assurances or warnings are appreciated.

[countessalmirena]

Hello, baker-5567,

Is it the item which you've "sold"?

Spoiler

The male genitalia enlarger?

This is a reasonably expensive item; you're a first-time eBay user (at least on that account).

This makes you automatically come up in bot-generated listing results for scam groups - very sophisticated scammers who do this professionally, as part of a group. Very often the scamming group is Russian (Russian mafia).

From what you say - long inactive ID where the member was originally the USA, now claiming to be in Russia - that sounds like a hijacked account to me.

Everything screams "SCAM", from what you've said.

Bear in mind that I'm not a seller on eBay, but my advice would be:

• cancel the sale (using the reason that the buyer's address is not one to which you send / buyer's address is incorrect)
• immediately block the "buyer"
• go to your Buyer requirements, and check the box next to "Block buyers whose primary postage address is in a location I don't post to"
• do not engage in any communication with the "buyer" -  none at all
• be extra vigilant with your emails; the "buyer" will know the email address attached to your PayPal account
• oh, and contact eBay - eBay's "Have us call you" option is by far the best way - between 8 am to 10 pm AET, 7 days a week, and report the "buyer" account as bearing the hallmarks of a hijacked account so that eBay can take action; I am not sure if you would also have to request that final value fee be credited to you, but keep that in mind.

Others will have more advice, I'm sure.

[kopenhagen5]

You can do everything through the proper procedure and still lose out.

It takes some navigation should you be at the short end of a case opened or a chargeback initiated.

There could also be the possibility they are using a hijacked account and my PayPal was hacked with large purchases made by 2 Russian eBay accounts.

If you feel the item is going to sell locally eventually, turn the International buyer down politely explaining you don't sell Internationally.

Just saw the item is already sold. It's possibly a scam and I would cancel as already suggested by The countess.

[baker-5567]

hello,

thankyou so much for that info...i had no idea about bots generated listing for scam groups. everything you've said makes 100 % sense and confirms my worst fears...i'm new to this and obviously the chance to sell an expensive item is attractive, but it seems it's too good to be true.

i'll be following your advice to the letter, thank you for being so detailed as well.

thanks again for helping a newbie avoid being scammed!

[baker-5567]

that's what i was afraid of, the ebay chat agent assured me multiple times i would be ok... but if that's the case... why so many horror stories? 

i feel the item might not sell locally, but i'd rather not sell it at all than be out of pocket for international postage + tracking.

and yes, the biuyer purchased it and has asked for an invoice. i'll take yours and countess'advice. THANK YOU. i feel much better

[gutterpunkz05]

Cancel the purchase,  Use reason, something wrong with buyers address.  Then block the buyer from any further purchase.

Proving that the item is delivered, can be the very least of your problems, and as it is an international sale any dispute will

be handled via ebay US resolution center, which is a nightmare.

[*tippy*toes* · Accepted solution]

First off, cancel the sale as mentioned, using something wrong with buyer address. You can do that by going to the item on your selling page, clicking the drop down on the right and select cancel item.

Add the buyer to your blocked buyer list. Click on this link and add their username https://offer.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?BidderBlockLogin&BidderBlockLogin=

Go into your settings and block international buyers. You can do that here https://cgi5.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ExcludeShippingList Make sure all boxes are ticked, except PO boxes.

Next, click this link, https://offer.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?BuyerBlockPreferences&BuyerBlockPreferences= and set up buyer requirement blocks. Change the settings to as follows. 

Buyers with unpaid strikes, 2 in 12 months

Buyers in a location I don't post to (this is the one to stop overseas buyers being able to buy)

Buyers with policy violations, change to 4 in 6 months

Buyers who have not gone through phone verification, tick that.

Apply above to active and future listings, tick.

Don't allow blocked buyers to contact me, tick that.

That will give you the highest level of protection. In the interim, get on and cancel that sale. You're in for a nightmare if you don't.

Please come back and let us know how you go.

[brerrabbit585]

I've sold the odd item that's highly sought after by the Russians and Chinese.  They often open an ID on ebay US because they know a lot of sellers won't post to their country but they will post to the US, so this is how they get around a lot of blocks.  A lot of Russians have more than one ID - a Russian one and a US one - for this purpose.

I had a Russian buy a fairly expensive item a few weeks ago.  I don't post overseas at all but they got around my block by changing their primary address to Australia before they bought, then changed it back to Russia immediately afterwards.  If they do that you'll never be able to stop them buying, but if you've got your overseas blocks in place you can cancel the sale by saying there was a problem with the buyer's address.

[baker-5567]

Thank you for the detailed plan of action as far as protection goes. I wish I could accept all te answers here as the solution, as everyone has helped.

I've done as advised cancelled, blocked and updated my settings. So far so good...is it necessary for me to contact eBay customer service and advise of what I have done? My previous experience with their staff has involved a lot of copy and paster answers and circular reasoning from them...

[lyndal1838]

There is no need to advise ebay of anything.....to be blunt, they don't care.  They prefer that everything is automated with minimal input from the CS personel.

You have done the right thing so just forget about it now.