I got my account restricted [MC011] and someone else got their account restricted because of me

[leawinter84_seller]

First and foremost, hello fellw eBayers, this is actually my first post here. Most of the time I usually just read through everyone's posts here but this time I think I really need some advice on what to do as this situation is quite peculiar. Also I have to apologise for the wall of text in advance!

So..., just some background information about my account, I've been a member since early 2013 and most of the items I've sold consist of laptops/gadgets/games and PC parts. 

Now, my account's performance is excellent.

- My current seller level is Top Rated 

- My transaction defect rate is 0.49% (only 1 out of 204 transactions)

- Late shipment rate is literally 0%

- Cases closed without seller resolution is also 0%

- My return rate is 1.49%, which is 3 out of 201 transactions. 

With that kind of performance, the last thing I thought I would get from eBay is a restriction but here I am, getting restricted for some reason. 

My eBay account got retricted (MC011 - I can still buy things but I can't sell) on 6th of September 2019 and eBay emailed me this:

A review of your eBay account has raised some concern that your use of services may not meet the guidelines in eBay's User Agreement. As a result, we've taken the following action on your account:
- Selling privileges have been temporarily restricted. You won't be able to list new items. You're also not allowed to register a new account.
- Some or all of your listings may have been removed. A list of any removed items will be listed further down in this email..
- We have credited all associated fees except for the final value fee for your listing(s).

To help you be a successful seller and ensure a safe experience on eBay, we sometimes restrict selling activity, end active items, or suspend accounts until additional information can be verified or obtained. These actions are not necessarily meant to be a reflection of your account's activity, but rather a preventative measure.

To learn more about eBay's User Agreement, go to:
http://pages.ebay.com.au/help/policies/user-agreement.html

To appeal this restriction, please review the following guidelines:
-- Provide proof of delivery for all of the items sold on your eBay account. This may be in the form of feedback left from buyers. If you prefer, you can submit tracking numbers for each of the items posted. This will help show buyers more of your selling history and will also allow us to confirm that your items have been posted.

If you'd like to fax the tracking information, send it here:
eBay
Attention: SRM Appeals
(801) 880-7018

To upload tracking to my eBay:
1. Go to My eBay. You may need to sign in.
2. In the "Activity" tab, click the "Sold" link..
3. Select the item(s) for uploading.
4. Click the "Add tracking number" button.You'll be redirected to the Add/Edit/Delete Tracking number page, where you can enter tracking numbers for the selected carrier.
5. Enter the tracking information.

If you use Selling Manager Pro to manage your orders:
1. Go to Selling Manager Pro > Sold.
2. Select the appropriate item(s).
3. Click the "Add Tracking Number" button.

When you submit the tracking number, it will be displayed below the item in My eBay "Sold" (for the seller), My eBay "Won" (for the buyer), and the View Order Details page (for both seller and buyer).

So, first of all, right after I got this email from eBay I replied to the email on that very same day and I've attached 4 Australia Post postage receipts along with my email as proof of tracking number/postage of my items. However, this was more than a week ago (on 6th of September 2019) and I still haven't got any reply or update ever since. 

I've already contacted another eBay representative 2 days ago (on 12th of September 2019) asking them for an update and after waiting for another 2 days I called them today and I've sent them another email asking for a follow up and I've attached another proof of Australia Post postage receipt that I have. 

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Now, as if it's not bad enough, an acquaintance of mine who has a completely different eBay account somehow got restricted today as well. I talked to him and apparently after he asked eBay on why his account got restricted, it appears that eBay restricted the account because his account is somehow related to my eBay account. 

This isn't true AT ALL because his eBay account:

- is under a completely different name

- has a different phone number associated with it

- it's associated with his home address/email address which are completely different from mine

- is associated with a different PayPal account. 

However, we used to live together years ago and maybe that's why his account got restricted as my eBay account was still under his address? I don't know...., I remember that I changed my eBay account's address right away after I moved out. 

Now I've called eBay again just recently asking them to find a supervisor who can call me back but at this point I don't know what else I can do 😞 

Is there anyone who's been through similar situation? Any advice will be appreciated!

[padi*0409]

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@leawinter84_seller wrote:

Now, as if it's not bad enough, an acquaintance of mine who has a completely different eBay account somehow got restricted today as well. I talked to him and apparently after he asked eBay on why his account got restricted, it appears that eBay restricted the account because his account is somehow related to my eBay account. 

This isn't true AT ALL because his eBay account:

- is under a completely different name

- has a different phone number associated with it

- it's associated with his home address/email address which are completely different from mine

- is associated with a different PayPal account. 

However, we used to live together years ago and maybe that's why his account got restricted as my eBay account was still under his address? I don't know...., I remember that I changed my eBay account's address right away after I moved out. 

Now I've called eBay again just recently asking them to find a supervisor who can call me back but at this point I don't know what else I can do 😞 

Is there anyone who's been through similar situation? Any advice will be appreciated!

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I can see why eBay believes it's linked to this account, apart from the fact that your "friends" thread here is an exact copy of your post here, your completed listings show the exact same photo setup and you're selling very similar items to each other.

To me that looks fishy and I suspect that eBay sees it that way as well. Did either of you ever bid on each others auctions ? That would trigger an eBay investigation to start with.

https://community.ebay.com.au/t5/Selling/My-account-got-resricted-MC011-and-someone-else-got-restric...

[thegatherer2307]

Hi there mate, 

Yep, that right there is my backup eBay account ^^ . and I was supposed to post from this eBay account, my apologies. No no, my acquaintance and I are not that close and he doesnt' even know that theGatherer2307 is me until this morning so yeah, we never bid each other's auctions and I never buy anything from his eBay account. 

>" your completed listings show the exact same photo setup and you're selling very similar items to each other."

Yes that's true, for the better part of the year now all of the listings I'm selling are mostly laptops and the setup of my pictures are always similar (I'm doing this on purpose) but the laptops have different specs and sometimes different colours, etc. 

Also thanks for the reply mate!

[padi*0409]

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@thegatherer2307 wrote:

Hi there mate, 

Yep, that right there is my backup eBay account ^^ . and I was supposed to post from this eBay account, my apologies. No no, my acquaintance and I are not that close and he doesnt' even know that theGatherer2307 is me until this morning so yeah, we never bid each other's auctions and I never buy anything from his eBay account. 

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Ok, but have you ever bid on your own auctions with the ID you started this thread with, or from this account to the other ? Because this looks a bit suspect to me...........

             

[imastawka]

Spoiler

 

And while we can't see who that suss bidder is,  ebay knows.

[gutterpunkz05]

multiple  retractions on numerous items, from what can only be described as suspicious accounts.   I dont think speaking to a supervisor will help.  You will have to provide adequate evidence for all sales, that the item was actually shipped.   I dont think ebay

will be satisfied with postage details for 4 items.  If you dont provide the evidence they have asked for, in the formatt they have requested, then I think your account is in trouble, to say the least.

[gutterpunkz05]

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@padi*0409 wrote:

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@thegatherer2307 wrote:

Hi there mate, 

Yep, that right there is my backup eBay account ^^ . and I was supposed to post from this eBay account, my apologies. No no, my acquaintance and I are not that close and he doesnt' even know that theGatherer2307 is me until this morning so yeah, we never bid each other's auctions and I never buy anything from his eBay account. 

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Ok, but have you ever bid on your own auctions with the ID you started this thread with, or from this account to the other ? Because this looks a bit suspect to me...........

             

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A lot more like this one.  I think one  had 100% activity with this seller.   40 Bids  on 2 Items  and 3 retractions

feedback  86%

[*tippy*toes*]

Even if you've done nothing wrong, in regards to what other's are saying, even something as simple as your friend paying a visit, or you visiting them, and being logged in from the same wifi is enough to trigger an association. Your friend may have logged into his account to check of a watch item, and bang. The accounts are linked (not officially like you would when you purposefully link a new account, but they have the same IP number attached them them and the eBay bots see it as being related).

Having said that, what they others have dug up does look mighty suspicious. 

Before I started using eBay labels, I kept every postage receipt for 12 months. After posting, I would add the buyers ID to the receipt, so if there was an issue after 60 days, I knew which tracking number was for which buyer. Now that I use eBay labels, they automatically upload the tracking number, so you always have proof. I also download the labels and save them on my hard drive for 180 days, as secondary proof.

[*tippy*toes*]

Further to my last post, I'm going to take a wild guess and say the friend's account has 10 feedback.

[gutterpunkz05]

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@*tippy*toes* wrote:

Further to my last post, I'm going to take a wild guess and say the friend's account has 10 feedback.

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seems to be a lot more than 2 accounts involved.