Restricted Account and eBay Customer non-Care?

[lbb_trading_company]

I thought I might summarise my recent eBay Customer Service Experience:

[I’m a seller over 10 years, 250+ 100% positive feedback].

Wed 7/2

eBay [email]: You’re account has been restricted [unknown reason] please upload your:

1. Driver’s License
2. Credit Card Statement
3. Supplier details for FC Watch you’re currently selling
4. Supplier details Audio Cables you’re currently selling

Me: Ok.  [Upload all documents requested]

Fri 9/2 5:08AM

eBay [email]:  Thank you for uploading the documents.  However you uploaded the wrong documents.  Please upload:

1. Supplier details for the CELL PHONES you sold in the past through eBay

Me:  [**bleep**? You asked for supplier details for the watch and audio cable before?] Ok …[Upload all documents requested]

Friday 9/2 12:34PM

eBay [Telephone call from eBay]:  You uploaded the wrong documents.  We need you to upload the documents for:

1. FC Watch you were selling
2. Rolex Watch you sold previously
3. Glycine Watch you sold previously
4. SNES Mini you sold previously

Me: [Surprised eBay called me directly].  Why are you asking me to upload supplier docs for a whole other set of different items I sold previously?  And I already uploaded the FC Watch invoices?

eBay [Kelly @eBay USA]: You sold the items at discount from retail price.  Selling at a discount is suspicious. [She obviously doesn’t know where she’s working] 

The invoice for the FC Watch was from a store in HK.  That’s part of China.  And “everyone knows China always sell fake things” [that’s literally what she said.  Obviously HK doesn’t sell real Swiss watches also]. 

The SNES you sold has multi-coloured buttons.  It should have grey buttons.  So it’s gotta be a fake from China also. [**bleep**? So the invoice I provided is from EB Games in AUSTRALIA is also fake?  Because in the US they don’t use colour buttons?  **bleep**?].

Me: I uploaded my invoices and authenticity certificate, the watch was bought at an authorised dealer, and SNES in Europe/Japan/Australia has multi-colour buttons, only in US it has grey buttons. AND I BOUGHT THE SNES IN AUSTRALIA.

eBay [USA Kelly]: We still need the invoices.

Me: Ok [Upload all documents requested.  Again]

Friday 9/2 12:58PM

eBay [email]: Thank you for uploading the documents.  However you uploaded the wrong documents.  Please upload documents for:

1. Rolex Watch you sold previously
2. Glycine Watch you sold previously
3. SNES Mini you sold previously

Me:  [I ALREADY UPLOADED THOSE DOCUMENTS]!!! [Call eBay Customer non-Care]

eBay [Telephone @Philipines]: Sorry, it’s a different department handling your case.  They can’t be contacted.  Just upload the documents again.

Me:  Ok. [Upload all documents requested.  Again]

Friday 10/2 1:01AM

eBay [email]: Thank you for uploading the documents.  However you uploaded the wrong documents.  Please upload documents for:

1. Rolex Watch you sold previously
2. Glycine Watch you sold previously
3. SNES Mini you sold previously

Me: [**bleep**?!?!? I ALREADY UPLOADED AND EMAILED ALL THESE DOCUMENTS THREE TIMES.] [Upload all documents requested.  Again.  Email replied with documents (invoice, authenticity/registered guarantee card with Rolex).  Again].

Me:  [Call eBay Customer Care]  What’s wrong the documents I’ve uploaded?  Why you keep on asking me to upload different documents every time? and now I’ve literally uploaded every document for every item I’ve sold on eBay in the last 5 years you ask for the SAME documents I’ve already uploaded previously?

eBay [Telephone @Phillipines]: Yeah, I don’t know why also.  It seems you uploaded too many documents [which eBAY ASKED ME TO!] The receipt, warranty card and authenticity certificate you’ve uploaded are more than enough.  I’ll get my manager look into it.  Just wait another three days see what they say.  If they send you any more emails asking for further documents ignore it.

Friday 10/2 2:55PM

eBay [email]: Thank you for uploading the documents.  However you uploaded the wrong documents.  Please upload Supplier documents for:

1. Rolex Watch you sold previously

Me: …

I’m actually starting to feel I’m part of an elaborate internet scam.  

Why do they keep asking me for invoice and supplier details, ID details, etc. for continuously different items, every other couple of days?  

Is this really how eBay customer support is?  Are they even bothering to check the documents I've uploaded?  Is eBay staffers just “cut and paste” pointless document requests to their long-time sellers?

They haven't even told me why my account was restricted and which items my restriction applied to?  I've literally provided invoice/purchase/authenticity/supplier documentation for EVERY SINGLE item I've sold on eBay for the past 5 years (which eBay asked me to provide documentation for) ... I have 100% positive feedback over 8 years (250+ feedback) ... and I still don't know which items I'm being restricted for or why?

Anyone have any suggestions dealing with the eBay Customer Service merry go round?  The Customer Care in USA don't seem to care or be bothered to look into anything, the ones in Phillipines are friendly and professional, but don't seem to be able to do much (have to refer to US head office, who don't care, don't bother).  Haven't had any contact with eBat Customer Care Australia, even though I called the Sydney number, and wrote to Customer Care Australia?

[Anonymous]

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@digital*ghostwrote:

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@porcelain_dolls_by_mewrote:

Unless of course the other party is trying to draw out the process for as long as possible.

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But there would need to be a logical reason for that, and I just don't see one. Scams are often unsophisticated and very simplistic, but the perpetrators of them are typically organised and have one goal. 

If they were requesting more and more personal info, asking the OP to log into websites through supplied links to provide that info, maybe even eventually requesting processing fees or somesuch, then maybe, but this has the hallmarks of mindless, repetitive, and automated data request with no real rhyme or reason behind it.

In other words, it reeks of bureaucracy. 

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The logical reason could well be so that you think it's not a scammer, which is exactly what it's made you think.  I get what you're saying but maybe they want to keep the OP guessing for a while until they've used their information to do whatever it is they want to do.

[digital*ghost]

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@Anonymouswrote:

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The logical reason could well be so that you think it's not a scammer, which is exactly what it's made you think.  I get what you're saying but maybe they want to keep the OP guessing for a while until they've used their information to do whatever it is they want to do.

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But that is an assessment of my semi-informed assessment and reaction, in the context of all the information being presented at once. 

The OP's reaction, when this started to drag on over the course of however long (and so was not succinctly summarised in a single post), was to start questioning the legitimacy of the source, and seek further information and help, which would be the natural reaction of anyone, not the other way around (i.e. persistance is not convincing, it's suspicion-arousing). 

[lm-entertainment]

hahaha that's hilarious! i've never used the callback system but i might have to give it a try just to hear that message 

[lbb_trading_company]

Hi All,

Firstly I'd like to say a BIG THANK YOU to you all for your comments, suggestions and opinions.  It was very helpful hearing everyone's opinions and suggestions, and knowing I wasn't being unjustifiably frustrated!

The advice about getting eBay to call back - rather than calling eBay - was especially good advice, as I shall explain below.

So, to follow up:

I eventually decided to stop replying to the messages, calling eBay, and posted what I described to you guys to eBay's Australian and US Facebook Messenger (not posted to wall, but eBay's Facebook instant Messenger).

The VERY NEXT MORNING, I got a reply FB message from eBay USA, apologising for the frustration caused.  I was online, and the eBay FB representative said that the manager of the relevant department handling my case would be talking with his team to make sure this sort of situation wouldn't happen again ... (hopefully)

An hour later, I got a typical cut and paste message from eBay USA (still haven't heard anything from eBay Australia) saying "We understand that this process may have been somewhat inconvenient" (just a tad...lol) and "To help ensure your future trading success, we strongly encourage you to ship items in a timely manner. We would also like to take this opportunity to encourage you to take extra care in accurately and thoroughly describing the value and condition of the items you sell on eBay."

Given that I posted the items and tracking details THE VERY NEXT DAY, and used eBay's "sell similar item" templates, I still have no idea which item I sold/was selling was in question or why, and why they needed so much documentation.  Thank goodness I wasn't selling any unwanted Xmas presents or similar!

WHAT I WOULD DO IN FUTURE:

The advice about NOT calling eBay is accurate.  It seems when you call up customer care directly, the eBay CC staff don't have chance and usually don't read the case history notes or any of the correspondence relating to the case.  You basically have to describe what happend from beginning each time, upon which they tell you they'll write up some notes and pass your concerns onto the relevant department.  I think those extra notes they've been writing ... ad-hoc and on-the-fly over the phone ... just confused the situation.  Without reading the notes and messages beforehand, they didn't really understand the situation I believe, and it just got complicated. 

Better to get a call back, as it forces the CC staff to actually go through the case notes and message history, BEFORE they call you.

Also, I used the eBay Australia (Sydney) number everytime.  I never did contact eBay USA or International.  My calls were always re-directed either to Phillipines (during business hours) or USA (after hours) and I never spoke to anyone from Australia.  I think that also caused some communication breakdown, given that my Australia call went to Phillipines, who then had to write notes to Accounts Team in USA.

I HIGHLY recommend the social network path I eventually took, if all else fails.  The eBay FB response was very quick and responsive, and the person who replied me had read my case and message history, and new exactly what had happened.  My situation was resolved barely an hour after they messaged me back and told me my account was getting fixed.  Seems the social media team at eBay are more on the ball and responsive than the normal Customer Care ... no cut and paste replies at least!

Thanks again guys for all your kind comments, advice, opinions and suggestions.  It was very helpful ... I thought I was being unjustifiably frustrated and paranoid, so it was also good to know you guys shared the same opinion of the situation also.

Hopefully no one need go through similar in future ... (?)

[lm-entertainment]

that's fantastic! :] sounds like you've ended up getting everything sorted out. couldn't be more happy for you.

a lot of the time, these sorts of circumstances are the end of people's ebay lifespan and they either don't get their accounts unlocked or can't get the answers they're looking for. they get frustrated to the point of being put off for good. 

it's also handy to know that the call-back option is still one of the best methods for getting assistance when needed and fantastic that their social media reps are also timely in responding.

[lbb_trading_company]

P.S.  I STILL DON'T KNOW WHY they requested all that documentation from me.

Even after I uploaded all my receipts and invoices, they still asked for "*****PROOF OF PAYMENT****"  <--- (how eBay wrote it), which I assumed to be bank statements.  Which was why I started to call eBay Customer Care and feeling whether this was a scam or not.

Some specifics of what they asked for (cut and paste from eBay message--->):

 Who the supplier / company is from which item is purchased

- The price and quantities of items purchased

- The dates in which items were purchased

- If from a third party supplier, the name of the purchaser and address (to verify you are the one purchasing the items for sale)

- *****PROOF OF PAYMENT****

And this was AFTER I had uploaded my invoices, receipts, authenticity certificates, guarantee card (with my name on it and the shop stamps).

Still think it's weird ... anyway, glad it was solved (thanks for the advice guys!), but unlikely I'll be bothered selling on eBay again 😛

[lbb_trading_company]

The Resolution Message

[lbb_trading_company]

Yes!  Thank you!

You're advice was very helpful btw.  Thanks so much!

[digital*ghost]

Happy to see the outcome on this one 🙂 

I don't know if this will make you feel any better, but you're not the only person ebay has targeted with these kinds of requests, granted they don't usually drag on like this, but they have asked people for this kind of documentation for high-end, scam prone items before, and it's not a new occurrence either, just perhaps an uncommon one (my guess is the Rolex triggered it - it's the most recognisable brand name and fakes are prevalent).

[lbb_trading_company]

This is message I sent to eBay AFTER they asked for "proof of payment" (ie. from screenshot 2.jpg) and eBay's REPLY.

For your amusement ...