Suspicious transaction - ebay mark as paid automatically with no actual payment received

[ultrasaverau]

To all dearest sellers,

I have been selling on ebay for years and a few days ago I found this weird problem which I think it could be a server fault / security hole.

A ebay buyer bought an item from me and when I tried to send new invoice to add up the postage, strange things happened - I found that the payment has been marked as paid by system almost instantly, which is kinda weird as no buyer could possibly complete the payment that fast. Due to curiosity I double checked with the details and found that no actual payment was ever made! How come ebay system would mark this payment as paid automatically if there is no payment received? The buyer did not even complete his checkout process!

What comes next was more weirder. I tried contact this buyer and told him there is a problem with this transaction and want him to send us more details regarding to the payment, he replied to me that he is a new ebayer and do know what he has done and he does not meant to buy the item!

I am not sure if this buyer is even a genunie buyer. I suspect that he might somehow hacked ebay or there is a potential flaw in the ebay system.

I have reported this to ebay for investigation. Sellers please keep in mind to check your transaction details carefully or you might end up getting a fraud.

[harley_babes_hoard]

I have had buyers complete transactions so fast I get the paypal transaction notice before the ebay sold notice.
Buyers do not have to go through checkout. The app is very quick to process transactions as you are able to keep all your details you don't have to manually sign in etc it can be automatic.

As for buyer not buying perhaps you got one of the numerous phishing emails going around. that doesn't explain how it was purchased and marked as sent though. I would check your information again.

[justajunk]

I believe that it is possible for buyers to click 'Payment sent' in Purchase History without actually paying, though I don't know if that would automatically bring up the 'paid' icon in your Items Sold list. There's also a chance that it could be an eCheque, but then there would an hourglass in your Items Sold list, not a dollar sign.

I agree that it sounds like possibly some bug with the eBay app.

[clarry100]

When our buyers pay by bank transfer we ask them to mark the status as "Payment Sent".

But this does NOT show the item as PAID.

When we see the money in our account then we mark it as "Payment Received".

Only then does it show as PAID. Then we mail as per normal.

[ultrasaverau]

It was a straight "Dollar Sign" mark instead of the hour glass. I have been selling on eBay for a few years so I know that is not a eCheque.

What makes it suspicous is that when I contacted the buyer and told him that his payment got issues and looking for more payment details, the buyer just walk away, which is very unnatural for most of the buyers as they would normally trying to figure out what is going on first as they would fear they have paid something they do not need or fraud. This buyer behaves very strangely and simply want to get away when I asked him about payment details.

[thecatspjs]

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@ultrasaverau wrote:

It was a straight "Dollar Sign" mark instead of the hour glass. I have been selling on eBay for a few years so I know that is not a eCheque.

What makes it suspicous is that when I contacted the buyer and told him that his payment got issues and looking for more payment details, the buyer just walk away, which is very unnatural for most of the buyers as they would normally trying to figure out what is going on first as they would fear they have paid something they do not need or fraud. This buyer behaves very strangely and simply want to get away when I asked him about payment details.

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I would not be automatically suspicious - eBay glitches ALL THE TIME

Before contacting a buyer I would have rung eBay if there was no sign of payment in my accounts.

[davewil1964]

Assuming it was Paypal or another 'safe' method, which are the only ones that should get the automatic tick, I would be checking the relevant account. No confirmation, then no payment. No need to involve eBay (waste hours on the phone) in something they are automatically going to disclaim knowledge of or responsibility for.

[thecatspjs]

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@davewil1964 wrote:

Assuming it was Paypal or another 'safe' method, which are the only ones that should get the automatic tick, I would be checking the relevant account. No confirmation, then no payment. No need to involve eBay (waste hours on the phone) in something they are automatically going to disclaim knowledge of or responsibility for.

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Perhaps read the OP.

The OP states "Due to curiosity I double checked with the details and found that no actual payment was ever made! How come ebay system would mark this payment as paid automatically if there is no payment received?

Also to save time waiting on the phone - request a callback from eBay - easy peasy

[davewil1964]

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@thecatspjs wrote:

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@davewil1964 wrote:

Assuming it was Paypal or another 'safe' method, which are the only ones that should get the automatic tick, I would be checking the relevant account. No confirmation, then no payment. No need to involve eBay (waste hours on the phone) in something they are automatically going to disclaim knowledge of or responsibility for.

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Perhaps read the OP.

The OP states "Due to curiosity I double checked with the details and found that no actual payment was ever made! How come ebay system would mark this payment as paid automatically if there is no payment received?

Also to save time waiting on the phone - request a callback from eBay - easy peasy

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I always read the OP. And I contend the issue is with the payment gateway. You might be able to request a call back, but others have repeatedly noted they can't even find  phone number through eBay's 'help' much less have options.

You are obviously special.

[thecatspjs]

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@davewil1964 wrote:

I always read the OP. And I contend the issue is with the payment gateway. You might be able to request a call back, but others have repeatedly noted they can't even find  phone number through eBay's 'help' much less have options.

You are obviously special.

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You can contend all you like.  Good on you