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Original poster

To let you know about an possible EBay scam?

18 replies

EllenJanesthickerknickers · 21/02/2019 15:37

Very early this morning apparently I listed some headphones at £30 which were bought and paid for by PayPal. Except I didn’t and I haven’t received the money. I guess my EBay account was hacked. But how the buyer managed to pay someone else I don’t know.

I’ve done all the changing of passwords on my EBay account, Paypal account, email account etc but trying to get through to EBay to try and explain that I can’t refund the buyer because I haven’t received his money is a bit of a joke. Their website lists all sorts of potential issues for a buyer, but it’s really hard to just find a ‘report problem’ contact.

I don’t know if this is a new type of scam, a blip of EBay or what? It seems a fairly small amount of money. I can’t even close my EBay account, though I’ve unlinked it from PayPal as they won’t close it immediately. I just don’t trust it anymore, though.

Any advice, clever people? I’ve cancelled the sale, to let the buyer know, but I can’t refund him.

OP posts:
Original poster
EllenJanesthickerknickers · 21/02/2019 15:37

*a possible.

OP posts:
Handsfull13 · 21/02/2019 15:38

I had this problem last year. I phoned and spoke to someone through the eBay helpline and they sorted it all out for me.

AdoreTheBeach · 21/02/2019 15:41

In your Paypal, have you checked for pending payments? It could be theyvpsid with an echeque that takes a while to clear. If so, you don’t send until it has cleared particularly as they don’t always clear.

iamaswashbuckler · 21/02/2019 15:47

I had this last year and apparently I sold 10 firepits overnight! Ebay were really helpful and cancelled all the transactions and dealt directly with the buyers. I had a few abusive emails when the sales were cancelled but I just explained that it was a scam and that EBay were dealing with it. I think it is more common than you think and I would advise people to check and change passwords frequently!

Original poster
EllenJanesthickerknickers · 21/02/2019 15:53

Thanks! The buyer has just emailed that he’s been refunded by Paypal, so he’s happy. He’s given me the email address his PayPal payment went to. How do I get the number for the EBay helpline? I just want to cancel my account now, I rarely use it.

OP posts:
Original poster
EllenJanesthickerknickers · 21/02/2019 15:55

Guess I could google it!

OP posts:
Pinkbells · 21/02/2019 16:11

You can't cancel your account, it's so frustrating. All they can do is let it lie dormant, but it's still connected to you. So to get rid of it I got a new email address, and changed that, then changed my username, address, you name it - all with a load of gobbledegook letters and numbers. I then took screenshots of it all. I doubt it would be traced back to me now (there was no issue, I just didn't use it and resented being told I couldn't depart from it).

hellsbellsmelons · 21/02/2019 16:12

0345 355 3229
This happened to me last year as well.
Well, I stopped it before it was used.
But people try to hack into accounts all the time.
Apparently they had done a lot of trying of my password on my account.
As soon as I saw a weird email about my password change, I called ebay.
They were really good and sorted it all out for me very quickly.

Original poster
EllenJanesthickerknickers · 21/02/2019 16:39

Thanks all. I got through to a helpful call centre guy who has sorted it all out.

I must stop reusing passwords. Blush

OP posts:
Tarrarra · 21/02/2019 16:52

Set up 2 step verification. I had this problem last year. Now, if I log on I get a text with a code as well.

Original poster
EllenJanesthickerknickers · 21/02/2019 16:59

Doing it right now!

OP posts:
Impartialerror · 21/02/2019 17:16

EllenJanesthickerknickers

This happened to me a few months ago also, these scammers are very very clever. Managed to get a refund from eBay?

TaliZorahVasNormandy · 21/02/2019 17:26

I had the opposite on ebay. Apparently I brought something over night. I contacted the seller explaining the situation.

The hackers changed the address on my account but never the password. I got in, removed my card details and I dont have paypal.

Suave bastards these hackers.

Original poster
EllenJanesthickerknickers · 21/02/2019 19:26

It’s the buyer who needs a refund from PayPal. They have taken the listing off and are dealing/have dealt with it. Very clever scammers. They must have got my password somehow. I do/did use the same one in a few places. Blush It’s so hard to remember them all. Anyway, lesson learnt. Lots of password changes today!

OP posts:
cucumbergin · 21/02/2019 19:39

OP, if you reuse passwords, you should check here: haveibeenpwned.com/

You will probably find that somewhere you signed up to with that email/password got hacked, and then dumped.

That site is legit btw - run by a well respected security expert: www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-41095606

cucumbergin · 21/02/2019 19:53

Also - if you find it hard to remember all your passwords, use a password manager: 1password.com/ is a good one, also LastPass. You can even get them to generate random passwords for you!

Original poster
EllenJanesthickerknickers · 21/02/2019 21:34

Thanks cucumber I’ve changed all my important ones and will change others as I go along.

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