Can ebay monitor private messages?

[chico1984]

Hey guys, I was just wondering if anyone knows if ebay can view the private messages you send/receive? I have run many searches on this forum & on google but I cant seem to find a definite answer. Some people are saying they 100% can see the messages & some say its against the law for them to read your private messages.

Why I ask is because I usually add my website address & email address at the bottom of every message I send. I had one or two people messaging me back as of late saying that the URL that I added to the message (my website) is not working. But the URL that im sending most definitely is, so can ebay change the content? I wouldn’t have thought soo but nothing would surprise me.

So what I am looking for is proof either way as to whether ebay can or cannot view your messages, or ANY input that could help.

Many thanks guys & this is a awesome community. Chico

[TheyGotMeToo]

I don't think anyone here can definitively answer your question unless they have personally worked at eBay.

But if you are looking for opinions...

I vote YES, probably certain people at Trust and Safety.

[waterproof]

You certainly have my vote to YES on this subject too! Trust & Safety!
Even if someone reports to T & S, they are way too quick to reply at times or suspend, which is their favorite past-time...nowadays!
Always assume they can read your messages you send.
h20 proof

[newstart]

I had a buyer use feedback extortion on me so I reported it to eBay. eBay replied with this:

Dear _____________,

Thank you for writing eBay in regard to your concerns about the possible
extortion your buyer may be committing.

So we can review your report on Feedback Extortion, please send us a
complete copy of the email in which a member threatened to leave
negative Feedback or demanded the withdrawal of Feedback, or required a
specific Feedback rating in exchange for goods or services not included
in the original listing prior to the completion of the transaction.

To protect the privacy of our members, we're unable to view the message
in My eBay. However, the email that you received in My Messages was also
sent to the personal email address that you have on file with eBay.
Please reply to our email and include a copy of the original email that
you received. Please be sure to include the email header pasted in the
body of your email. Please do not send the email or header as an
attachment. For security reasons, we can't open attachments.

-- Important --

- Please include the complete header of the email in your reply. A
header looks like a string of characters, similar to the example
provided below. You can usually find the header by using the
"properties" function of your email program.

- The header should appear directly above the text of the original
email.

- The header and text of the original message must be submitted to us in
the same email.

- The original email should be pasted into the body of your reply. (We
can't open attachments, for security reasons.)

If you have more than one account, have you tried messaging yourself?

[Vicvelcro]

Newstart, that notice applies to email originating outside of ebay and then received outside of the ebay system. Mail that ebay can't see unless you give them a copy.

On their own system, they can review your messages as much as they like. You gave them permission in the ToS. Also, they have bots that scrub web links and email addresses from the internal ebay messages you send and receive. I think the bots are only active if they turn them on manually.

In other words, I have ebay msgs back and forth from my ebay box to your ebay box. NOT TO EXTERNAL MAIL - pay attention. INTERNAL TO INTERNAL, they don't bother us. I can send you web links and email addys. But if some day, somebody like you complains about me, the ebay people just flip the FILTER switch on, and now those will be scrubbed automatically.

Even when I don't think the filter is turned on, I still 'spell' things out in the internal based messages. Like, come visit my (-spider)web sight at (3x)w (dot) d0ggypr0n (dot) come (minus the e) thank you.

And if the recipient is to thick to decode it, I don't want them around me anyhow.

For communications that go external, I think most get scrubbed as they leave or enter the ebay system - but my analysis here may be incorrect or possibly I've misinterpreted my own observations.

[chico1984]

Wow a lot of info, thanks guys. I also believe they have some kind of filter bot to prevent people sending their website address etc. But like vic said, they must be switched on/off in different situations. Because I have received some peoples websites/emails in their messages they have sent to me.

Im guessing it would depend on if it looks suspicious, and other factors like how long they have been members, feeback etc.

I guess I will have to choose every single word carefully when sending messages.

I am now going to try to make use of my 'about ME page'. I heard ebay are cracking down on people abusing this also. If I can try to instruct people to view my ME profile via messages, instead of listing website/email address directly in my messages, this may be the answer? I guess only trial & error will tell.

When you message someone through ebay, do they usually get the message instantly? Earlier I did a little test by sending a message with website/email to another of my ebay accounts but my other account still as not received it yet (that was 2 hours ago). Again time will tell........

Thanks again guys & any more info regarding this topic would be great. Chico

[GreenBean]

Answer Buyer's questions outside of eBay, Possible ?

Bit more info to give you help,chico.

[Vicvelcro]

Chico, I've notice the delay for internal messages, which supports my 'scrubber bot' theory.

As far as the about ME page, you can post a link to your website. They even have a spot for it already. But you can't go overboard with it. Be reasonable ...ahem... or be creative how you go about promoting.