Sad day today guys... Ebay shut down half of my accounts. Lost over 10 of them.

[fiercygoat]

This is the same exact message i received on all of them.

"Your eBay account has been suspended


Hello ********,
After reviewing your eBay account, recent activity has raised serious security concerns. As a result, we've taken the following action on your account:
- Your eBay account has been suspended indefinitely.
- Item listings have been removed. A list of removed items is available further down in this email.

You won't be able to use eBay in any way. This includes using another existing account or registering a new account. Any outstanding selling fees are due immediately, and any amounts that you haven't previously disputed will be charged to the billing method currently on file.

We've taken this precaution to protect our members while we make sure that the activity doesn't cause harm -- however unintentionally -- to the eBay community."

I am still trying to figure out how the all got linked like that and why half of them survived. Your insight and help will be very much appreciated. Thank you.

[slokor]

First off let me offer my sympathy and condolences. I remember that happening to me back in 2008 and its never fun...
Now brace yourself cause theres a good chance that more of your accounts will be coming down. When it happened to me it happened in several waves that took down pretty much all my accounts. That's when I realy got into stealth.
What items were you selling? were all the accounts selling the same type of item/same items? The auction descriptions - were they all unique? How are the accounts themselves setup on your machine? need a lot more info to figure this out.

[dallis]

Most people, upon reflection, know why they got taken down.

Do you have the guide?

What steps did you shortchange?

[kirkland]

This happened to me this holiday season. Lost maybe 15 accounts? I don't even know. For me it was a performance thing, I took more orders than I could handle, so I probably deserve it.

It sucked at first. I was selling 50-60 items a day, and that was before the holiday jump. Currently I'm selling 10 items a day, using 3 backup accounts that had been idle since October.

I'm not sure why you got linked, but it definitely seems like they found some common element and suspended you because of it. Some possibilities:

- same password
- same browser
- same IP
- selling characteristics too similar
- reusing listing photos
- names/addresses/etc too similar
- items too high risk and they are just doing a clean sweep

Like Dallis said, reflect hard and think of all possible factors so this doesn't happen again.

Also, use your downtime constructively. Create some new accounts. I created 10 during Xmas week and bought another 6, and expect to be back in a good place sometime in February ... even if not full force.

I'm also trying to take advantage of my downtime to tweak my business model... see how I can grow further, different items I can list in my inventory, other platforms to sell on, etc, to take my business to the next level. You can do the same.

Finally, a little r&r may be in order too recharge yourself so you can hit it hard when you get back into it!

[Envy]

You should have known better. Same IP, address, etc.? Might as well use the same name and address for every account.

[Elliot]

Originally Posted by fiercygoat

This is the same exact message i received on all of them.

"Your eBay account has been suspended


Hello ********,
After reviewing your eBay account.........

OH! The feeling of logging on and seeing that kind of email... it's like a knife in the gut, that split second where you see the email, and then feel your stomach sinking while you are still processing just exactly what happened and what that means. We've all been there. (which is why we're here, probably). I really feel bad for you, I know how disappointing (and expensive) that can be.

But as you sharpen your skills, and it becomes more clear the areas where you could have gotten linked, be sure to come back and share that... that's what so helpful about the site.

I've used this site for years, and still messed up a few times over those first few years, and it's the only thing that really keeps you on your toes, and reminds you like nothing else can, just how important the stealth guide is and how attention to the details can make all the difference.

Still, I'm sending you virtual flowers here... sorry this happened to you!

[SaiJin]

OP,

I'm sorry this happened to you... I know how it feels and I don't miss its memories.

So are you trying to get back on correctly?

[fiercygoat]

Sorry guys for not getting back to you but was very busy transferring all the listings from the suspended accounts to some forgotten back up accounts i had left. What really annoys me is the way ebay handles suspended accounts. Not only shuts down your account without prior notice but also it has the nerve to make all your listing entirely disappear:( I couldn't even retrieve them from Turbolister because wasn't synchronizing.

Anyways, after some research i found out that the accounts that did survive were made all the way in the beginning, when i was extremely careful and followed all the necessary steps. The ones that were shut down were all made in 2017. I have to admit it, i became too cocky and underestimated ebay. I thought i was invincible. I was able to create accounts (business & personal) with very high limits and after letting them idle for a few weeks i would start using them at will. I thought i was fine since i got over the first couple "risky months". Little did i know, ebay came back with a vengeance and hit me hard now the busiest season of selling. This situation that i got myself into is very stressful. I can barely keep up with the fear that more accounts will get suspended, but i got to keep going since this is my only income at this moment.

So yeah, what i learned from all this is to never underestimate ebay and never let off your guard thinking that ebay can't do anything about it since accounts now are "matured". They are continuously searching for new ways to distinguish between stealth and real accounts.

[fiercygoat]

I think the biggest mistake that I made with the accounts that were shut down was the following:

When i created an account, i would use a real cell phone number, and once the account turned out to be a high limit one, i would let it idle for a few days and see if account would make it from any ebay verification processes . Once it passed that, i would switch the real number with a google voice number. Then that same real number would be used again to create the next stealth account. I think this is what eventually killed all the accounts.

[empirestate]

Once used, never re-use...

[kirkland]

That is 100% why the accounts were linked. There may have been other elements too, but that's an obvious no no.

You mentioned "transferring the listings" to your new accounts. Make sure you are not copying them verbatim, or using the same listing pics, or these accounts will go down too. At least you have some income now, don't make it so you have zero income.

[topnotchsports]

Originally Posted by fiercygoat

I think the biggest mistake that I made with the accounts that were shut down was the following:

When i created an account, i would use a real cell phone number, and once the account turned out to be a high limit one, i would let it idle for a few days and see if account would make it from any ebay verification processes . Once it passed that, i would switch the real number with a google voice number. Then that same real number would be used again to create the next stealth account. I think this is what eventually killed all the accounts.

You answered your question right there. I can almost guarantee you that's the reason. Huge mistake bro. That's how we learn tho. We've all made mistakes that have made us sick to our stomachs. The only thing to do is move forward and get better from it. Best of luck

[topnotchsports]

But honestly someone that understands stealth & has 20+ accounts, should know better than to do something like that. I'm curious as to why you thought that was a good idea?

[CoDebits]

yup, it sucks. best use ~3-4 pcs with user accounts

[walkingupwards]

Why did they shut you down in the first place? There must be a reason behind it!!

Was it bad performance? Vero items? Tell us more man!

[muzzie]

Reusing number killed them all. I did that also when doing accs several years ago, but just when purchased garbage items to gain initial feedback - made a wrong decision to put my real delivery address in all accounts. It was all doing great for ages, was selling items, no issues. But then one day BOOOM, and all accounts that had delivery address that was the same - suspended. So, NOTHING can be the same across accounts.

[Kajunrook]

Well what happened to those 10 paypal accounts, when I lose ebay I always lose paypal, but when I lose paypal ebay is still good, weird how that has flipped in the last few years.

[walkingupwards]

Originally Posted by Kajunrook

Well what happened to those 10 paypal accounts, when I lose ebay I always lose paypal, but when I lose paypal ebay is still good, weird how that has flipped in the last few years.

They are separate companies now. PayPal doesn't want to ban a customer just because eBay did. However, they share a ton of information to identify and block people.

[flyriver]

Originally Posted by fiercygoat

This is the same exact message i received on all of them.

"Your eBay account has been suspended


Hello ********,
After reviewing your eBay account, recent activity has raised serious security concerns. As a result, we've taken the following action on your account:
- Your eBay account has been suspended indefinitely.
- Item listings have been removed. A list of removed items is available further down in this email.

You won't be able to use eBay in any way. This includes using another existing account or registering a new account. Any outstanding selling fees are due immediately, and any amounts that you haven't previously disputed will be charged to the billing method currently on file.

We've taken this precaution to protect our members while we make sure that the activity doesn't cause harm -- however unintentionally -- to the eBay community."

I am still trying to figure out how the all got linked like that and why half of them survived. Your insight and help will be very much appreciated. Thank you.

Hey man dont give up on them yet. Call in for a few of them and play stupid. A lot of times they will re-evaluate your account and allow you to explain yourself. Trust me, it is worth a shot.

[haiauphisu15]

Originally Posted by fiercygoat

This is the same exact message i received on all of them.

"Your eBay account has been suspended


Hello ********,
After reviewing your eBay account, recent activity has raised serious security concerns. As a result, we've taken the following action on your account:
- Your eBay account has been suspended indefinitely.
- Item listings have been removed. A list of removed items is available further down in this email.

You won't be able to use eBay in any way. This includes using another existing account or registering a new account. Any outstanding selling fees are due immediately, and any amounts that you haven't previously disputed will be charged to the billing method currently on file.

We've taken this precaution to protect our members while we make sure that the activity doesn't cause harm -- however unintentionally -- to the eBay community."

I am still trying to figure out how the all got linked like that and why half of them survived. Your insight and help will be very much appreciated. Thank you.

Sorry to hear that bro. I will never forget that feeling.
Anyone thinking someday ebay would know we access this website on the same browser and trigger their machine to find a reason to kill our account?

[VerBayPal]

Originally Posted by fiercygoat

This is the same exact message i received on all of them.

"Your eBay account has been suspended


Hello ********,
After reviewing your eBay account, recent activity has raised serious security concerns. As a result, we've taken the following action on your account:
- Your eBay account has been suspended indefinitely.
- Item listings have been removed. A list of removed items is available further down in this email.

You won't be able to use eBay in any way. This includes using another existing account or registering a new account. Any outstanding selling fees are due immediately, and any amounts that you haven't previously disputed will be charged to the billing method currently on file.

We've taken this precaution to protect our members while we make sure that the activity doesn't cause harm -- however unintentionally -- to the eBay community."

I am still trying to figure out how the all got linked like that and why half of them survived. Your insight and help will be very much appreciated. Thank you.

That was the very bad thing happen. I suggest try to clear browser history and clear cache before you login or maybe just use incognito to login in the account

[dealagreeproceed]

Originally Posted by flyriver

Hey man dont give up on them yet. Call in for a few of them and play stupid. A lot of times they will re-evaluate your account and allow you to explain yourself. Trust me, it is worth a shot.

doubt it. dont waste your energy. move on to more productive activity