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Account hacked / Ebay wants documents to verify identity, quick question
 

Hello, I have a large account that has been open for 2-3 years. My account was recently hacked and Ebay is asking now for an ID. I have used a false name on the Ebay account but my real information is on the paypal account. I did not use the false name for stealth reasons but to hide my identify from my vendors as I am not permitted to sell goods under MAP price so I did not want them to know it was my account. The paypal account is under my name though.

I have two options as I see it:

1. Tell them the account manager is no longer working for me and to change it to all the information I have on paypal and provide them with all my real information. The only issue is we called just yesterday saying we were the person that we are proposing "firing". Again, I feel this one is risky as I think this would raise more flags to tell them the identify of the person they are trying to verify is incorrect and to change it to a new person would leave me to believe the person that has the account is still the fraudulent owner.

2. Send them a ⊗⊗⊗⊗ drivers license or passport for the person that is "on the account". If I go this route which seems the less suspicious route what information do they verify if anything? Basically if I make up and send them a drivers license or passport do they verify your passport number or drivers license number? I am able to do this stuff easily but just not sure what they verify. The paypal account was not hacked so this is just EBAY not PAYPAL that is requesting information.

Please help. The account is still open and selling but we are not permitted to list new items until this information is provided and accepted. I cannot make the mistake to have the account suspended or closed as it is a multi-million dollar account.

Re: Account hacked / Ebay wants documents to verify identity, quick question
 

My gut feeling is to go with option #2......but I don't know if they go beyond just looking at the ID, like actually working to verify it, I hope someone here knows for 100% certainty...............Good Luck to you!

Re: Account hacked / Ebay wants documents to verify identity, quick question
 

Thank you, I am think #2 as well but that is what I need to verify as well is what they actually verify or if they just look at the docs and say you are good to go. the account has been opened for years and we probably did over $6,000,000 in sales on it this year so they are not trying to shut it down just trying to make sure the correct owner has control of it still. I just feel like most of the moves I have here could make it look like I am the fraudster and still have the account under control.

Re: Account hacked / Ebay wants documents to verify identity, quick question
 

You could already have a doomed ebay accounts on your hands with this one! Making the xxxx passport and drivers licence could very easily be the end for you because ebay checking the numbers of those items would seem to be the obvious thing for them to do to verify the authenticity of them, and trying to work around what you told them only yesterday about the named owner of the account being the genuine owner and now expecting to be able to contact them today contradicting everything you told them yesterday is the road to ruin as well! There seems to be no way around just cutting loose and creating new accounts!

Re: Account hacked / Ebay wants documents to verify identity, quick question
 

Unfortunately that is exactly what you are going to look like to them and looks like they are already suspecting that!

Re: Account hacked / Ebay wants documents to verify identity, quick question
 

We never said the account manager was the owner of the account he is the one that runs it though. I was debating then saying that he left the company and is no longer with us, I just cannot recall if I added my name to the account as well already or not.

Figured worse case we can say he left the company on good terms and we got him to call yesterday to help out with re-gaining control of our account.

Anyways, does anyone know for sure if Ebay verifies Drivers licenses or Passports?

Re: Account hacked / Ebay wants documents to verify identity, quick question
 

Doubt it. But they do wanna make sure iDs match name on account

Re: Account hacked / Ebay wants documents to verify identity, quick question
 

There are several ways of validating driver's licenses. Obviously, it would have to look like a real one. But, beyond that, they can often use an algorithm to determine if the number would match the name and date of birth. For more information on this see:

US Driver's License Numbers - Florida, Illinois, Wisconsin, perhaps others

Also, the bar codes often contain the information that is on your license. So, if you don't know how to do the bar code correctly and you do not know what information is supposed to be contained in the bar code, they will know. That is why they often ask for the front AND BACK of your license.

I urge you not to do this, you are getting into a murky legal area.

Re: Account hacked / Ebay wants documents to verify identity, quick question
 

"Hello, I am so and so. You have been dealing with my employee so and so but given the seriousness of this situation I thought I would contact you myself. Here is all my information (which, as you can see matches the attached business PayPal account). Blah. Blah. Blah."

Re: Account hacked / Ebay wants documents to verify identity, quick question
 

Ebay searches public records...and of course they know what the license is supposed to look like. But do they have some secret database that they can see what you are submitting isn't real? NO...do you know why? Because if they had access to that kind of information on a whim, there would be a LOT of privacy concerns. They do NOT have access to restricted information like that. But can they see that the numbers and letters aren't in the correct place based on how your state creates license numbers? Absolutely.

Re: Account hacked / Ebay wants documents to verify identity, quick question
 

Privacy concerns?

The information that they may be able to check with their new systems hat have been implemented in the UK have the capability of checking passport check digits and authenticity that the info is on record.

Re: Account hacked / Ebay wants documents to verify identity, quick question
 

In the US, each state controls it's driver's license database. Some states sell them and others do not. Many states stopped selling them when some deranged fan murdered Rebecca Shafer, an actress, in California. He got her address from the DMV. So, no, there is no "secret" database that contains everyone's driver's licenses, at least not in the United States. I'm sure the Federal Government has a database, or access to all of the states, but they are not sharing that with private companies. The potential fallout would be too great.

Re: Account hacked / Ebay wants documents to verify identity, quick question
 

Yes, most passport numbers CAN be verified. There is a worldwide database that exists and most countries share that information.

Re: Account hacked / Ebay wants documents to verify identity, quick question
 

Ok, thanks all for the info that is all very helpful. I will see what I can do and hopefully will all work out.