Suspended permanently: what is "Regulatory Compliance?"

stevenc88 · #1 10-01-2022

Hi,
I am speechless for what just happened. Please bear with me, this is kind of long, but I want to get the details right. I tried asking this on the eBay subreddit, but they have a policy against discussing suspensions. I just want information.

Background: I've been active with eBay since 1996 (I am in the U.S.), back before it was eBay (it was "AuctionWeb" back in the day). I mostly buy, but have sold once in a while Last thing was selling some books in August. My feedback is 1126.

I went on eBay to buy something, but when I got to checkout it said in a big red field:

Your account has been suspended
According to our records, your account has violated our site policies. We've sent a note to (my email address) informing you of this decision.

And in the Payments tab:
Your payouts are currently on hold because your eBay account is suspended. You'll start getting paid again when your account is reinstated.

Note that I have a positive balance of $9.72, so I don't owe anything.

I don't recall receiving any email, and a check of eBay messages doesn't show anything. So I start an online chat with a human named "Khrieketoulie"

Here are the key parts:
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Me: Hello, my account shows suspended, and I don't understand why and what to do to get it reinstated. I don't remember receiving a message concerning my account (neither via email nor in messages on eBay). Can you help?
Khrieketoulie: I have reviewed your account and I can see that your account is suspended due to Regulatory Compliance issues with your account
Me: Can you tell me what I need to do?
Khrieketoulie: Unfortunately, this suspension is permanent and cannot be appealed. You will not be able to participate in any buying or selling activities on eBay.
Me: What??? Please provide details for the problems with compliance. I am not aware of any violations I have done.
Khrieketoulie: I can understand your wish to know the reason your account was suspended, Unfortunately we are unable to disclose the specifics of the investigation as to why this action was taken on your account because sharing such vital information could result in the information being used to circumvent or bypass our site security system.
Me: Excuse me, but that is ridiculous. Is there any awy to escalate this issue? It's hard to believe that eBay cn take such an action with no justification or information.
Khrieketoulie: I can understand that this is very disappointing. However, there isn’t any additional action which can be taken in this situation.
Me: So no one else I can contact, correct?
Khrieketoulie: I am afraid so, the account is permanently suspended.
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So that's it, account suspended, I was unregisterred, with not notification and no recourse.
I honestly don't know what I may have done. I am a light user, mostly buying, nothing nefarious.

Has anyone else seen this happen? Is there truly no escallation possible?
I'm also not interested in going "Stealth" - I just want answers what I did.

SquirrelOG · #2 10-01-2022

It could be for 1 of 100 reasons. For example did you list a high risk item? eBay can consider anything from a pair of sunglasses, old nikie shoes, digital items to be high risk.

- Someone else may have created an eBay account with your identity which ultimately suspended your account too.

- Even logging in from a second hand device (Phone or Laptop) can link you to someone else who has was permenantly suspended on that device.

Bottom line is eBay has a very high security these days with bots looking for any kind of suspicious links between accounts to instantly ban. For whatever reason that ignited your account to be permenantly banned. Your guess is better than anyone elses.

But that account now is toast in my opinion.

stevenc88 · #3 10-01-2022

What's strange to me is the total lack of an explanation why. "We can't tell you" doesn't cut it for me.

I sold some older boy scout handbooks in mid August, shipped with no problems, good feedback. No listings were cancelled, and nothing was active when the account was suspended.

stevenc88 · #4 10-01-2022

And the fact that there was no warning or advanced indication of any problems or concerns. Everything was clean.

rsot · #5 10-02-2022

Welcome to the forum OP - all the best as you master stealth

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Sadly not much can be done - you could re-contact and hope for a better agent....some can be better than others...but in meantime, have to get backup accounts going