eBay Listing Phone Call

RobFagles · #1 03-19-2009

On every new seller account I've made, I get a call after listing an item.

Now, generally these calls are very straightforward - the eBay operator asks if I made an account recently, and if so, what item I'm selling.

However, today I got a call about the listing and they wanted more. Note that this is a Business eBay account (and your date of birth is not part of the registration for a business eBay account).

The phone call went pretty much like below:

Quote:

eBay: Hi, my name is Kyle from eBay, can I speak with ****?
Seller: Yes, this is ****.

eBay: Hi, ****, I'm just calling from eBay about a recent account opened in your name. Did you open any accounts recently?
Seller: Yes, I did.

eBay: Alright, is ************ your eBay username?
Seller: Yes, that is correct.

eBay: Okay. Now, I see you have an item listed for sale. Could you please describe what you're selling?
Seller: I'm selling a ****************.

eBay: Alright, that looks good. Now, I'm going to ask you a series of multiple-choice questions that only you will know the answer to.

Question 1: What is a former street you have lived on?
Question 2: What is a former city you have lived in?

I answered both questions correctly, but please note that this is a stealth account and so my answers to both questions were "None of the Above" since none of the questions could really be answered.

eBay: Alright, I noticed during registration your date of birth wasn't recorded. May I have your date of birth?
Seller: **/**/****

eBay: Okay, all of that looks good. I'll add your date of birth into your account. Best of luck with the auction, and thanks for using eBay!
Seller: Thanks.

The only part I'm really concerned about are the two multiple-choice questions. Where does eBay get them from and how?
This is a stealth account so the person is completely made up.

**aspkin** · #2 03-19-2009

Interesting... unless eBay linked you to anther account and were trying to trip you up to confirm it, I don't see how eBay can get your former street address and city.

Here We Go Again · #3 03-19-2009

From the type of questions that were asked.....
It looks like they pulled a SOFT credit check on the name the account was in.
Because your credit report has the addresses that you used to live at listed in the report.

Soft reports do not show up on your credit report.

RobFagles · #4 03-19-2009

So what does this mean, really?

If I use a name without any credit history, the account might be in suspicion from the start. However, if I use an account with credit history, I risk answering the questions wrong and getting a suspension.

Or, I may be completely wrong. Please elaborate a bit more on what a SOFT credit check gives eBay, because I'm a bit confused.

Here We Go Again · #5 03-19-2009

OMG....

Can you take 3 seconds of your own time and drop a phrase into Google and hit return on your own.

Do a little research on your own.

RobFagles · #6 03-19-2009

Alright, I've done the research.

What I'm interested in is how this affects those of us who sell on eBay under stealth accounts.

Here We Go Again · #7 03-19-2009

I am selective who I answer

RobFagles · #8 03-20-2009

^^Useless post to the thread?

Here We Go Again · #9 03-20-2009

You are one to talk about useless posts....
How many of you posts and threads have been deleted or locked?

You really need to step back a bit, take a day off and go to Frontier City!

jmg0055 · #10 03-24-2009

I agree with Rob. I browse this forum daily and in nearly every thread it includes you complaining or bickering at someone. If you can't offer a helpful reply or you don't feel like replying to a question that you think has already been answered, why post at all? It just puts a negative taint on the forum. This forum is here to help people, not piss them off and drive them away.

I would love to answer your question Rob but I simply don't know. I would also like to know what happens if you answer the questions incorrectly what happens. Maybe someone would like to educate & provide a helpful response to this?

Here We Go Again · #11 03-24-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmg0055

I agree with Rob. I browse this forum daily and in nearly every thread it includes you complaining or bickering at someone. If you can't offer a helpful reply or you don't feel like replying to a question that you think has already been answered, why post at all? It just puts a negative taint on the forum. This forum is here to help people, not piss them off and drive them away.

You have stuck your nose in where it does not belong.
You have NO IDEA what goes on behind the the posts that are made public.
So unless you were included in PM's between me and the other moderators I suggest you step off of the firing range.

RobFagles · #12 03-24-2009

I am starting to believe tensions between HWGA and me are pretty well cool by now.

I'm also starting to realize that although he is very cynical, the majority of his posts are informative and reliable.

GreenBean · #13 03-24-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmg0055

I would love to answer your question Rob but I simply don't know. I would also like to know what happens if you answer the questions incorrectly what happens. Maybe someone would like to educate & provide a helpful response to this?

Steady there. Assuming can be bad.

Anyone reading this has followed the guidelines of the Stealth Book. So why would anyone use an account and not know the answers? What is ebay doing? Basically ebay are confirming that you are who who say you are. That your info which includes DOB, address is correct.In the past 18 months
I have had this from ebay so it is not a 'new' approach. However it is not
a coincidence( imho) that there has been changes with paypal's procedures at the same time. My gut feeling is that both companies are implementing new ways. No problems with that.
The motto of the forum is that there is always a way around ebay/paypal.When a stealth account is made, then it is imperative that every bit of info is sound....no addresses that do not exist, no phones that do not work etc. The game plan is to win.

aking · #14 03-27-2009

Thats interesting, never had eBay call me before and if they did I would be pretty pissed. LoL

alphaversa · #15 04-09-2009

They asked me these questions on a stealth account of which the only two answers were "none of the above". The account has been selling for a month without any problems. This isn't a big issue.