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EBay Suspensions Invalid Phone Number Q&A
 

Lift your limited eBay account after invalid phone suspension.

Does eBay care if your phone is invalid or not?
Yes, they are limiting and even suspending accounts for not having a valid phone number. What usually happen is once eBay detects your phone number is invalid; they will immediately stop your current auctions and limit your account until they can verify your number. It's an easy fix.

Why eBay limits your account for verification:

• If you change certain account information like your password, eBay will sometimes limit your account for phone verification. If you do this with a new IP, you can almost always expect eBay limiting your account for verification.
• Customers can complain that your contact information is invalid, and eBay will limit your account.
• It's also been mentioned using (AOL) proxies will sometimes limit your account for more information.

How to lift suspension and get a new phone number:
All you do in that case is update with a Privatephone or Aim Phoneline number or any number that actually works and eBay will call it and leave a pin on the voice mail. Then you go back to eBay, enter the pin to prove your number works and you get right back on.

Here are a few options for a temporary for number.

• Aim Phoneline (*Note Not Free Anymore, works, To listen to your voicemail you need an AOL or AIM e-mail address, a computer with an internet connection, a web browser, and speakers. To answer calls, you also need AOL 9.0 or the latest version of AIM, and have a microphone or PC headset. *** Update AIMPhone isn't free anymore)
• PrivatePhone (It's free and you can set up a voicemail so that when eBay sends the PIN number for to verify, it will record it for you. You can then access it by checking your voicemail by phone or just logging in and playing it thru your PC. *** Private Phone Is Ending DECEMBER 15, 2007)
• GrandCentral (works, may have limited numbers)
• Skype (not a good idea to use this as its part of eBay, Works right now... but for how long? It's only time before Skype shares information with eBay and Paypal.)

Other options: Arrange to use a friend's non-landline phone number for verification.

How to Prevent Future Suspension: Try to stay in contact with your customers so they won't have to ask eBay for your contact information. Use Privatephone or AIM Phoneline when you are limited.

It's best not to wait until you're limited to change your phone number to a real one. When eBay finds you're using a ⊗⊗⊗⊗ number they will remove your current auctions until you can verify your account.

Important!! Remember when listing your phone number; make sure not to use a phone number you've used before with a suspended account. This will cause your accounts to link and be suspended.

New Information about phone verification:
Verify your identity by phone - This option allows you to sell immediately on eBay. Enter your telephone number as indicated (land lines only) and select whether you want to receive the call now (you'll receive the call within 20 seconds) or in 2 minutes. You will get an automated call with a 4-digit verification number at the telephone number you specified. Enter the 4-digit verification number on eBay and continue your registration.

Skype numbers don't work anymore. I've tried a few in different regions and they all return an invalid number error with eBay, so they are definitely sharing information now.

About PrivatePhone
I just used it today and the voicemail I received is :
If you're expeciting this call, please press pound.
then the voice is over and we can't get the verify number. I will try the aim phoneline

So it seems AIMPhone isn't free anymore? Anyone else confirm?

HI- Yes, aimphoneline has discontinued the Free numbers, however they have a new product called chat now. its a reloadable dial out number, you can convert your old phoneline with aim, but no longer can you upgrade to unlimited aim, which gave you the option to FORWARD the call to your REAL house phone or cell, this is all in the past week. I called tech support- etc, no more unlimited aim, THE ONLY way around this- keep your old aimphonline, buy a combo headset/with mic and in line keypad on ebay for $6.99 + $17 shipping from hongkong- the local stores do not have it- I ordered mine, recd in 2 weeks. when call comes in-stay plugged in - touch the # sign + you're fine.

Yes, it's not free...I tried to sign up and now its charging.

I can vouch for this, AIMphone has indeed discontinued free service. They might be letting current users (at the time they did this) keep using their existing accounts for free though. Does anybody know?

Thanks, updated guide.

Hi- FYI , on the last 3 calls- they dont even leave a voce mail- but my caller ud shows ebay from a 8300 or 4400 number, when you get your email- says user request id check- then when you log in- all your auticons are gone-- so no more leaving the pin-- NOW, you check the box-after log into ebay--rither call me now or wait one minute until i disconnect, then when call comes in- it asks- are you expecting this call? if yes--press the POUND key--then it says thank you- and then gives you the 4 digit pin--the call you request comes from none other than---PAYPAL...

DA - DA - DA - DUMM!! :eek:

Any new suggestions for this? I now know tossabledigits does not work....of course AFTER I listed my TD number for EVERYTHING associated with my new acct......sigh....

When I say, does not work, I mean does not work for ebay verification.

You're in the US.. you have a lot of options for you.

Have you tried Toll Free and Local City Phone Numbers - Worldwide ?

Vumber is also a good alternative.

My ebay account gets limited as the verification number cannot reach me. I used GIZMO5. I think this will be easy, as I can find another phone number to take another verification. I wrote three times to Ebay, and about four days passed. I haven't received any feedback from them. What is going on with this? They just want to play dumb to limit my account for good???!!!

Gizmo5 works half of the time, I no longer use them, too unreliable, and raises suspicion.

also if ebayer cannot get hold of you and reports this, ebay can suspend you, awaiting new number.....

question - is a mobile number enough?

Yes I experienced this very thing with a previous ebay account. The funny thing is that it was a voip number and I had the voip phone off.

ANyway this buyer wants to get hold of me to chat and the next thing ebay send me a warning about my phone number, 24 hours later they suspend me for not having an up to date phone number.

This is another example of how buyers can mess you up, (Oompa I saw your other thread)

My guess is that when a buyer requests contact information ebay must either bring up a screen to ask if the details were accurate or the buyer takes the steps to complian.

The thing is I dont like to talk at all. I hate it, I would rather email. An irate buyer could report you even if your phone number is accurate but you dont answer. One solution is to have an answer message.

What I try to do now is set a mobile as primary contact number and voip as secondary. If they request contact info, they only get the first number. If they do ring me about anything I will tell them I will resolve asap and then respond using email.

I've sort of had this problem in the past. I just let them know that customer service is only available via email. If they have a problem with that, tell them to try and call eBay, and they'll see even their customer service is only available via email too!

yes there is a user info request, you get a copy by email, it shows your phone number and county, but not address.....hate when they do this too, its usually the ones that email then 10 minutes later want to phone as you didnt reply quick enough..its usually people in a hurry for something...but they can mess up your account.....

ok so mobile as primary, if voip is void....gotcha

Buyers are your best friends when they are buying, but they can be your worst enemy when it comes to putting a spanner in the works with your ebay account.

It only takes one self appointed ebay user to create you problems.

I have got into the habit of having my mobile as primary. The reason is that it is always with me and if at home it sits on the side. The volume is on full so in theory will never miss a call.

Now with voip, I have my computer set up to power down after 15 minutes of inactivity (everything shuts down inc hard drive) I like to do this as I dont like it running all day when not in use. A combination of feeling good about my carbon footprint and saving a few pence.

If its off and a call comes through from a buyer the computer wont let me know. If its one of the paranoid type of ebayers the problems could start.

Do everything to avoid this kind of problem and a mobile is a simple solution (while the option still exists)

Even better is to use your voip and forward it to a mobile that way you are always available.