Forum

Do you think this will work? New account...
 

Hi people. I was a good seller on eBay for over 10 years. Made a lot of money, but then disaster struck.

I've cleaned up that mess, but eBay is unforgiving. So I've opened a new account with a friend's information, paying him 10% of what I sell for the privilege of using his stuff.

Have unrelated bank account, account registration address, email, telephone ~ all my friend's, no ties to me, unless they were to google search our two names together, then there's one thing that will show up in an obituary.

I sell old junk. From what I've read, it sounds like a lot of you are selling electronics or brand name merchandise. My things are probably going to sell for less than $100, more in the $25-50 range most of the time. Anyone think this is going to be a problem?

Is this likely to work? I'm using a computer at Kinko's right now, but will be using public computers and inputting information through InkFrog.

Any help really, really appreciated. I need the money pretty badly, have a ton of stuff to sell.

Thanks. Bad (Used to be Good) Girl

**ALSO, I bought the book...just had already launched auctions before I did so. Hoping I will be okay. NOT signing in to eBay or Paypal with my old computer at home. It has a new ISP since the last time I went into either account, but I don't know if eBay can peer through the ISP to see the name on the registration for the internet service? Sheesh, so freaking hard. THANKS AGAIN!!!

Only issue with using public computers is their IP addresses may change frequently and the fact that they may link you to other accounts if other people have used those computers and were suspended.

Huge mistake.

What happens if you make a mistake and link? He loses his account and you lose a friend.

Why not have your own stealth account and sell on it?

You really need to have multiple accounts because of the new account limitations.

I would stop using someone elses info and account right now.

Horror stories have been posted about people doing this and losing friends or familys info or accounts.

Sometimes the easy way is not the better way.

I sell old stuff, antiques and collectibles myself and never have an issue.


What did you sell or do that got your banned? If you sell antiques you should not have had any issues.

I'm not planning on doing anything wrong. Shouldn't be any complaints, just getting rid of old stuff.

The economy really hit me hard with the crash in 2008. I started doing some stuff for other sellers, letting them purchase large amounts of things and holding them for pickup, that sort of thing. there was a leak in my storage building that went undiscovered until one of my biggest buyers wanted to pick up her stuff. What a mess. Thousands of $$ in merchandise ruined. And then the hurricane hit the NE and no one bought anything for two weeks.

It was awful. No way to recoup the losses, no way to send out the things people had purchased (freight). I felt really bad about it. It's taken a couple of years to make everything right with the buyers, but now I've still got a bunch of stuff to get rid of.

My friend never uses eBay. I will try to get a stealth account set up, but had listed these things the other day and wanted to see if I was going to get dinged.

It seems like eBay would recognize that there might be thousands of users at Starbucks or Mcdonald's? Or the local university ... I think they have free wifi access across campus.

Learning ... Thanks for the good info.

If you are worried about linking IP's on your computer at home. Read the the section on IP's and information throughout this forum.
Good Luck!!!

This is true for the eBay buyers, but eBay also recognises that most (real) sellers would not jeopardize their accounts and security using a public hot spot to conduct business.

IMO this puts a account under scrutiny, and certainly so if a account was being looked at manually.

And what % are you giving to the IRS? That must be considered

Friends, business and tax are not wise

:noidea:

I do my friend's taxes every year. He's elderly, and lives on social security ~ barely ~ so the 10% is something he welcomes. He's a hustler too, a funny guy. Every Monday morning, he rounds up the casino cards of about two dozen old geezers, takes them out to the casino and gets the $5 free $$ a week the casino issues to old folks. He splits the winnings with the geezer brotherhood and has some fun.

Just as with my business, I'll report all income, minus expenses, and give the IRS its due.

I'm planning on selling less than 20-25 items a week, not large scale like many of you seem to be doing. Just needing to liquidate some of this stuff and bring in some extra $$ having recently lost more than half my household income :(

The thing is, these items are not selling locally. This is such a depressed area and there is no interest in these fairly obscure niche collectibles. We'll see. Hope it works. I sure need it to. Meanwhile, I will set up some steeeaaaaaaalth accounts using my shiny new handy dandy stealth handbook.

it seem you have thought this thoroughly. what is the problem you are facing right now.

Did you know that income can effect Eligibility for Soc Security and taxation?

It can also effect Nursing Home care, In Home care, and Medicaid.

If you think of it that way and you already have your mind made up, then why did you come here to ask if it's a good idea? That's like asking "is it good to eat this whole cake in one sitting" and doing it anyways after everyone screams NO. What was the point?

I believe all you want to do is take advantage of your "elderly friend", it's ridiculous. It's EASIER to create a STEALTH ACCOUNT...and just because you use your friends SSN and such, there is NO GUARANTEE you are going to be getting any higher of a limit than you would on a stealth account.

How are you going to sell 20-25 items per week when you are going to be stuck with a 10 item selling limit? Hell, I am even stuck with a 50 item limit...I know for a fact I could sell 500+ items a month...not going to happen because I am stuck with a 50 item per month listing.

Good luck with your plan though :violin:

Okay. No intention to get anyone riled up. Appreciate the advice.

THREAD LOCKED.

OP wants to do what they want.

Let them.