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Getting ready to create my first eBay stealth account, can you point out the flaws?
 

I want to make sure there aren't any flaws in my plan before proceeding.\

1. Create new user account on my Windows machine, use ⊗⊗⊗⊗ name generator, use address 3 houses down from mine that belongs to an elderly woman that I doubt has ever signed up for eBay.

2. Purchase and use a fresh IP address from 24vc.com

3. Use my Tracphone to sign up for eBay, input ⊗⊗⊗⊗ name and set address down the street. Do I need to keep paying for the tracphone service as long as I have my eBay account?

4. Sign up for PayPal with my Vanilla Visa and set the zip of the Visa to my actual zip code, input an actual bank account that's never been used for PayPal before. Go back to eBay and set up eBay fee payments through my PayPal account.

5. For 2 days just search, watch, and maybe even bid on items you know you won't win. Settle yourself in slowly. On day 3, list up a used book as a Buy It Now. Search, watch, bid. Day 4-5 list a Star Wars Force Awakens case for $2.49 just to get my feedback up? I have about 20 of these. If that's a bad idea, I might just begin selling low risk clothing, increasing how many I list day by day slowly.

6. Once I settle myself in, use another eBay stealth account to "buy" something from myself, maybe like a $150 purchase. Why? Because If I do end up getting limited early on, I can just "refund" this transaction and take my limited account balance out.

7. Provide excellent customer service, ship items out within 24 hours. Create more stealth accounts to equally distribute funds. With the new stealth accounts, use a Verizon hotspot to lower the cost of paying $20 a month for each account to have it's own IP, log IP's.

I can't help but feel like I'm leaving something out! If you see anything wrong with my plan, please let me know. Thanks!

Re: Getting ready to create my first eBay stealth account, can you point out the flaw
 

Point 1 stinks.

Assuming in stealth is bad.

Using the same street address is not wise.

Rethink that.

Re: Getting ready to create my first eBay stealth account, can you point out the flaw
 

Sorry, I wasn't sure how to elaborate?

Re: Getting ready to create my first eBay stealth account, can you point out the flaw
 

Is there any way to get around the risk of just using a random address within 50 miles of my location without having to pay for a virtual address?

Re: Getting ready to create my first eBay stealth account, can you point out the flaw
 

You have some things right. Some things are off base.

Don't bring your neighbor into this. Pick a random house that is listed for sale if you must. But ideally you want access to the address which means you need a new address to give to eBay for shipping/returns. If you just pick a random house and use that, you'd need a plan for accepting returns unless you would just refund your buyers and tell them to keep the items.

PO Boxes are really cheap, as are mail forwarding addresses and are great ways to get a new return address.


It's a good idea to keep the phone active. In years past you could cheap out and let the service time expire and be fine the majority of the time, but with Paypal's security measures that require the original phone number, you don't want to be stuck in limbo. Only you can make the final decision to do so or not, but all in all it's best to keep the phone active for situations like that so you won't have to worry. It's just a cost of doing business.


Keep in mind that the Visa isn't going to pass AVS if you put your real zip (unless the stealth address is also in your zip code).


You started off #5 fine, but it started to fall apart at the end.

Searching, watching items, and bidding is a good way to break in a new account. As is listing a used, cheap low risk item. But it's best to stay away from any brand names (Star Wars), and anything electronic/cell phone related (by "case", you meant cell phone case right?). Clothing can also be a mine field due to name brands.

For cheap, low risk items to sell, check out your local dollar store. Worst case you lose a few dollars if they don't sell. Best case you have some low risk items that you can build your accounts with.


Not a good idea. So many things can go wrong here. Never cross paths with two different accounts you own.

If one gets limited then chances are both will get limited if they link the accounts together, so there will be no taking the balance out until 180 days.