Ex staff kills eBay accounts

[lucrative]

Long story short,

An ex member of my staff has lead to all accounts linked to my business name and my name being restricted for good.

I have spoken to eBay myself for several hours on both the phone and live chat but as im sure you will know this is quite fruitless.

My name is blacklisted, eBay i no way will reinstate any of the accounts, tell my why they were limited, tell me what the account names were or tell me how many there are. I can not open any new accounts personal or business even though the issue that has lead to this was not actually personally me though i realise that my staffs actions are my responsability.

Anyhow im left with 6k of fixed monthly overhead costs from my eBay side of the business that will now have no way of being funded due to the lack of selling accounts.

I need a solution and i need honest advice fast.

I have spent the last few days searching online for advice and information.

I have several questions relating to the eBay Stealth Book that i would appreciate answering - im not worried about the price of buying it but the time that i could waste reading information that i may already know or that may be of no use to me.

Im sorry if im coming across like a tw*t here but im at the brink of losing a lot and i need it resolving quickly. This forum looks to be a wealth of knowledge and experience - unlike the staff at eBay i have been dealing with for the last 2 weeks.

1. From what i have read online it looks like the eBay Stealth way is pretty much fraud? Is this correct?

2. Will i able to set up say 3 accounts linked to new merchant bank accounts in a new ltd company name?

3. Will these account last the test of time? Has anyone got a "stealth" account thats been going for a few years turning over genuine business income?

Thanks for your time. I hope that i can become part of this forum and share the experience i have with other users.

[rsot]

Welcome to the forum first of all. While I understand your intentions and the overhead costs involved are steep, I will pitch in my 2 cents in spite of saying that you are appearing to come across a bit as arrogant and I understand that time is of the essence but I won't let my judgement cloud my thinking/typing.

1. It is not fraud - fraud would be you operating the accounts in an unscrupulous fashion, ripping people off or selling bogus items.

2. Yes you could do that but you can NOT use your old information in terms of registration on eb ay - as you can figure, that's over.

3. This is a rough q to give an answer that's 100%. There are folx here who last years, months, days, hours, etc. - all depends on how you operate and also a bit of the "luck" factor. I myself have several stealth accounts that generate income - I don't consider the income "business" but it was intense this last holiday season. Mind you, I have only been back on eBay for the past 1-2 years. Previous to that, I operate HEAVILY during the golden age of eb with checks and money orders flying out of the whazzoo...heavy and did school heavy.

I look forward to your contributions and over time, hopefully you will be a credible member of this forum.

Other folx will chime in later.

[Stigger]

Originally Posted by lucrative

1. From what i have read online it looks like the eBay Stealth way is pretty much fraud? Is this correct?

2. Will i able to set up say 3 accounts linked to new merchant bank accounts in a new ltd company name?

3. Will these account last the test of time? Has anyone got a "stealth" account thats been going for a few years turning over genuine business income?

Thanks for your time. I hope that i can become part of this forum and share the experience i have with other users.

1. No, .

2. yes

3 the first part of this question is impossible to answer for many factors, it depends on how you run the accounts, the second part is yes people are turning over genuine business income on stealth account or accounts.

the best advice is to suck it and see - eBay Stealth i mean

[lucrative]

Thanks for the replies. Sorry if I'm coming across arrogant, I'm simply in a bit of a panic and looking for clear concise information.

In the UK its not easy to set up merchant accounts for a ltd company and i happen to have 3 new ones that are unused at the moment so i really feel i have these last 3 chances to set up a sustainable account that i can use for the next few years to operate a legitimate business over. I have learnt that i will have to monitor the account myself heavily to make sure the same thing does not happen again.

eBay has become a large part of the business model here and i cant find a replacement for it no matter how hard i try!

It seems the problem i have had is that everything to do with the companies i own has been under my name from mobile phone contracts to car insurance. Staff just put everything in my name - this has been the same with eBay with (due to its nature) staff opening up new accounts without my permission and seemingly running them into the ground.

[GreenBean]

Originally Posted by lucrative

Long story short,

An ex member of my staff has lead to all accounts linked to my business name and my name being restricted for good.

I have spoken to eBay myself for several hours on both the phone and live chat but as im sure you will know this is quite fruitless.

My name is blacklisted, eBay i no way will reinstate any of the accounts, tell my why they were limited, tell me what the account names were or tell me how many there are. I can not open any new accounts personal or business even though the issue that has lead to this was not actually personally me though i realise that my staffs actions are my responsability.

Anyhow im left with 6k of fixed monthly overhead costs from my eBay side of the business that will now have no way of being funded due to the lack of selling accounts.

I need a solution and i need honest advice fast.

I have spent the last few days searching online for advice and information.

I have several questions relating to the eBay Stealth Book that i would appreciate answering - im not worried about the price of buying it but the time that i could waste reading information that i may already know or that may be of no use to me.

Im sorry if im coming across like a tw*t here but im at the brink of losing a lot and i need it resolving quickly. This forum looks to be a wealth of knowledge and experience - unlike the staff at eBay i have been dealing with for the last 2 weeks.

Man, you are doing a good imitation of being one. Of course I understand the frustration of being suspended by ebay. But if an ex-staffer did the dirty on you, I have to wonder how much you contributed to the problem?
ebay send notices of suspensions. At the very least you should have something like that. That may be helpful.
At this point I would respectfully suggest you take a deep breath (pull your head in so to speak) and then let's see how you might get help.

1. From what i have read online it looks like the eBay Stealth way is pretty much fraud? Is this correct?

No.

2. Will i able to set up say 3 accounts linked to new merchant bank accounts in a new ltd company name?

That is doable. Part of the problem may be the inability of BUYERS to use anything but paypal. Also, ideally, you should have a verified paypal to sell on in the UK. {NB 'ideally}

3. Will these account last the test of time? Has anyone got a "stealth" account thats been going for a few years turning over genuine business income?

Thanks for your time. I hope that i can become part of this forum and share the experience i have with other users.

Of course there are accounts that work. Frankly that is like saying how long is a piece of string. I am wondering why you have all your eggs in one basket (if you have)? ebay is such a troublesome platform that I would not consider it expedient to be reliant on it for all income.
Again, take a deep breath. Ease up and you will find that for what effort you put into using stealth should work. It's not easy but it can be achieved.
Welcome to the forum.

(eta: we cross-posted)

[oompaloompa]

I think the easiest way round getting new identity is a PO box and a new limited company name.

If asked for ID on the premier of the company, you have a few things to look at, have you submitted ID before? even if you havent, ebay will previously have had your name and dob that you signed up with.

as company director/premier, there is no way round that, if you do not want to 'amend' a doc, you must get someone else that you trust as a director. Who can submit ID. Otherwise you can risk using your own name and dob, but there is a high chance that will risk your accounts, particularly if you sell exact same goods as before.

When you say fraud, there is a fine line IMO, As long as you sign up for bank and company in your true ID that is fine.

[Stigger]

Another point i would suggest is to put your main efforts in to getting your own websites where you are more in control and PP/ebay can't take you down over night.

there is many many people in your situation and understand only too well were your coming from, many of us have been in the same position, some worse.

if you run in to trouble of have any questions then at least your in the right place with like minded people only too willing to help.

your not alone.

Welcome to the forum!!

[lucrative]

Thanks for the continued advice, i really appreciate your time.

We do sell across different platforms but for this particular business only eBay is suitable at the volumes we are looking at.

Could someone please advise me on this - Has anyone succesfully used the methods in the stealth guide to create and keep an account running for 12 months plus turning over reasonable transactions around 300 a month?

I ask because there are obvious ways to become "stealth" such as new address, new banks, new names, new phones, new ip's all which we have already tried and have failed. I am hoping i am missing a key technique?

Thanks

[rsot]

Hmm few accounts of mine have been running for over 1 year - average 2-3 a day so 90 a month during peak times but you WILL NOT last if you start right away at 300 a month. Slow is key.

[lucrative]

This is whats worrying me - these stealth account sound very fragile. I can only speculate that for an account to truly be defined as stealth it should be technically the same as a totally seperate entity or person opening a new account - operating under the radar as something that has no reason to raise any red flags.

If this was the case then there would be no reason for the account to be closed unless the user violated any of eBays terms.

In the good days we had new accounts that same up to speed quickly without problems so i know that it is possible. I believe there is a way and im looking hard for it.

Thanks for the inpout.

[Here We Go Again]

I have been running a "Stealth" account on eBay since 2007.
It is the best account I have ever had.
So far the feedback alone is over 2,000 and at a 99.8%
This past Christmas season in Dec alone it grossed over 30K.

So yes "Stealth" accounts do work.
It ALL depends on the knowledge and patients of the person setting it up.

Aspkin's eBay Stealth is good and it works.
You just need the knowledge and patients to make it work for you.

[isitworththestress]

Originally Posted by lucrative

This is whats worrying me - these stealth account sound very fragile. I can only speculate that for an account to truly be defined as stealth it should be technically the same as a totally seperate entity or person opening a new account - operating under the radar as something that has no reason to raise any red flags.

If this was the case then there would be no reason for the account to be closed unless the user violated any of eBays terms.

In the good days we had new accounts that same up to speed quickly without problems so i know that it is possible. I believe there is a way and im looking hard for it.

Thanks for the inpout.

It is not that stealth accounts are fragile, but that all accounts on ebay are now fragile, which is why people are saying grow slowly with several accounts rather than one or two accounts selling everything.

This way if they do take down one or more accounts, you can shrug it off as you have others to take their place

As you are already selling on other venues start using your customer lists to promote your off ebay sales and have a basic plan to stop relying on ebay and only use it as a promotional tool.

There is loads of advice on doing that if you read around the forum and the net.

And you do not have to do a lot wrong to be kicked from ebay, which is another reason you need the stealth accounts if you wish to continue selling on ebay, as no one is safe.

Once you understand that ebay think of all sellers as bad dishonest people, then it makes a lot more sense. It just takes a while for most people to get their head round that.

[pod]

Originally Posted by TizWoz

Another point i would suggest is to put your main efforts in to getting your own websites where you are more in control and PP/ebay can't take you down over night.

This is great advice for anyone and everyone that has a product they can sell on a website. Even if the sales off the site are a small fraction of eBay its at least something you have control over. You are not likely to suspend yourself
And not everyone shops on eBay so the more sales the better

Originally Posted by isitworththestress

It is not that stealth accounts are fragile, but that all accounts on ebay are now fragile.

Thats it right there. Any account needs to be treated with great care. Its just too easy to get killed these days. Stealth or real you still need to walk on egg shells.

[lucrative]

Thanks for the replies.

I have emailed faxed and written to various departments of ebay - contact details of which i found by using our old friend google. I am hoping that someone will understand my genuine situation and try to help me out - i will keep you updated on this but im not holding my breath.

I have read ebay stealth a couple of times this weekend and done a lot of other research online and as of yet i cant find a 100% solid solution - maybe im not looking in the correct places? maybe one does not exist? I was expecting to come across an advanced loophole but im beginning to think there might not be one?

Thanks for your time.

[pod]

Originally Posted by lucrative

someone will understand my genuine situation and try to help me out .

Dont hold too much faith that will happen. It very rarely, if ever does. Its much easier for them to take a zero chance attitude and just burn you. They really dont care about why. At all. I know its easy to assume that all you have to do is reason with them and make sense and all will be well. We have all assumed that at one point. It sadly isnt about reason. Its not about right. They simply can not be reasoned with. Its far easier for them to just kick you to the curb

Dont waste too much time thinking you can fix this. The sooner you get going with stealth the better

[lucrative]

Yeah pod i get this impression too im afraid.

There are just a few hurdles that i dont think can be jumped by going stealth - this being one of them:

.

[Stigger]

]

ltd company's cost nothing to set up or you can pay someone a small fee to do it, put it in someone else's name or use your own, i pay £5pcm for a virtual address, they will take any size package and forward it or i can collect it, it costs me nothing more if i collect.

you can open a business bank account and create sub business account for your many ventures, IE : for all your, amzon, eby PP accounts, websites and so on

[GreenBean]

Nothing in life has a 100% solution. There are many solutions out there. What you do is adapt them to your own best ends.

Look within yourself as to what you can do, what you can not do AND what you might do.
That's your (new) path. Or stop thinking of doing ebay because YOU are putting up too many hurdles before you even start to walk again.

[isitworththestress]

I am just wondering what was it they did to get you kicked off? Or did I miss it.

[lucrative]

Hi,

isitworththestress - Well basically they wont tell me why, No informative suspension notices on the accounts i have access to other than that our accounts are closed because of links to a suspended user. We have only had one business account closed for seller none performance about 2 years ago so i can hazard a guess that may be the issue.

TizWoz - Thanks for your continued interest in my situation, im concerned about the implications of registering a new ltd company in someone elses name and then using it myself. Thanks

[Stigger]

Originally Posted by lucrative

Hi,

isitworththestress - Well basically they wont tell me why, No informative suspension notices on the accounts i have access to other than that our accounts are closed because of links to a suspended user. We have only had one business account closed for seller none performance about 2 years ago so i can hazard a guess that may be the issue.

TizWoz - Thanks for your continued interest in my situation, im concerned about the implications of registering a new ltd company in someone elses name and then using it myself. Thanks

i have sent you a PM, you can do things 100% legal without telling any lies or breaking any laws, you just need to do some serious research.

[GreenBean]

You both got pm's from me on the matter. He's already had it explained.
Why he's still putting up the blocks, I have no idea.