untrappable

eBay scams: spot the fake buyer or seller

Editorially reviewed · Last updated August 5, 2026

Yes — this is a scam. eBay is a real marketplace, but a buyer or seller who pulls you off eBay, asks for a wire or gift card, or sends a fake account notice is running a scam.

Second-chance offer: confirm payment now
E
eBay Account Review
notice@ebay-resolution-center.com
Today 10:14 AM
Your eBay second-chance purchase is ready. Send $380 by wire to the seller's email address and forward the receipt. If you do not act in 15 minutes, the offer will be released: ebay-resolution-center.com/secure
Confirm purchase
The Email, as received

Other versions you might get: A fake second-chance offer, a buyer who sends a payment notice and asks you to refund the difference, a seller who wants a wire or gift card, or an email that copies eBay branding but uses a look-alike domain. The mask changes; leaving eBay removes the protections the scammer wants you to lose.

What to do right now

  1. Open eBay yourself. Type ebay.com or use the app, then check My eBay and your messages. Do not use the link, number, or reply address in the unexpected notice.
  2. Keep the transaction on eBay. Do not wire money, move to a private email, pay a seller directly, or send a buyer a separate reimbursement. eBay's security guidance says not to complete sales or payments outside eBay.
  3. Never share a password or buy gift cards. eBay says it will not ask for your password or personal information by email or phone, and gift cards should only be redeemed on ebay.com.
  4. Report the listing, account, or spoofed email. Use eBay's Report a Concern flow; forward a spoofed email to spoof@ebay.com if that is the route eBay gives you.
  5. If you paid or shared information, act quickly. Contact your bank, card issuer, or payment provider and ask about a reversal, change exposed passwords, and report the fraud at reportfraud.ftc.gov.

How to make sure it never bites you

A fake eBay notice often leads to a second contact pretending to process a refund. Use eBay's own account and reporting tools, then contact the payment provider or bank directly. Keep the seller profile, listing, messages, email headers, payment record, and domain.

Untrappable · Public service advisory

Stop the next one at the source

You got this because your details are on lists that get bought, sold, and leaked. You can't unspill that, but you can make it useless to a scammer. Start with the free steps — they do most of the work.

Optional — if you'd rather it was handled for you

If you'd rather have it watched for you, an identity-protection service monitors your accounts, SSN, and the dark web, warns you the moment something new appears, and helps you recover if someone gets through.

See identity protection →

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Frequently asked

Is an eBay second-chance offer real?
Verify it inside My eBay before doing anything. The California Attorney General warns that scammers use bogus second-chance offers to lure buyers away from eBay and request wire transfers. Do not pay through a link or contact address in the message.
How can I tell if an eBay email is real?
Do not trust the logo or display name. Open eBay yourself and check your account there; eBay says real sites use eBay domains and that it will not ask for your password or personal information by email or phone. Treat a look-alike domain as a scam warning.
A buyer overpaid and wants a refund. What should I do?
Do not send the difference. Stop the transaction, verify the payment inside eBay and your bank, and report the buyer. An apparent overpayment or reimbursement request is one of the patterns eBay warns about because the original payment may be fake or reversed.
A seller wants payment by wire or gift card. Is that safe?
No. A request to leave eBay, wire money, or buy gift cards removes the marketplace record and is a scam warning. Keep the conversation and payment inside eBay; if the seller refuses, walk away and report the listing.
I paid an eBay scammer. What should I do?
Contact the bank, card issuer, or payment provider immediately and ask whether the payment can be reversed. Report the account or listing to eBay and file at reportfraud.ftc.gov. Keep every message, receipt, profile, and URL.

Related scams

Sources

A public service

Help protect someone else

Scams spread because people stay quiet about them. If this could have fooled you, it can fool someone you know — a parent, a friend, the family group chat. Passing it on is the easiest good thing you'll do today. It's safe to forward, and stands on its own as a record for a bank or the police.