Increase in fake/AI-edited “proof of damage” photos – is eBay addressing this? | Business Seller Board

jl.ex-stock · 2026-01-11T13:29:53.630000Z

Hi everyone,I wanted to start a discussion to see if other sellers are experiencing an increase in questionable or unverifiable “proof of damage” photos from buyers. I’m concerned this is becoming a specific method to fish for refunds.I have encountered this twice now, and the pattern is strikingly similar.Case 1 (approx. 6 months ago): A buyer claimed damage and sent a single, highly stylised photo of the item on a marble worktop with coloured, mood lighting. It looked more like a staged Instagram post than proof of damage. When I insisted on a standard, clear photo showing the serial number, the buyer went silent and dropped the claim.Case 2 (more recent): I had a nearly identical situation, but this buyer was more persistent. He claimed a glass lampshade arrived broken but did not open a formal return. He sent a single photo in the exact same style – placed on a marble surface with artistic lighting. The image was vague, and crucially, the sticker with the serial number (which was on the unit I shipped) was not visible. I politely asked him to provide a standard photo showing the sticker/serial number so I could verify the claim. He never sent another photo.Because I didn't issue a blind refund based on that single "artistic" image, he left negative feedback. eBay refused to remove it, stating he provided "proof," even though it was unverifiable and missed the requested serial number evidence.My concern is the wider pattern. The fact that two different buyers sent such similarly staged photos (marble background, mood lighting) makes me suspect they are using specific AI tools to replace backgrounds or enhance damage to force refunds without returns.I’d really like to ask the community:Experience: Has anyone else noticed this specific trend of "stylised" damage photos (marble backgrounds, odd lighting)?Policy: Is eBay aware that sellers are being manipulated by image-based claims that deliberately hide identification markers like serial numbers?Advice: Since eBay support seems to accept these photos as valid proof for feedback purposes, how do you handle buyers who refuse to provide a photo of the serial number sticker?Any insights or experiences would be appreciated.

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Increase in fake/AI-edited “proof of damage” photos – is eBay addressing this? | Business Seller Board | eBay UK