Mugged by eBay AI
Summary: kitty-shizz shared concerns about eBay's system, claiming it allows buyers to exploit return requests, leading to unauthorized deductions from their bank account. They argue this results from eBay's policies and an allegedly flawed AI system. Several participants debated the issue, questioning the evidence of such claims and suggesting that sellers' agreement to eBay's terms includes return policies. The discussion included opinions on buyers exploiting buy-and-return tactics and the challenges private sellers face, including possible tax issues. Participants expressed mixed views on the effectiveness and fairness of eBay's policies and the viability of legal action.
I have been a private seller on eBay for 18 years. But that means less than nothing to the "company". In all that time, I had just one single return which I dealt with appropriately to the buyer's satisfaction. I worked in high end retail customer service, so prioritise excellent customer service wherever possible. Until very recently, I maintained a feedback rating of 100%.
However, about 6 weeks ago, it started. The return "requests" started coming thick and fast. They're more like demands. As a private seller, my profit margins are tiny.
So I Searched in a regular search engine the following words;
eBay
Refund
Scam
Give it a try and see for yourself.
What's occurring is the mass exploitation of a feature that's a result of eBay buying a bargain basement Chinese AI.
It automatically takes money from the seller to provide buyers with return labels. The moment the return is scanned by the courier upon delivery at the seller's address, the AI takes money from the seller's account and gives the buyer a full refund.
All this occurs without any human involvement whatsoever, including the AI dipping into the seller's bank account once it's drained their eBay account. It needs not ask permission to do this, or check if there's any substance to the buyers claim.
Websites provide buyers with detailed instructions about how they can do this and succeed every time.
They advise targeting sellers with good feedback rates and even give instructions about how they can get refunds and keep the item too - something a lot of sellers will have experienced in recent months.
It's sent me into an unauthorised overdraft at my bank and reached a stage where I'm actually paying for buyers to take things off me.
Paying to be mugged by eBay's cut price AI. unbelievable.
I took 3 weeks holiday in an attempt to rescue my sanity. Obviously the AI kept up its pillaging of my bank account throughout the period.
I'm now planning to take legal action. No judge in this land will agree that a machine, repeatedly dipping into my bank account without asking or telling me, is okay.
This would set a legal precedent, allowing similarly affected sellers to claim for those losses from eBay.
Stand with me.
Feel free to use and share the "Scammed by eBay" image, freely.
gllee1951
·2 weeks agoI’m a private seller with 100% positive ratings over 20 years, unfortunately I have now lost confidence in selling on eBay as I feel that they give little or no protection against buyers who exploit the “not as described” reason to try to get the item at a reduced cost, I’m very meticulous in the way that I describe my items for sale and always take my own photos of the items for sale. eBay appears to automatically side with the buyer no questions asked.
wheretheloveb
·2 weeks agoWhilst I'm also angry about business sellers on a private account, shouldn't the anger be directed at eBay for allowing it to happen?
Everybody jumps on private sellers constantly, but with the way eBay treats business sellers and screws us for more fees is it any wonder there are so many full time privates
cobwebcottage
·2 weeks agoBoth Ebay and the traders on private accounts are culpable.
They ( Ebay) are being very foolish though as they will lose the genuine business sellers, gain more trading on private accounts and lose more customers when they realise that they are not protected by consumer laws.
cheekychippy210
·2 weeks agoevery seller agrees to the terms set out by ebay.
guymafo
·2 weeks ago@kitty-shizz ‘private seller’ ‘profit margins’ ‘customer service’ oh dear.
yorkshire*flower
·2 weeks ago · EditedWow your "About" page is a propper ray of sunshine but the line "The §HiT §HoP isn't a company." contradicts the lines "I operate on the tiniest profit margins" and "To those who enjoyed destroying my little outfit" - Means you are a business with those statements and should then have the correct account to offer returns to buyers. The AI bots are only automating what buyers are entitled to if the item is damaged/ not as described and that is because Ebay isnt a car boot sale company and they have obligations to protect buyers - even if you disagree. You say on your about page "I operate a "no returns" policy. But that means nothing. eBay AI takes money from me without my permission to issue a return label and then to refund - yet again without my permission" - Im afraid you dont get to decide who can or cant return an item if its broken/not as described and Im afraid refusing buyers the option to return means they will claim its broken or not as described to get the return through.
My only advice at this point is I hope you have your tax affairs in order too otherwise a few returns will be the least of your problems - You say you have been on Ebay for 18yrs so Im guessing with 450 feedback in last 12mths and 639 items sold leads me to believe you have done most of your selling in the last 12 months so if you are not aware Ebay (by law) have to send your financial trading accounts to HMRC yearly, regardless of which account status you are claiming - so with rough calculations I can see you sold most items around the £6-8 mark x 500 sales you turned over approx £4k, which is way over the personal allowance and most likely receive a brown envelope from HMRC requesting your records.
*vyolla*
·2 weeks agoPlease do pop back and keep us updated on how your legal action is going and if you do manage to set a precedent and how much it cost in legal fees. Over the years we've seen a few sellers tell us that they're taking legal action, but they never bother to update us.
As regards using your badge, I can't imagine that will do much for sales. If I saw that as a sellers avatar I'd be hitting the back button.
yorkshire*flower
·2 weeks agoThats nothing go and read the About page
jonatjonatjonat
·2 weeks ago"The §HiT §HoP isn't a company"
"The way I do this is by going to the shops and taking advantage of offers/sale prices/display items."
If the name of the store didn't put you off....
And there in lies the problem. People conflate business to mean company. But they are buying items to sell. That is literally a business.
yorkshire*flower
·2 weeks ago · EditedLove the neutral feedback "Very prompt dispatch and delivery. However, item a lot smaller than dimensions given on one of the photos. No returns, but thought I would contact seller in case wrong item had been sent and got this reply: kitty-shizz is out of office until 31/07/2026 and may not be able to respond your message. Automatic reply from kitty-shizz: Ebay is allowing scammers to steal from me, harass and abuse me Until the police settle this I am forced to close"
I think with that auto reply on theyll be receiving a few more negative feedbacks - Also wait til she finds out that Ebay report turnover to HMRC - Think a few returns will be the least of her problems.
sml192
·2 weeks ago · EditedNot sure what they think the Police are going to do.
yorkshire*flower
·2 weeks agowould love to be a fly on the wall in that conversation.
1956glyn
·2 weeks agoBefore you were allowed to even list your first item and when you joined you had to agree to Ebays terms and conditions as we all did. If they have to refund then you gave them the right to either refund from your held funds or to take the refund from your linked bank account as a back up.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/selling/managing-returns-refunds/refunding-buyers?id=5182&from=EBAY_AI&origin=EBAY_AI
Sounds like you didnt bother to read Ebays terms and conditions ...and are now complaining. Thats your fault no one elses.
suelel1968
·2 weeks agoThere is real evidence that refund‑abuse scams exist on eBay — including AI‑manipulated photos and buyers exploiting the Money Back Guarantee — but where is the evidence that eBay uses a “bargain‑basement Chinese AI” that automatically drains sellers’ bank accounts without human oversight.
What is true is more mundane, but still frustrating for sellers: eBay’s policy design, not an autonomous AI, creates situations where dishonest buyers can exploit the system.
jonatjonatjonat
·2 weeks agobut where is the evidence that eBay uses a “bargain‑basement Chinese AI” that automatically drains sellers’ bank accounts without human oversight.
I doubt there is any. The only scenario in which eBay would automatically charge a seller for a return label is if they simply ignored a return request. And then continued to ignore them by not refunding the customer within two days of getting the item back.
There is no denying a percentage of return requests use fraudulent claims. But eBay still allow you controls to provide your own labels if you wish.
Someone selling all new goods without allowing returns would of course be likely to get a higher percentage of item not as described cases being opened in the first place.
kitty-shizz
OP2 weeks agoObviously, my mistake is setting a scene.
The point is a machine taking money from my bank account without my express permission.
Even continuing to do so when I was away from home and all devices
1956glyn
·2 weeks agoYou gave your express permission when you initially ticked the box agreeing to all of Ebays terms and conditions.
cobwebcottage
·2 weeks agoAnother 'private seller' who is trading and having a moan about how unfairly they are treated by Ebay when they don't pay any fees or give customers any rights.
Please, when you start your legal action crusade, come back and let us all know how it went.
jonatjonatjonat
·2 weeks agoBingo. if they offered the legally required returns - they'd probably find a good percentage of returns would be change of mind where they wouldn't have to paythe postage. Instead, they end up giving buyers the only option to open an item not as described return to get their actual rights.
fribblecollectables
·2 weeks agoWhen they begin their legal action, I guess eBay could fight back and ask why a 'private' seller is trading brand new items in multiple quantities.
cobwebcottage
·2 weeks agoWell exactly. Funny that we never hear the outcomes from these sellers who say that they are going to take legal action. It would be laughed out of court.
jonatjonatjonat
·2 weeks agoAs a private seller - you shouldn't have profit margins. Because you aren't buying things expressly to sell.
upda8077
·2 weeks agoYou seem to have missed the point and attacked the poster instead, personally I dont think it has anything to do with you, or me, or anyone else how a person runs their account, unless you like pulling people up.
And dont think I will rise and read or reply to any of your posts from now on about this, I will not lower myself.
jonatjonatjonat
·2 weeks agoSuch is the beauty of public forums. Such freedom.