Account suspended and closed - £950 lost

[sel8606]

I wonder is someone can help.

I sold a brand new unopened Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max. The buyer contacted me to say the item was defected even though the Royal Mail Special Delivery stated the item had not been collected from the Post Office. I asked the buyer to provide photos of the box, the phone and IMEI number, which they didn't respond. The phone was finally collected from the post office 2 days after the return request. 

The deadline to resolve the issue was the 15 May 2026, where on the 16 May 2026 eBay emails me to say they have suspended and closed my eBay account due to suspicious activity. I have sent numerous messages to eBay yet they just state my account is suspended.

I had £950 waited to by paid to me, which has now been lost, so I am out of pocket. All I want is my account reinstated and for the buyer to actually return the phone.

EBay are treating me like a criminal. My previous sales were perfect, with 100% feedback, which also included a sale of a high value phone.

Please someone help or advise.

[*vyolla*]

The time to contact eBay to tell them that your buyer had opened an item not as described return when they hadn't yet collected the phone has passed. 

If a buyer opens a return you must accept it before they can ask eBay to step in (after 3 business days) which is now what seems to have happened here.

You can try appealing eBay's decision here:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/selling/managing-returns-refunds/appeal-outcome-case-seller?id=4369&from...

You have the IMEI number so report that phone as stolen.