This seems like a scam email from customerhelp_uk@ebay.com - please help

[mikem8634]

Hi, hope someone can offer a little guidance.

I went through the uk ebay site, via the link I always use to manage my account, and filled in the contact form for email help. It seemed legitimate.

The response seems very dubious. Any info would be much appreciated and thanks in advance

Here it is - 

Hello Mike,

Thank you for contacting eBay Customer Service regarding order 01-13474-81712. We do understand that you have received the item back damaged and we do know you want to request a compensation, as you have already refunded the buyer. My name is Jam and rest assured we are here to help.

For us to proceed further, we kindly request you to provide us with your PayPal email account that's active and matching your eBay email address. You might be asking why? This will be used by our dedicated team to process the request for the manual refund approval for the inquiry you have with regards to compensation request, as this item was shipped through simple delivery.

Thanks for your cooperation and we look forward to resolving this issue for you. I appreciate you taking the time to contact us today, thank you for your continued business. Have a wonderful day.

Kindest regards,
Jam
eBay Customer Service

[tressygirl]

SCAM ! 

eBay would never ask you for such details,  especially as they have nothing to do with PayPal when it comes to refunds .

You can send this to  spoof@ebay.com to deal with.

@mikem8634 

[papso22]

I have never heard of a contact form for email help, and a PayPal email doesn't have to match your ebay one, even if you have a PayPal account. 

You need to explore how you got to this communication route as something is off.

[mikem8634]

Thanks @tressygirl and @papso22 for your input. Turns out it was genuine though.

The same reply turned up in my ebay messages shortly after. So I decided to contact an agent on live chat. The agent confirmed that they needed my Paypal email in order to process my refund.  Here is the relevant bit of the transcript -

03:45:09 UTC Khushi

Since, it was simple delivery we cover both the buyer and the seller if the item have been damaged in transit.

That is the reason we were going to initiate the manual refund, and in order to do that we had asked to shared the PayPal email address so that the refund can be issued to you after approval in your PayPal, account.

So you do not need to worry it is totally safe to share the PayPal email address, as you credential will be totally safe from our side and you will not face any issue from this.

And the refund came through today. The whole process seemed a bit clunky, but credit and thanks to Khusi for sorting it out. Perhaps there needs to be a more official automated route for issues relating to Simple Delivery?

[tobiasd4]

Surely as ebay hold your bank account details, they can refund there.

Not all ebayers use PayPal now.

[mikem8634]

I know, it's odd. Perhaps it's tied to the payment methods of each individual account. As I said, it seems very clunky.

[tressygirl]

Nope,  sorry this is still smelling ' fishy to me'  something not right.  as @tobiasd4  says no one Has to have PayPal when selling on eBay, the 2 companies ' ' divorced ' years ago.

Do not forward your PP details just yet.

However,  your title may hold a clue.  You received this info from Customer Services .com ?  Based in the States, they may well have different rules to us here.

To check these details and instructions contact Customer Services here in the UK and best to contact CS very first thing on weekday mornings,  when the lines first open at 8 a.m. for ' Live agents'  as there's more chance of Dublin answering.

This is the easiest and quickest way to contact eBay Customer Services, for a Call Back option.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/eua?id=5275&mkevt=1&mkpid

Lines open for ' live agents' 8 a.m. - 10 p.m. on weekdays

9 a.m. - 6 p.m. on weekends.

Automated agents will be available on chat outside of the above hours.

As said,  I recommend contacting CS first thing in the morning as there's more chance of Dublin answering.

@mikem8634 

[mikem8634]

Thanks again for helping @tressygirl but it's all done. I received the refund today. All via in-platform messaging in the end. 

[tressygirl]

Excellent,  so may I ask,   you did not have to,  and did not reveal any PayPal details ?

@mikem8634 

[mikem8634]

I confirmed my Paypal email address. Nothing more.

[tressygirl]

You did!  Truly this is a first for me,  hearing this information was required for a refund.  Happy to hear your issue was solved.

However,  I wish to ask  a Community Manager if this is the norm to ask for PayPal information for this occasion and what happens dave@ebay   if the member does not have a PayPal account?  It surely isn't in the T & C's to sell on eBay,  is it ?

Please dave@ebay   can you look through this thread, confirm if PP is needed from a member for this purpose ? 🤔

Thanks