eBay Need me to pass on my details to strangers.

[deandad1]

Was looking to buy a car on eBay but i wanted to contact the seller via message, however ebay require me to give the seller my first & last name, my email address, telephone number and postcode. Why do i need to give strangers all these details just to ask a question about a car? This is absolutely ridiculous. It's just a message.

[john1297576]

Are you sure ebay asked you to do this? It sounds like information that scammers would ask for, and not the sort of information ebay would ask you to provide, in fact giving these details before buying would not be allowed.

Unless it is a classified ad. you have to buy car before you can arrange to inspect it.

Be very careful as many vehicles on ebay do not even exist and paying for an unseen vehicle is a good way to lose money. There is NO MONEY BACK GUARANTEE on vehicles.

[plpmr]

A classified ad requires that information.

[red_magpie]

Why do i need to give strangers all these details just to ask a question about a car?

Because sales on classified ads are entirely between you and the seller. eBay has decided, I think quite rightly, that interested buyers should identify themselves when asking questions.

This is especially important for sales of  motor vehicles. There are so many frauds on eBay with no buyer or seller protection that both parties need to know who they're dealing with.

It's like responding to a small ad in the local paper or a shop window. Would you refuse to tell the seller who is calling?