Identity verification failed - funds on hold

[doxaaletheia]

I'm a private seller with over 5 years of selling items on eBay. I've recenty moved to a new address. After updating my details under accounts -> addresses my seller's account became restricted for some reason. There's a notification in red 'Your payouts are on hold until you update your account details. Please update by 21 Feb, 2024 to avoid further restrictions'. eBay requested that I submit my ID for verification, which I did.

I have Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK and a UK goverment-issued BRP card. I don't have any other documents as I've not visited my country of origin for more than 20 years. The verification form accepts UK passport, a driving license or 'other goverment-issued ID'. I selected the third option and uploaded scans of my ID in high-res and in colour (both sides) as requested. That was done Jan 24. 10-20 minutes later I received a message saying: "We weren’t able to verify your details. Please review the information below." I've resubmitted the documents multiple times in the last few days and each time I get this message in red notyifing me that eBay were unable to verify my document, which I find a bit ridiculous as the document is accepoted by anyone in the UK for any verification puropse as it is an equivalent to a passport or a driving licence.

The first agent I called on Jan 25 said that she could see the document is valid, adding that she would file a complaint on my behalf  my account should be restored within the next 24 hours and the funds released. 

I waited until the next day and then resubmitted by document. 

All the funds I received for the last sales are on hold, we are talking about a sum of more than £400. 

I contacted another agents the next day and was told to wait 48 more hours. I also had a chat with one of the agents who confirmed that in writing.

As of today, my funds remain on hold and eBay still wants me to update my account details. I called another agent about an hour ago who said that since documents are checked by a robot, only passports and a driving licence can be varified, other forms of ID should be verified by a human being which would take up to 5 working days. So when I submit the form with 'another goverement-issued ID' selected, should it not go automatically to the relevant department to be seem by a human being?

The amount of contradictory and misleading information I received from eBay agents is extraordinary. I don't know what it is, incompetance, malice or something else. I will wait until Wednsday-Thursday and if the matter is not resolved I'd need to approach an ombudsman and possibly take a legal action againt eBay who are holding my money without any good reason, hence unlawfully. 

Has anyone had similar experience?

[lux744]

Same with me too and I havehad my ebay account for over 20 years with the same Bank acount, I do not like giving bank information due to so many web based companies having breaches. Ebay hold 5 credit cards on their system so I am damn sure I am not uploading bank statements etc. The really annoying thing is they paid out into my bank a week ago and how now put my payouts on hold. The buyer has his product I sent next day and I still have no money. Utterly disgusting business practice, after 20+ years I am shutting my Ebay account and they can go to hell. Basically they have stolen my money and refuse to pay me. I wont upload any more details of bank accounts to this platform form, they refused to send me a cheque so thanks a lot Ebay.

[*vyolla*]

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@lux744 wrote:

 I wont upload any more details of bank accounts to this platform form, they refused to send me a cheque so thanks a lot Ebay.

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I'm a little confused here, you mention that you've been receiving payments into the bank account that you have linked ot eBay to receive payment on, so why would you expect a payment by cheque (which I very much doubt eBay has the ability to provide anyway)?

[theelench]

After a lull in the number of threads complaining about payment holds due to problems providing acceptable photo ID during the summer, it looks like ebay has re-started trying to get random sellers to provide it.

It doesn't look like ebay has done anything to make the process any more transparent or easier to complete and is still leaving sellers dangling for lengthy periods, not knowing why their documents are rejected while ebay hangs on to their cash.

When this was happening before it became clear that there are methods of verification that do not require a valid passport or drivers licence and there were even some non-photographic documents that were acceptable to complete the process for those who have neither, that CS were reluctant to tell them about.

Ebay is still licensed by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), a govt. body that investigates consumer's "concerns" that they are being subjected to financial misconduct.  When I used this (Free) service, re. Paypal, they noted my complaint, issued a case number and added it to their file with many others at the time.

I recommend that ebay sellers use it.  You may not ever hear from the FCA again but if they get enough complaints they will have "discussions" with ebay about how their conduct is dis-advantaging UK consumers and how they should improve their service.  They will also tell consumers about their rights and what their options and next steps should be.

Sorry, I don't have the FCA's current contact details but I'm sure they're easily found with a quick on-line search.

[lux744]

If you read what I put you will see I am not uploading any bank statements or varifying my account again. Its a joke so there is no reason they can not issue me a cheque rather that holdinbg funds that do not belong to them. I will accept a cheque becasue I am closing my 20 year ebay account so no point uploading any documents.

[lux744]

Photo ID is only any good if they are at the side of me to compare it too, poinless over the internet. I am quite within my rights not to want to send my drivers licence.

[lux744]

Send me a cheque for the money you owe me and shut my god damn account Im done with ebay

[ewbo-46]

I don't have any of the ID they're asking me for, I don't drive or go abroad for health reasons so I don't have a licence or a passport.

I have a disabled parking badge with my photo on but they keep rejecting it.

I'm a private seller and I can't use my account anymore, it's truly abysmal.

Any ideas?

[the_book_seekers]

Who are you dealing with? When I had a problem - expired passport, no photo driving licence and no birth certificate to hand - I spoke to the Dublin customer services who had it sorted very quickly. Calling around 9am on a week day morning means you're more likely to get Dublin.

[ewbo-46]

Thanks I'll give it a go, I've just been uploading through the website.

[gadgets4cheap]

Hello ,  I have upload my ID time and time again but they keep rejecting it any help pls it really frustrating 

 

[*vyolla*]

@gadgets4cheap 

Isn't that pic you've posted just requesting that you click on the verify link?

What happens when you do?

[*vyolla*]

Just a heads up because you may be heading for grief with HMRC as you appear to be unaware that you should be trading on an eBay business account. 

A private seller is one who is just selling off their own personal items such as clothes from their wardrobe, bits from their loft/garage etc.

A Business seller is someone who buys or makes items to sell on.  They need to be registered as a business to meet the requirements of UK law. You can obviously offset more expenses as a business seller, but can't offset any at all as a private one.  

To correctly register as a business seller simply go to your Personal Information in your account and to the right of Account Type, which will be showing as 'Individual'  you'll see an Edit option.

https://accountsettings.ebay.co.uk/profile

This doesn't affect your feedback profile or any current listings, it merely upgrades your account so that you're compliant with current consumer and eBay policy.

@gadgets4cheap

[suzykinder]

I’ve been through customer service several times & my photos of my passport are never verified. I’ve taken several (& even got others too also) - it’s just a normal unexpired passport. Last bloke I spoke to said he was expecting that to be verified but it wasn’t! It’s crazy - they have my money too!!
Sent from my iPhone

[suzykinder]

It is- it’s their fault as they’re relying on an automated response (computer/robot??).
I’ve been a seller for many years so pretty angry now.


Sent from my iPhone

[yas_7185]

I need your help they keep rejecting my id card 

[volenis]

Keep uploading and contacting ebay

Sent from Outlook for iOS<>

[marco@ebay]

Hi yas_7185, thanks for your post.

We are unable to confirm exactly over here what's happening due to privacy and security reasons. However, if you contact our customer service team, they can look into it for you, and tell you what to do in order to get that sorted.

As general advice, I could only suggest to make sure that the date of birth on your ID matches what's on your eBay account, and the same with the names. Make sure the picture of your ID is clear and readable, and not blurry or anything like that. Also, you need to ensure that the picture that you upload is showing the ID in full (do not cut off any part of the ID in the picture including the corners of your ID). Lastly, but not least, you need to upload an actual picture and not a screenshot.

Thank you,

Marco

[suzykinder]

Yes I did all that several time & was in touch with customer service! Different people took photos so not me doing it wrong. The passport (still an up to dat EU one has shiny pattern around so difficult to make this not shiny). I did it last with help of someone from eBay & yhey said they’d come back to me.
Very bad customer service with an imperfect system! Why did I even have to verify myself after 14 yrs on eBay using the same bank - that at least verified! Crazy! I’d had no real problems up to then & a good occasional seller!
An angry..
Sue K
Sent from my iPhone

[theelench]

Yes, a very imperfect system and one that doesn't seem to have improved since private sellers had the same problems when signing-up for MP years ago.

Presumably these re-verifications are something to do with the roll-out of the Ebay Wallet?

That and ebay having another go at collecting photo I.D from every seller.  To go with all the other personal data that they already have and soon to be joined by their NINO.

[off-set]

I have this problem as well now, I have been on ebay for 23 years and in that time I've had the usual parcel go missing and such like and have been in touch with customer service over the years and on the whole things have been resolved, now that they have asked for verification all of a sudden my details don't match, I struggled to pass the telephone ID because suddenly my first name is MR and when submitting my drivers license my first name is now my middle name, I have not changed anything and never had this before, but my account is on hold and they have my money. It sounds like gremlins to me but apparently its all my fault, I am finding this very frustrating, and they are not helping. Having to confirm my name as MR is ridiculous, I have done nothing wrong but being treated like a fraudster.