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?

[myriad*seller]

Call early in the morning and keep hanging up until you hear an Irish voice

CS in Dublin will help with your issue

Calling early will get you put through to Dublin 

[marco@ebay]

Hi doxaaletheia, thanks for your post.

I can see this is being escalated for you by our customer service team, I understand that it might be taking longer to what you initially expected. However, you should be hearing from them this week. If you don't hear from them by the end of this week, please let me know.

Thank you,

Marco

[doxaaletheia]

Hi Mark, thank you for letting me know. Only one question why it takes so long to verify ID issued by UK government, I don’t think something unusual with this kind of documents. I use this ID anywhere and also in Lion&Turnbull, Catawiki and Etsy auctions. I can’t understand why it takes so much time to verify it by eBay UK when I more then 5 years on eBay? Thanks

Sent from [Proton Mail](https://proton.me/mail/home) for iOS

[jow1995]

looking at your listing,  how are you a private seller? looks like a buisness, I am very surprised Ebay have not mentioned this. With the new Digital selling laws coming in force please be very careful.

[doxaaletheia]

Thanks for your concern. My family member is a lawyer and I'm well informed about all current laws and regulations. I used to have a buisness seller account many, many years ago, and since then my sales have gone down as I stopped investing into goods (I no longer buy with the intenton of re-selling). I sell my own items on this auction, mostly second-hand. If eBay wanted to then eBay would've contacted me by now. My sales apparently don't reach the limit for private sellers. This month I've only listed 23 items of my 200 monthly limit. I buy more items than I sell. Please try to stick to the subject as this comment is unrelated to the topic being discussed.

[marco@ebay]

Thanks for your reply, doxaaletheia.

This would depend as there is not an specific time frame for this, but it normally takes between 3-5 business days. However, this can change from time to time depending on how busy or quiet we are at the time of the revision.

If you need further assistance on this, feel free to tag me here, and I will give you a hand no problem. 

Thank you,

Marco

[suzykinder]

This has happened to me too! I've been selling 15yr a though only a few items 2-3 times a years. A good & diligent seller.

I've just sold something but they're not releasing funds until I verify identity. I did my Bank a/c (which they have listed) but no micro deposits still after 4 days.

I've tried to upload passport details (I have no driving license) 10 times now - with different shots (even got my husband doing it on his phone). We've both been photographers & both have iPhone with clear photos - but it still rejects it. They use a robot I believe to look at it. There's nothing more we can do & I've phoned 4 times but each day slightly different - like there's a glare here or there (there isn't at all). It's their tech wrong & I'm not getting my money. I'm not well at present & neither is my husband. & it's stressing me out. It'll be bye bye eBay once I get my money. The site has got worse & worse since I first joined & eBay got really greedy!

[marco@ebay]

Hi suzykinder, thanks for your reply.

I've just reviewed this for you, and the documents uploaded are not clear enough, and that's why this is not working for you. Please upload a clear picture where we can see the document in full, and make sure that you're not cutting off any part of the document in question off the picture. Once you upload the document again, is readable, clear, has no shadows or glare on it, you should pass the verification process no problem as long as all the information matches.

Regarding your bank account, microdeposits can take up to 5 business days to hit your bank account. I can see they were requested on January 27th, so today would be the 2nd business day. Keep an eye out on your bank account, and feel free to enter them in your eBay account once you receive them to confirm your bank account.

Thank you,

Marco

[the_book_seekers]

I'm afraid length of time on ebay offers no protection against this sort of thing. I'd been an ebay member for just over 18 years when I changed address and had a restriction pop up as soon as I updated ebay. It was more or less instantaneous. I had some problems as my driving licence was away being updated from paper to photo with my birth certificate to back up the application. There was a delay of several weeks for licences to be processed due to covid. Also my passport was out of date. I ended up speaking to someone from Dublin who was able to sort it out for me. There are so many things that can get an application rejected with something on your documents not matching up to your account. When I submitted my documents I was even told not to crop the images so that ebay couldn't see the edges of them as they would be rejected if this was the case.

[suzykinder]

On my photos everything can be read easily & there's no glare (remembering the passport page has a plastic covering over it). I've done it many times & no longer know what 'clear' is. Neither does my husband. I feel I being treated as stupid ( we both have Masters degrees) . I live on pensions & this glitch is getting me really upset. Why can't a Human check'it. It's obviously me - why even do you need a photo? You'll never see me & I have no police record - just a little lady trying to make a little bit of money. I see I'm by no means the only person having this problem so know it not me.

[chris-5643]

I'm having this problem too inrelation to an account I run for an animal charity. As eBay is currently witholding funds from sales, which they suddenly elected to do this without any warning. It is not practicable for us to continue to use eBay while it is doing this and I am therefore suspending all new sales on the platform until this is resolved. I know it doesn't help you if you have hundreds of pounds that have been held by eBay without your consent and with no promise of release, but voting with your feet is the only practical answer I can come up with. In the meantime there is Vinted, Gumtree, Facebook and others.

[extremegc1]

Hello, I had this same problem, unable to verify my identity, a red banner appearing at top of page and " replace file" kept coming up  (which was a photo of my passport) I spent 2 hours on live chat with an ebay agent who was very patient and helpful to be honest and eventually I was able to verify myself.  I use Firefox browser and I was told if I click the top right of the screen - 3 horizontal lines, I can choose - open a private window, this allows browsing without any cookies or other general *bleep* that seems to be able to butt in and screw it up  (this is all very new to me I had no idea) but I did so and then just as before logged into ebay and navigated to the ebay message which asked me to verify my ID, i filled in the page with date of birth etc etc, selected same jpeg picture of my passport and uploaded. This time I got a confirmation and a green tick. Success. Funds were accessable.

[extremegc1]

Try opening a private window in your browser. Top right of screen, in my case 3 horizontal lines, then log into ebay as usual (this time there will be no cookies or other stuff that follows you round and butts into what you are trying to do) after logging in, navigate to the message that asked you to verify yourself, fill in the form as before, upload the same picture (in my case it was a photo of my passport) and instead of the red banner appearing at the top of the page I got a green tick and confirmation of my ID.  Funds now available.

[chriklon0]

Yes I am in exactly the same situation. 

Very frustrating and wasting my time. 

[angleiron3]

Hi, i got ambushed with this validation bs aswell

Only after listing two items for sale and i got a quick sale of one iten did i get this red banner of validation

Why can i buy but now i sell two items all of a sudden i need to provide photo id?

It should of been requested before i could list an item for sale, but i suspect that ebay does not want this instead they want to hold your money for as long as possible

Well i and ebay will be waiting a long time

I dont have a valid passport as expired and i am not going to pay for a new one just to show ebay and i do not need a passport as i do not intend to leave uk and it would take months to renew anyway

I do not have a valid driving licence and can not get one now due to medical restriction, so a waste of time

I do not have any government photo id either

There seems no recourse for a vast majority of folks who do not have photo id or feel the need to have it, it is not a requirement by law to have photo id if it was we would all have government issued photo id and a starzi type paramilitary checking your id at every street corner

This validation is over the top, not needed, i have used ebay since 2004, your feedback used to be your badhe of honour, now it seems to mean nothing, i can buy but not sell?

I thjnk more like ebay wants an easy way to hold onto folks money to make interest from it

Why would ebay do this surely knowing not every single person has valid photo id? No easy recourse, round n round a Escherian Stairwell supposed help and contact system until you throw your temper mentally exhausted

[pokeharbour]

Hi.May I ask about the result.Did you figure it out now? I've a similar situation with you. I'm appreciate to your reply, many thanks.

[suzykinder]

No, not at all! I posted photos of my up to date passport loads of times but it was refused every time (by a computer ?). Even got others (inc my bank) to take photos! My bank account was approved in January. I’m furious but haven’t contacted them again as it made me too stressed! I’ve been with them since 2008! Other people seem not to have gone through this process.
What about you?
Sent from my iPhone

[btr.style]

The least of your problems should be having ID verified. 

You are a business seller (selling for profit) on a private account with no returns accepted which is against the law. 

Not only will trading standards be looking into your selling activities (which could mean a knock at the door at some point) but hopefully you are filing self assessment tax returns or HMRC will come down on you like a tonne of bricks when eBay start reporting sales to them. 

If they do investigate they will want the lot, bank statements, receipts, every penny coming in and out would have to be explained and they could well go back many years if they think you are intentionally avoiding declaring sales. 

[volenis]

 SAME ISSUE WITH ME! TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE! HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE AGENTS TENS OF TIMES. MY COMPLAINT LETTER BELOW:

I am reaching out with deep concern regarding the sudden and unjust restrictions placed on my eBay account. As an experienced seller who has operated on various marketplaces, I am well-versed in ID checks and verification procedures. These processes are usually handled smoothly during regular business operations, and accounts are rarely restricted unless there's non-compliance. The current situation with my account, however, defies logic and fairness, causing significant disruption to my business.

First and foremost, let me clarify that at no point was I notified about the need for ID verification. I did not receive any emails, texts, messages, or phone calls requesting such information. The fact that I had to accidentally discover the restriction on my account is both shocking and unacceptable.

When I realized the issue, I immediately reached out to eBay support, hoping for a swift resolution. Unfortunately, the initial response only added to my frustration. One agent explicitly told me, "There is no ID required, and the restriction will be lifted by September 1st." This statement led me to believe that the matter would resolve itself without any further action on my part. However, the reality was far from this assurance. The restriction persisted, and my ability to manage my business on eBay remained hindered.

As I continued to face these restrictions, I contacted eBay support multiple times, only to receive conflicting and incorrect information. Not only was I misinformed, but I also experienced a lack of communication regarding any additional steps I needed to take. Despite my proactive attempts to resolve the issue, there was no official request for ID verification from your platform until I escalated the matter on my own.

Eventually, I did provide my ID, expecting that this would finally resolve the situation. To my astonishment, instead of lifting the restrictions, my account was subjected to even harsher limitations. This counterproductive outcome left me unable to sell, purchase, revise listings, send messages, or even purchase shipping labels. The very purpose of providing ID verification should be to alleviate concerns and restore account functionality, yet in my case, it had the opposite effect.

This situation has created an untenable position for me as a seller. Despite being fully restricted, I am still receiving orders, yet I am unable to dispatch them. Additionally, I am receiving messages from customers that I cannot respond to through the platform. In an attempt to maintain customer satisfaction, I reached out to some buyers directly, only to have them respond with suspicion, questioning why I wasn't using eBay’s messaging system. This has not only jeopardized my business but has also damaged my reputation with customers, all due to eBay’s mishandling of my account.

To provide further evidence of the inconsistencies and the inadequate support I’ve received, one agent reassured me that the restriction was temporary and would be lifted without any further action required on my part. They stated, "Your account is not restricted for any reason related to ID verification, and there’s no action needed from you at this time." This was completely misleading, as the issue only escalated from that point onward.

Furthermore, after finally being asked for ID and complying, another agent informed me, "We regret to inform you that your account is now fully restricted after the ID verification process." This outcome defies any logical business practice—why should ID verification lead to additional restrictions rather than resolving the issue?

Given the severe impact this situation has had on my business and customer relationships, I urgently request that you review this matter with the utmost priority. I have always adhered to eBay’s policies and procedures and believe that I am entitled to fair and transparent treatment. The lack of communication, the incorrect information provided by support agents, and the unwarranted escalation of restrictions are unacceptable.

I trust that you will address this issue promptly and restore full functionality to my account. I look forward to your immediate action in resolving this matter.

Thank you for your attention to this urgent request.