eBay

kiic_47 · ‎19-03-2025

Having sold with positive feedback for over a year ebay have now held the £49 in my account until I send them photo I.D which I have refused to do as they already have my National Insurance number and bank details but requesting my passport is I believe a step too far to sell some second hand stuff especially as EBay have had data breaches in the past… After over 90 minutes on chat I have been told my only option is to give eBay my £49 (basically they will clear out my balance and keep it) and then once my balance is zero I can close my account as I have said I will not forward to them photo I.D… I’ve agreed for them to take my £49 as long as it goes to charity which they have said it will do - can anyone confirm my money will go to charity or are eBay likely to keep it? Luckily for me it’s only £49 but giving them my money was my only option to close my account as I had no idea that eBay would suddenly insist on storing my photo I.D (had they asked for this on the day of opening my sellers account I would not have joined here but they clearly wait until you have money in your balance before they ask which then puts you into the impossible position of having to send them more and more details until your funds can be released to you) - I have decided to forfeit my money and not be bullied into giving them more of my details and was told by the chat agent that the money would go to some eBay charity and not into eBay’s bank account - Has anyone else been put into this situation and if so has anyone else been told their money will go to charity if they forfeit it? If it was significantly more money then I’d have to rethink my principals on this but for £49 I’d rather sell the few items I sell on Vinted or Facebook Marketplace than have to deal with a company who demand things like passports so you can sell a few items. It just seems a bit over the top to demand photo I.D for what is basically a internet selling and buying site that has my details already… So getting back to my question, now I have told eBay to take my money and reduce my balance to zero so I can close this account what is the likelihood my £49 will go to charity like I was told?

bzmotman · ‎19-03-2025

Marco is quite right about it being a legal requirement - money laundering regulations. However can I suggest that all who are having a problem visit this link & follow the link about complaining. Ebay are regulated in this area & if you make a formal complaint it goes to a unit completely separate to CS.

When Managed Payments came in Business Sellers were required to provide photo ID. I had no problem with that but the procedure turned into a nightmare. I lodged a complaint & within 48 hours it was sorted.

Ebay have a timeframe to respond in & if you are not happy with the outcome you have the right to go to the Financial Ombudsman.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/policies/payment-policies/file-complaint-ebay-payments-brokering-financi...

sounds_r_us_too · ‎19-03-2025

Thanks but when i click the contact button it takes me to chat

kiic_47 · ‎19-03-2025

Thank you very much for that but as a private seller who sold about 20 things last year I’m not going to be cornered into sending photo I.D but can totally understand why someone like yourself with so many sales has done so as if I had a business on here then I can understand you sending photo I.D… The page you sent me links to the usual chat room people but also has a address that I can write to if they don’t close my account so that is very helpful as people do acknowledge letters more than emails so thank you for that… That could prove helpful in the closing of my account as there is zero chance I will be doing the verification with photo I.D

papso22 · ‎20-03-2025

@wintersdawn1 wrote:

They have already given ebay their national insurance number and I do not believe a photo i.d. is a requirement for ebay to send a sellers selling activity to hmrc.

I have been asked and provided my national insurance number to ebay but no request for a photo i.d.

There are different reasons for the requests, both are due to regulatory requirements.

One is the online sales reporting, the other is part of the 'know your customer' or KYC checks, as part of the anti money laundering regulations.

1956glyn · ‎20-03-2025

Hi unfortunately there are so many places that require a photo driving licence or passport nowadays. Like you i had neither and kept trying to offer other forms of id which were unacceptable. Driving licence yes but a non photo one 😞

A month ago i got so fed up of this i actually paid £100 and renewed my old expired passport. I got a new passport within 10 days so that was good. I am very unlikely to use it but it has really saved a lot of headaches.

1956glyn · ‎20-03-2025

We are the other way round. Hubby gave photo id 12 months ago but no request for NI number

papso22 · ‎20-03-2025

@1956glyn wrote:

We are the other way round. Hubby gave photo id 12 months ago but no request for NI number

The assumption being that he has been actively selling since before 2024, hence not requiring his NINO until sometime this year, but exceeded the KYC anti money laundering threshold (sales value) last year.