Make Offer Scam. Request eBay blocks all "WhatsApp" references in member to member communication.

[johns-auction]

I know eBay does not always read these threads, but occasionally a staff member does pop in.

I am posting here to highlight the issue that eBay sellers are being rountinlly hounded through the "make offer" feature by scammers asking the seller to contact them via Whatsapp. Seasoned sellers know this is a scam.

Here is my answer. This scam could easily be resolved, or at least hindered, by eBay blocking all and any reference to "Whatsapp" in member to member communication. Whatsapp is not necessary for member to member communication. If eBay can block email address and phone numbers, blocking references to "Whatsapp" should be easy enough. 

Here are some of the messages in offers I have received since November:

So eBay... Please block all references to "Whatsapp" in member to member communication and put an end to this scam.

[rusticrye]

Just to add that no-one from Ebay will pop in and see your post. That doesn't happen normally, let alone while staff are working from home due to strict Covid H&S rules and are absolutely swamped. To contact Ebay you need to use Help & Contact.  Live Chat and request-a-callback are available there during working hours.

@johns-auction 

[red_magpie]

EBay does specifically prohibit members who are not business sellers from providing any contact details in messages. This is to prevent buyers and sellers from arranging private deals to evade eBay's fees.

The senders are clearly aware that eBay scans messages to detect these attempts, as they have tried to disguise the WhatsApp numbers to avoid being recognised as contact information.

You can report them here: https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/selling/resolving-buyer-issues/report-issue-buyer?id=4084&st=12&pos=1&qu...

[johns-auction]

Hi red_magpie,

That link shows how to report buyers who have have already bought an item from you. I already tried finding a way to report these scammers making offers but can not find any link to do so. One of the accounts I believe to have been hacked, but again there does not seem any way to report this.

Regarding scammers disguising the Whatsapp number, if eBay simply blocked the word and variants of the word "Whatsapp", the number would just be a senseless row of numbers.