Fake Buyer

ryandavies93 · ‎30-05-2026

I recently sold an engagement ring to Mautarchi

They created a counterfeit PayPal email stating that a payment has been received from this person of the amount we agreed on via messages.

As I've been waiting for the payment to clear (I've never sold anything on eBay before), I noticed that the email address looked a bit strange. As I looked into it there were hidden foreign letters in the email address.

Can someone point me in the right direction to contact eBay and to track down my money please?

*vyolla* · ‎30-05-2026

Unfortunately you did an off eBay deal. Buyers pay via eBay checkout and eBay then pay you the money into your bank account, sellers are not supposed to negotiate payments via messages.

There isn't any money because your buyer never paid, they just sent you a fake payment email.

There's nothing you can do via eBay, I'm afraid, because this is nothing to do with eBay.

red_magpie · ‎31-05-2026

I'm afraid that eBay won't be able to help you. The buyer was supposed to pay through eBay, but instead you somehow agreed to let them pay you (or not pay you!) through PayPal. It's a very well known fraud which only happens when sellers don't follow eBay's procedures correctly.

You have been the victim of a crime. Online fraud is now reportable to Report Fraud, https://www.reportfraud.police.uk/ This has replaced the former Action Fraud.