The buyer sent me a PayPal confirmation. Is it safe to ship?

Don't trust the email. Manually log into your PayPal account independently. If the funds are not physically resting in your PayPal balance, do not ship the item.

Why do they want my personal phone number?

To text you fake payment links and to move the conversation off eBay, preventing eBay moderators from detecting the scam.

I shipped the item before realizing it was a scam. What now?

Contact the shipping carrier immediately and attempt a 'Package Intercept' to re-route it back to you. Report the incident to police and eBay.

eBay Scam Checker

eBay scam checker for fake buyers and invoices.

Selling an item on eBay and the buyer suddenly wants to communicate via text to 'arrange couriers', or accidentally overpaid you? Stop. Scammers use marketplace platforms to trick sellers into sending goods and cash.

Security Insight

Marketplace fraud is incredibly common. Attackers exploit sellers' eagerness to close a deal by using fake PayPal receipts and complicated courier stories.

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Detecting fake eBay interactions

Attackers exploit both buyers and sellers on eBay. Watch out for these dominant marketplace scam patterns.

The overpayment scam

A buyer sends you a fake PayPal or bank receipt showing they 'accidentally' paid $500 instead of $50, asking you to refund the difference before the item ships.

The 'Shipping Agent' excuse

The buyer claims they are out of town or overseas and will send a 'courier' to pick up the item, asking you to pay the courier fee upfront via gift cards.

Fake eBay emails

You receive an email looking exactly like eBay saying your account is restricted, with a link to a fake login page.

Moving off-platform

The buyer immediately asks to text your personal number to 'communicate faster', bypassing eBay's messaging protections.

What IsThisSpam checks before you trust a sender

Quick verdicts are useful, but the real value is understanding why something looks safe, uncertain, or risky.

Asking for gift cards

Any buyer or seller who asks for or offers payment in iTunes, Amazon, or prepaid Visa gift cards is a scammer.

Refusal to use eBay checkout

If they insist on paying outside of eBay (e.g., direct bank transfer, crypto), you lose all eBay Seller Protection.

Fake payment emails

Always check the actual sender address. A fake 'Payment Received' email might come from 'paypal-confirm@gmail.com'.

Complicated logistical stories

Legitimate buyers just click buy and wait for the package. Scammers invent long stories involving military deployments and specialized couriers.

Related guides

Use the checker for the fast answer, then read the deeper guidance for recurring scam patterns.

Amazon Scam Checker

Amazon faces similar impersonation schemes targeting buyers.

Read the guide

PayPal Invoice Scams

Learn how scammers fake PayPal payment receipts.

Read the guide

FAQ

These are the questions people usually ask right before they click, reply, or pay.

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