The eBay community, I ask for your help — I’ve gotten myself into an awkward situation on eBay
Summary: yxiloveebaxy reported a disappointing experience with an eBay seller, where an iPhone described as “like new” had visible signs of wear and a non-original cable. Despite several attempts to resolve the issue through eBay, insulting and racist messages from the seller were not appropriately sanctioned, and the refund was delayed. miriam@ebay and samantha@ebay from eBay explained that the case was being processed and emphasized the importance of treating each other respectfully. Other participants encouraged patience and recommended considering official action against the seller. yxiloveebaxy expressed concern about the unsatisfactory support and oversight from eBay and about the harassment by the seller.
Hello everyone,
I’m asking for help because I’ve gotten into an unpleasant situation on eBay. I’ve been using eBay for five years, I’m an eBay Plus member, have 240 ratings and 49 sales, all with 100% positive feedback.
For my child’s birthday, I ordered an iPhone 16 Pro Max for my 10-year-old daughter. This is exactly the phone my daughter wanted in white because she doesn’t like the big camera on the 17 model. In another case, I would have just bought a new one at MediaMarkt.
I found a phone that, according to the description, should have been “like new,” with packaging and cable, although the battery was pretty weak.
When it arrived, it turned out that the phone had small scratches and obvious signs of use in many places, and the cable was a no-name cable for 1 euro, the kind you can buy at Action.
The seller has some ratings as a buyer, but no ratings as a seller. Questions came right away about when I would send her the money. I think that’s due to a lack of experience with eBay – the person probably doesn’t read eBay’s selling terms.
After unpacking it, I noticed that the item had many scratches and a non-original cable. I offered compensation of 25 euros for the cable and would have been willing to overlook the scratches. The seller then said I could simply return the item.
I told her that precisely because of a poor-quality cable, the battery could be in this condition. She then said she had only included this cable as an extra and hadn’t charged it with it. That means: the cable she actually used to charge it with she simply kept.
I agreed to return it, and she immediately said she would send me the money and asked for my bank details. I asked that everything be done through eBay, and after that she disappeared. I wrote to her for 2–3 days, but she didn’t reply and didn’t send anything as promised.
I opened a case, and she immediately started sending lots of messages – about her sick mother and all kinds of other problems in life. I said I’m sorry about that, but it has nothing to do with the matter and I want to return the item since the conditions were not met.
After that, I got a flood of messages saying the phone had no scratches and that I was not a person who has understanding and compassion for others. I asked her to apologize, but nothing came.
Then I took detailed photos and opened a case with eBay, uploading a video of unpacking the item, showing all the scratches. After that, she started claiming that she would not be in the country until mid-July and that nobody could accept the return, even though a few days earlier she had said that I could of course send the item back.
After that, she stopped claiming there were no scratches and instead said that was normal for an old phone – even though the item was described as “like new.” And as you know: new items are not scratched.
Two days later, when eBay stepped in, I received an email saying that I could send the item back and that I should get the shipping label from the seller. I wrote to her that she had the opportunity to fulfill our agreement, and then we would not continue with the return.
After those words, she wrote racist and antisemitic insults against me. She said I should leave Germany and go back to my country, and claimed that I was a fraudster.
I immediately filed a complaint with eBay, which, as always, nobody responded to.
Then eBay told me they needed another 5 days to resolve the case. After the 5 days had passed, I contacted them again and was told that I would simply be refunded, but I have received no confirmation and no money. The next day I called and was again told that everything had been decided and that I should wait for the money. Another day later I called again and was told that such processes take a long time and I should wait until tomorrow.
Today I contacted eBay again, and I was told that the colleague was wrong yesterday and that I am not entitled to any refund at all – even though eBay has records of the conversations. The support agent started putting pressure on me and said he would close the case if I didn’t like their decision. After that, he said they needed five days again, and if there were a return label, I would see it in the open case. He also said that I needed to communicate with the seller.
The seller is blocked from my side because he allowed himself those insults and racist comments. However, the email says that I should wait for messages from the seller in my chat – which I don’t even have.
Tomorrow is my daughter’s birthday. I can’t give her this gift, and I don’t have any money this month to buy something else. Please help me solve this problem – and please also help me fight racism and insults on this platform.
yxiloveebaxy
OP1 month ago@samantha@ebay
Good day, Samantha,
the case has already been closed, but I now have a new problem: the seller apparently took my phone number from the shipping label and is now messaging me on WhatsApp and calling me.
I urgently ask eBay to review and clarify this matter immediately. I am very worried because the seller also knows my address and my family lives there. I find this very disturbing and completely unacceptable.
perfect-sally
·1 month agoSamantha is not present and ebay can't help with that either!
You can block phone numbers and if you're worried about your family, go to the police!
yxiloveebaxy
OPJul 9, 2026 at 7:16 PMHello Samantha,
the racist review still hasn't been removed.
Also, it seems the seller took my phone number from the shipping label and is now contacting me via WhatsApp and by phone call.
I see this as a serious privacy and harassment issue and ask eBay to urgently review the case.
Please confirm to me that this is being investigated and that the request to remove the review is still open.
perfect-sally
·Jul 9, 2026 at 7:21 PMSamantha is not present and ebay can't help with that either!
You can block phone numbers, and if you're afraid for your family, go to the police!
And there is no racist rating in your case!
voli-maus
·Jul 9, 2026 at 7:21 PMsamantha is not online today, @yxiloveebaxy .
Phone numbers can be blocked, @yxiloveebaxy .
in-477517
·1 month agoeBay neither enforces applicable law on its platform nor even guarantees basic courtesy. Cases like this must be landing with consumer protection authorities by the thousands.
The very fact that support is handled through a public forum is a violation of privacy protection, which eBay so proudly invokes here.
I had just wanted to buy an item again and was thinking, "why not something used for once, let's see what eBay has..."
Then I check the forum again and see for the 100th time what kind of place eBay is and think, "nah."
So thanks for your post.
hase-richard
·1 month ago · Edited@in-477517
Good morning ....
No one is forced to use the community.
Everything is voluntary.
There is the option of getting in touch by phone or email.
How does that work?
Take a look at the legal notice.
No one has to reveal themselves publicly.
That’s on the subject of data protection.
Have a nice day .......
yxiloveebaxy
OP1 month ago@samantha@ebay
samantha@ebay
·1 month agoHello @winestreetbiker
The situation is clear enough, but in such cases we can only pass it on so that the specialist department takes over the processing.
Best regards
Samantha
samantha@ebay
·1 month agoHello @yxiloveebaxy
The challenge is that we are not allowed to tell you what measures we have taken against your trading partner, as this is subject to data protection regulations.
So your report is already being processed, but you just won't be told what was done.
If you would like to take any further steps, that is entirely up to you.
Kind regards
Samantha
winestreetbiker
·1 month agoWhat special requirement has to be met for, in this case, the negative text behind the positive green rating and the cheeky comment under the posted negative rating to be deleted??
I can only shake my head here. You don't have to understand it.....
yxiloveebaxy
OP1 month ago---
I don’t understand what you’re talking about.
You know, over the last four years I’ve made many purchases.
I communicated with one person in Russian, and they wrote to me in the chat that people were dying because of me and that I was a murderer. Was that person banned? No.
Before I bought this phone, I had looked at a phone from another seller. In the photos, the phone was in a store display case. I asked whether the original packaging was included, and I was told that I was a complete idiot for asking something like that. It was obvious that you don’t put phone boxes in a display case.
With this purchase, the woman first said that I was indifferent and had no compassion, even though I had just completed a course a month ago on accompanying people who are preparing to die, and I even submitted a certificate. After that, she said I was a fraud and that I should go back to my own country.
In all three complaints over the last four years, eBay did absolutely nothing!
You can tell me all sorts of things, but eBay doesn’t control its platform at all.
I sent you a screenshot two hours ago, which you deleted yourself. It says there that the message contains no insults — and that was reviewed by an eBay employee.
However, when you ask an AI agent, it says that for statements like that you can even go to prison or get a fine. I can see that you’re not interested in that. I don’t expect any more help from you. I’ll sort it out somehow myself.
samantha@ebay
·1 month agoHello @yxiloveebaxy
I forwarded the comment for review.
Negative review text in a positive review is not allowed, and we will take care of it.
Best regards
Samantha
yxiloveebaxy
OP1 month agoHello.
I don't understand why my complaint about the insult wasn't processed. In my complaint, I reported only a single insult, although there were several.
Can I send them to you in a private message?
I would like to resolve the matter within the platform. Otherwise, I would have to contact the police, which could have serious consequences for the person in question – and that's not really what I want.
kometenhuhn
·1 month ago · EditedWhat exactly do you want to achieve, or rather, what is your goal? That the person gets banned? Then there would probably be no more way to reverse it - via the platform itself - which is what you seem to want.
Just wait until the case is closed on Ebay, or sort it out outside of Ebay. As I said, if the person gets permanently banned, you may not get any further with your problem, at least not via Ebay. Surely the person should be sanctioned if racist remarks were made, but a current ban won't help you and won't solve the problem either.
Was a return label provided in the meantime?
If not, Ebay may also be able to step in here and, as a gesture of goodwill, provide such a label - due to the circumstances @samantha@ebay :)
winestreetbiker
·1 month ago · EditedIt should of course be the case here that Ebay deletes both the -negative- text behind the green rating and the response of the
seller to the negative rating without TE having to intervene again
*sweet-melody*
·1 month agoHello @yxiloveebaxy !
You don't have to put up with comments like that.
Your seller rated a negative text as green?
That's not desired on eBay.
yxiloveebaxy
OP1 month agoI did not agree with eBay suddenly telling me after three days, during which I had been assured that the case was already closed, that there had been a system error and the case had been reopened.
I also did not agree with the additional five days of waiting. I was then told in a threatening tone that I either had to wait or the case would be closed and I would get nothing at all.
Whether I liked it or not – I had no other choice but to agree.
I can’t post this publicly, but please believe me.
Something like this shouldn’t happen on eBay either.
miriam@ebay
Hello @yxiloveebaxy ! Thanks for taking the time to describe the situation in such detail. We’re sorry that the purchase didn’t go as expected, especially since the smartphone was intended as a birthday present for your daughter.
We’ve reviewed your case. The seller must arrange the return shipment and provide you with a return label. For this purpose, the case was paused yesterday for five days.
As soon as the return label has been provided, you’ll find it in the open return case in your eBay account. If the seller does not provide a return label or arrange the return shipment within the deadline, the case will then be reviewed again.
I’d also like to address the communication you described. Respectful behavior is very important to us on eBay. Insulting or demeaning messages have no place on our platform. We review such reports in accordance with our policies. However, for data protection reasons, we cannot provide information about possible actions taken against individual members. If you believe individual statements may also be relevant under criminal law, you are of course free to contact the relevant authorities. The legal assessment of such matters, however, is not up to eBay.
Kind regards
Miriam
yxiloveebaxy
OP1 month agoThank you very much for your reply.
If my opinion about eBay hadn't changed, I wouldn't be writing to you today. I feel deceived and insulted.
I find the seller's behavior insulting and pressuring. I also feel under pressure from eBay. I found the last communication with me insulting.
I have already provided detailed feedback on this incident, but I doubt that anything will change as a result.
yxiloveebaxy
OP1 month agoAs you can already see below, eBay also did not consider racist statements and insults to be a violation. That’s pretty crazy — I wouldn’t have expected that, but now I know.
Should I send you the private message, or can I post it in the forum? The whole world should see how eBay moderation works.
kometenhuhn
·1 month agoThese are usually AI-based decisions. Best to just be a little patient; when an employee takes a look at it, the rating should be hidden, at least the comment.
yxiloveebaxy
OP1 month agoGood day.
The message says that the decision was made by an eBay employee.
kometenhuhn
·1 month agoIf necessary, someone from the community can tag an Ebay employee who will take another look at the whole thing.
yxiloveebaxy
OP1 month agoToday my daughter is graduating from school. Yesterday was her birthday. Instead of a present, we ate pizza in a café because eBay works very badly. My daughter did not get a gift, and I only got problems and stress.
I’m waiting for her now until she gets her report card, and then I’m going home. Right after that I will file a complaint with the Bundesnetzagentur. I hope the matter will no longer be handled with closed eyes when eBay finally gets what it deserves.
lidor3073
·1 month agoHowever, the seller's photos were also more than poor. You can hardly make out anything, or rather you only see each side, but no details.
lidor3073
·1 month ago · EditedThere’s even a comment under the rating you left.
lidor3073
·1 month agoIn my opinion, such behavior deserves a report.
yxiloveebaxy
OP1 month agoIn my case, eBay did not treat racist and insulting content as a violation
lidor3073
·1 month agoI see it differently than you do.