There is always a level of concern about receiving payment, especially in cases where a buyer requests that you ship internationally. Here are some guidelines on how to avoid and deal with fraudulent payments.

Due to the high potential for fraud, eBay policy does not permit outside-of-eBay sales. Note: Sales that are outside-of-eBay sales are not eligible for eBay services including Feedback and contact information requests.

• Review the policies of the service used to receive payment to determine if fraud protection is provided to sellers. For example, PayPal offers protection to sellers if the item is shipped following the guidelines outlined in their Seller Protection Policy (see PayPal Protection Tips for Sellers) 

• For high priced items, you should consider using an escrow service. 

• Make sure that payment has been received and confirmed prior to shipping. If the buyer is using a credit card, contact the card issuer and verify that the name on the card matches both the shipping information and contact information. If there is any doubt regarding the identity of the buyer, please contact the credit card company to validate payment prior to shipping the item. 

• In the event that the buyer sends payment that is found to be fraudulent, contact law enforcement in your area and the area where the buyer resides. eBay will fully cooperate with all law enforcement inquiries. If payment is reversed, stopped, or cannot be received, you should also contact the payment issuer (credit card company, issuing bank, Pay Pal, etc.) to review the options available to you.  

• If you have reason to believe that the buyer paid or is attempting to pay with fraudulent funds, contact eBay so that eBay can investigate and take appropriate action.

Contact eBay to report a buyer who paid or attempted to pay with a stolen credit card.

Contact eBay to report a buyer who sent an online or credit card payment that was denied, withheld or not received after you shipped the item.

Contact eBay to report a buyer who sent a check or money order that could not be cashed.

If you have already shipped the item and have not been able to receive payment, please review the Defrauded Seller page for steps you can pursue.

If you are unable to receive payment, you may also be able to request a Final Value Fee credit by filing an Unpaid Item Dispute.

How to Recognize a Counterfeit Cashier's Check Scheme

Here’s a scenario where a counterfeit cashier’s check may be used:

• A seller of a high-priced item receives a request from a foreign bidder to accept a foreign cashier’s check as payment or deposit for the item.

• Cashier's check amount far exceeds the value of the seller's item. 

• Buyer asks the seller to send the overpayment amount via instant cash wire transfer service (through Western Union or MoneyGram).

The problem is that the cashier's check is most likely fraudulent and it can often take weeks or even months for the seller's bank to know if a check is real. Some checks may appear to be from a U.S. bank. However, upon closer inspection, the check includes foreign country or city names.

If the cashier's check is fraudulent, the seller is held responsible.

You should never accept overpayments from buyers for items where the buyer is asking to be reimbursed for overpayment.