Proof that beats empty box claims, false returns, off-platform payment tricks and chargebacks, so eBay scams and disputes go your way.
Updated October 10, 2026
Before you start
Proof that beats empty box claims, false returns, off-platform payment tricks and chargebacks, so eBay scams and disputes go your way.
eBay scams usually hinge on missing proof, not missing items. A packing video, a scale reading and tracked shipping give you the evidence to win.
Below are the tricks US sellers report most on eBay, Poshmark, Whatnot and Facebook Marketplace, what each platform’s help center says, and the habits that keep your money.
Kit for this
The products this guide uses, with typical US prices.
Overhead phone arm
Card and small-item shows sell on the shot of your hands. An overhead arm holds the phone steady and out of your way while you open packs.
Typical price$20 to $40
See on Amazon
66 lb digital shipping scale
Covers the packages most home sellers ship, up to 66 lb. Choose it when the 110 lb scale is out of stock.
Typical price$20 to $35
See on Amazon
ShipStation
Suits you when you ship dozens of packages a day from eBay, Etsy and your own store and want one queue for every order. It connects to USPS, UPS and FedEx, so you compare rates and print labels in one place.
Typical priceCheck current pricing
Visit siteBrown packing tape, 1.88 in x 72 yd, 6 rolls
1.88 inches is the width tape guns take. Six rolls keep a shop shipping a few boxes a week going for a few months.
Typical price$10 to $18
See on AmazonThe guide
Each step in the order you'll need it.
Empty box and missing item claims
A buyer claims the package arrived empty or with the wrong item. The platform compares your word to theirs.
Film the pack in one take: the item, its flaws, it going in, the seal and the label. An overhead phone arm keeps both hands free and the desk in shot. Weigh the sealed package and photograph the scale. If the carrier scan matches that weight, the claim falls apart.
Not as described abuse
Buyers sometimes claim a fault to return an item they changed their mind about, or swap in a worn piece. On Poshmark, a buyer has 3 days from delivery to report a problem before the sale completes.
eBay’s seller protections let you report false not as described requests. eBay can remove related negative feedback and, for Top Rated Sellers, may cover up to $6 of the return label. That protection requires an accurate listing. Photograph flaws, serial numbers and marks before shipping so you can match what arrives back.
Off-platform payment scams
A buyer asks for your email or phone number, or offers to pay by Zelle, Venmo or Cash App to skip fees. eBay bans deals outside its platform, and Poshmark and Whatnot protect only orders paid through their checkout.
Keep every message and payment inside the app. A request to move the chat elsewhere means you stop replying and report the account.
Facebook Marketplace scams
Local pickups change the tricks. A buyer flashes a fake payment screenshot, sends an overpayment and asks for the difference back, or requests a verification code. That code can take over your Google Voice number or your account.
Take cash or confirm the payment in your own app before the item leaves. Meet in a public spot, keep the chat in Messenger and report the profile from the listing.
Fake USPS texts and QR codes
Scammers send texts claiming a package needs a fee, a new delivery date or an address check, with a link or QR code to a fake page. Sales and payments happen inside the selling app, so a text about one is a scam.
The US Postal Inspection Service says USPS texts only people who signed up with a tracking number, and those texts carry no link. Forward scam texts to 7726 and email them to spam@uspis.gov. If you entered card details, call your bank first.
Chargebacks
A buyer can dispute a card payment with their bank after the sale completes. eBay handles payment disputes and covers you when you meet its seller protection rules. Whatnot handles payment disputes with banks itself.
Answer with the same evidence: tracking that shows delivery, the packing video and the package weight.
Tracked shipping and the eBay signature rule
Buy labels through the platform so tracking links to the order. eBay’s item not received protection asks for tracking uploaded before the estimated delivery date, and signature confirmation on higher-value orders: check eBay’s current threshold.
Whatnot asks sellers to ship within two business days and keep photos of the item and packaging for a claim. Use a tracked service such as USPS Ground Advantage instead of a stamped envelope.
Kit for this step
A ten-minute habit for every package
Save the packing video, weight photo and receipt in a folder named by order number. Keep the files for 60 days.
If no claim arrives, delete them to free up storage.
Checklist
Run through it before each one goes out.
- 1Photograph the item, flaws and any serial number
- 2Film packing and sealing in one take
- 3Weigh the sealed package and photograph the reading
- 4Use the platform’s tracked label
- 5Add signature confirmation on high-value eBay orders
- 6Keep every message and payment inside the app
- 7Forward fake USPS texts to 7726
Setups
Complete kits for one kind of seller, costed and laid out.
Questions
Straight answers to what sellers ask about this.
What should I do if a buyer says the package was empty?
Reply in the app with your packing video and weight photo, then contact support. Do not refund outside the platform.
Does eBay protect sellers from false claims?
eBay’s seller protections cover false not as described claims when your listing matches the item. Report the buyer through the request.
A buyer wants to pay me by Zelle. Is that safe?
No. eBay bans deals outside its platform, and payments outside a platform’s checkout lose its protection.
A Marketplace buyer sent a payment screenshot. Can I hand the item over?
Not yet. Open your own payment app and confirm the money landed, or take cash at the pickup.
I got a text asking me to pay a package fee. Is it real?
USPS texts only people who signed up, and they carry no link. Forward the text to 7726 and delete it.
Do I need to film every package?
Film anything you would struggle to lose. Phones, cards and designer items first. For cheap clothes, a weight photo works.
Do Whatnot sellers lose money to chargebacks?
Whatnot says it handles bank disputes itself. Keep your shipping and packing evidence in case it asks.