Ebuyer

[Farmer Giles]

Anyone here ever bought anything from Ebuyer?

I just ordered an external HDD from them. Went through the ordering process, then to the checkout and gave my card details. They then said - in the usual way - that I would receive an email confirming the order.

In fact I received three emails. The first acknowledging my order, the second requesting security information - which asked for:

"1) A scanned colour copy of the full picture page of your passport OR picture card of your UK drivers licence along with your passport or drivers licence number.

2)A utility bill that is at least two months old."

It also said that the order had been cancelled pending receipt of the requested information.

A third email confirmed the cancelled order.

What on earth is going on?

Is this normal, or some kind of scam?

Either way they can keep their hard disk.

[GB]

I bought some paper a few days ago. None of that was needed. But I've bought from them before.

[EricP]

Dunno, but thanks for the heads up.

Do not have a passport, or a picture DL, or a utility bill as it's all online. So that's me on the banned list.

[Andrew Gabriel]

Does the delivery address not match the card holder's address?

Did the card payment take you to the "Verified by Visa" page (or whatever the equivalent Mastercard check is)? If so, they shouldn't need any more ID.

[Farmer Giles]

Delivery address is the same as the card address. They didn't do the verified by visa thing, but I do have that number if they needed it. Weird company - I wouldn't be surprised if they don't take the payment and I have to chase them for a refund!

[newshound]

Never had anything like that with my purchases, although it is probably a year since I bought anything from them. Usually find the process painless and the service fine.

[F]

I've bought from them multiple times over the years and have never had anything like that. Are you *sure* it's Ebuyer you're dealing with and that you've not, somehow, landed on a fake site that's trying to get personal data from you to set up ID theft...?

[alan]

Yes, and they only send a email confirmation of the order.

Are you sure that the emails are actually from Ebuyer? It sounds like a phishing excersise from a third party.

[Farmer Giles]

A worrying possibility, but I did log on to their site using my stored details - and the account does show the order as cancelled.

[Robin]

I've used Ebuyer many times without problems but I've also seen reports over the years in the Ebuyer forums of others being asked to provide ID so I very much doubt it's a phishing exercise. I suggest you revert to old technology and phone them tomorrow as the quickest way to remove any doubts on that score; and to see if there is a way around the problem.

Another point: did they invite you to email them at [e-mail] which certainly used to be their address for security issues or another address which is (really) on their domain?.

[John Rumm]

Yup, hundreds of orders over 10 years or so...

Did you request delivery to an address different from that of the card holder - that will normally kick off additional checks if its also a first order.

[Dave Liquorice]

Yep, not a great spender with them but no problems and one of the places I'll look at for "computery" stuff by default.

All the ID stuff seems a bit weird. Is this your first order with them?

Are you *sure* they have come from eBuyer, check the full header mainly the Received: lines not just the From: that you email client shows you, The From: can contain almost anything and is piss easy to forge.

As others have said give 'em a call tommorow.

[Sam Plusnet]

It would be interesting to see if any other on-line retailer now asks Farmer Giles for extra ID.

Maybe the address triggered warning bells in some way - has someone used that address (or similar) for a scam?

[Graham.]

[Graham.]

Whoops, sorry about the spurious post.

He is not talking about the PIN2 on the sig strip of your card, he means the three random characters from your password known only to you and your banks computer. You mustn't divulge that to anyone.

[Graham.]

I think that is what has happened too. A few Christmases ago I got a phone call out of the blue from Kay's (catalogues etc). They asked me if I had attempted to buy various items from them, I hadn't. They said that they suspected some third party had used my address fraudulently. My credit cards details were not involved just my address. IIRC it caused me a little inconvenience a few months later, but whatever blacklisting that was in place seems to have gone now.

The OP should call Ebuyer, ask to speak to the person responcible for fraud prevention and ask them if his address is blacklisted.

[Mike Tomlinson]

En el artículo , Farmer Giles escribió:

I used to be a regular customer, spent a lot of money with them over the years, getting good service.

Until I returned a monitor under DSR (Distance Selling Regulations, which allows you to return goods in their original condition for a full refund). They deducted 25% from the refund, and when I queried it, they said I had a business account, which I didn't, and wouldn't back down despite my having paid with a personal credit card and taking delivery to my home address. Sharp practice.

Voted with my wallet, took my business elsewhere and they also lost the business from work - £60k+ worth as we were just about to fit out a new server room.

Avoid.

[Dave Liquorice]

Good point about a bad credit reference. Though I think sellers only get a "go/no go" indication back from the credit reference agency rather than any reason for a "no go".

[Lobster]

Graham. grunted in news: [e-mail]:

That 'verified by visa' thing is an odd one. I used to get it all the time (ie, I would be asked for the code); but these days it's very rare indeed, (same card, on any site...) I get a message saying "contacting your card issuer" or something, which usually heralded the arrival of the little verification window; but the transaction just proceeds undelayed. It's as if they've decided that my card is low enough risk or something not to need it - odd?

Even more weirdly, yesterday I bought a fridge online from Curry's, using an AmEx card (which I don't use that often). This time (for the first time with AmEx) I was taken to the verification step, but it was only 'recommended' that I set up verification. I didn't bother, and it went through fine. However, I was warned that I would only be allowed to decline once more, after which the verification step would become compulsory.

[Chris J Dixon]

For the first time yesterday I got a phishing email claiming that I had failed the verification a couple of times.

Always something new. :-(

Chris