Scam Sale?

[WildMacroNature]

Hi all ...

I recently started selling on Etsy and (apparently) made the first sale today. Buyer has no history or anything else to verify them, that I can see. I do have a name and address to send to.

Within hours of this sale I get two emails purporting to be from Etsy, asking for my email address and demanding verification (etc). But they are typical of the scammers emails frequently reported on the forum, and they are not in the From Etsy folder. So I'll spam them.

But I'm suspicious of this 'sale' now. Soon after it happened I got an email from Etsy telling me to verify my bank account for payments (not having used it here before), fair enough. I'm still waiting for the 'amount' to show in my bank acc so I can 'verify' the account, it's been 5 hours now, but I don't see anywhere to enter that deposit sum in my Etsy dashboard.

What makes me suspicious of the sale though is the fact the two emails from scammers arrived within hours of the sale and align with Etsy's requirement to verify a new members bank acc. Is the sale genuine and the scammers are just piggybacking on it, knowing Etsy's verification procedures? Or might they be linked to the 'buyer?

Or how do I verify the sale is genuine?

[ZehOriginalArt]

If there is a sale showing in your Shop Manager>Orders and Shipping, then it is a legitimate sale. Your shop front also does show 1 sale. So congrats!

Glad to hear you are wise to the scammers.

[WildMacroNature]

Thanks. With all the bugs and scams being reported in the forums it's hazardous for newbies to proceed with much confidence. ... I just got another email (to my email address) asking for my email address so - "Your shop will be frozen until verification is complete. Please provide your email address so we can send you a verification form." ... This assault, what else to call it, is perplexing.

[ThePurplePuppy]

Your shop does show one sale. IF that is the one you got today it is legit. Look on your seller dashboard. On the left is a link that says "order and shipping". IF the sale is legit it will show a number 1 inside an orange circle. Click on the "orders" link and it will show the mane and address of the buyer. that is a legit sale.

As to the messages you received  if they asked for an email address they are a scam--it will have nothing to do with your legit sale--these scammers are hitting all new hops (or most). If they sent you a link to "verify" your account and you followed that link it was/is a scam and they ask you to DEPOSIT a large amount so they can steal it! They will also max out your CC if you gave them that info.  They clone the Etsy website and ot apparently looks real--but is NOT etsy. When Etsy verifies your account THEY deposit to your account--not vice versa!   Think about it--why would you have to PAY money to receive money. Makes no sense!

IF you gave them ANY information  contact your bank/CC immediately

[WildMacroNature]

Thanks, I'm aware of the logic to verification. The Etsy email did say they would deposit a minute sum and there have been popups in my dashboard that support the procedure but that the scammers seem to be able to inject themselves so timely into the process is confusing.

[BagmakerSupply]

@WildMacroNature: "Or how do I verify the sale is genuine?" Real orders will show up on your Orders & Shipping page and your Payments page.

"I got an email from Etsy" Did you receive a free standing eMail or are you referring to the eMail copy of an Etsy Message? If the latter, were the messages in the "From Etsy" section on your Messages page when checking messages using a browser? If not, they are a SCAM.

Real messages from Etsy are now going into their own section (labeled as "From Etsy") on your Messages page https://community.etsy.com/t5/Announcements/New-From-Etsy-section-in-Messages/m-p/143722497#M1899 but apparently this is only true when using a browser.

[WildMacroNature]

I've had two messages purporting to be from Etsy but not in the From Etsy folder in Messages, only one of them came to me email address, I'll spam them when done with this. Yes, I only use the browser, the app seems too buggy for me.

I did get an email from Etsy informing me of the sale and advising the need for verification of my bank account that doesn't show in messages.

[WildMacroNature]

I accept now it's not a scam sale. So I'm just waiting for the amount Etsy said they would deposit into my bank acc to show up so I can verify the acc for payments. Can't see anything else I need to do, except prep the order. Thanks again for all your help ...

[VintageRescueSquad · Accepted solution]

Just to be clearer: when you get the real sale, you will also see the money on your dashboard in the payment account and it will say when the deposit is scheduled.

If, in reality, you do have to have the minute verification (in the US it's only from Plaid, but I have no idea about Australia), it can take a day or two to show up (esp. since it's the weekend now). Don't send unless you see the payment in your "payment account" as described above.

Good for you for being so vigilant. Keep your guard up. These scammers are relentless. Ask any questions if you feel your spidey senses tingling. We are here to help!

[WildMacroNature]

Thanks, that's been missing in this, my first/one sale, the money. So no deposit is scheduled yet in my dashboard. And it's understandable given it's my first sale and Etsy want to verify my bank acc so they don't send the money to the wrong place. (I'm used to this here in Australia, micro deposits to verify acc, thought Etsy had already done it when signing up though.) Yes, thanks again, I'll wait til I verify the deposit sum and payment pending is visible in dashboard before sending.

The scammers are relentless, amazed Etsy aren't on top of it. I'd say it's driving potential sellers away.

[mommawhazelsquilts]

If there is no money showing on the dashboard - proceed with caution.  This could be a new wrinkle in the scam process.  I would think that the money would show in the dashboard - regardless.

[ButterflyFeetDigital]

Things to read:

https://community.etsy.com/t5/Announcements/Protect-Your-Account-From-Scammers/m-p/143158945#M1882

https://community.etsy.com/t5/Managing-Your-Shop/How-to-Spot-a-Scam-No-a-Buyer-Doesn-t-Need-Your-Ema...

https://community.etsy.com/t5/Announcements/New-From-Etsy-section-in-Messages/m-p/143722497#M1899

https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/articles/360000343128-How-to-Handle-Spam-and-Suspicious-Messages

If you receive an actual order, you will see it in your "Orders and Shipping" section and you will receive an email from Etsy notifying you that you have a sale, and there will be a notification in your dashboard as well.

[WildMacroNature]

Thanks ...

[GlassyFields]

when you see the notification of the sale from Etsy in your dashboard and sold folder and finance section ... make sure you ship the item(s) within your processing time. Don't want for Etsy to deposit your funds in your bank account. That can take a while, especially for new shops.

[WildMacroNature]

I'm waiting for the Etsy deposit amount to show in my bank acc so I can verify the bank account.

It doesn't show yet, and I don't see anywhere to input the amount when/if it does.

In Payment Settings I get the msg "We’ve sent a small deposit to your bank account! Confirm the amount to finish verifying your bank." Maybe when I get the deposit/amount somehow a place to enter the sum will be apparent.

I was advised to wait for this to happen before sending anything. So far there is no indication the item has been paid for, so I can't send it.

[BagmakerSupply]

@WildMacroNature: Payment account verification is separate from an order needing to be shipped.

If you have not already done so, you may want to read https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/articles/115015710308-What-to-Do-After-You-Sell-an-Item?segment=selli... for an overview how orders work for sellers.

[BlueCatStudioShop]

@WildMacroNature  if your shop wasn't already verified, how did you get a sale. the whole thing sounds like a scam to me. Besides that, Etsy will probably hold back your money for a while to make sure you are not the scammer.

[WildMacroNature]

I thought my bank acc had been verified, but apparently not. Now, I believe, Etsy are verifying my bank acc so they pay me and not somebody else. But the problem in sending the item is I have no $ sum Available for deposit in my Payment account.

So until I get the deposit amount and enter it somewhere in my dashboard nothing is going to happen. It's all waiting on that.

[WildMacroNature]

@BagmakerSupply

"Payment account verification is separate from an order needing to be shipped." Yes, but payment isn't. And I have no indication the item has been paid for. There is no $ sum Available for deposit.

Thanks, saw that

[BagmakerSupply]

@WildMacroNature: The payments page shows TWO numbers - "Available To Deposit" and "Your Current Balance Is".

The two numbers can differ based on a number of factors including when the sale was made and / or if the amount is over the minimum required for a deposit.

https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/articles/360002080688-Why-Hasn-t-My-Money-Been-Deposited-Yet?segment=...

https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/articles/360046998234-How-to-Receive-Your-Etsy-Payments-Deposit?segme...

The payments page will also show you if you have been paid for the sale.

[AlleeCherie]

Don't do anything. Ignore or spam communication from them. They think you're naïve

[WildMacroNature]

@mommawhazelsquilts 

"If there is no money showing on the dashboard - proceed with caution.  This could be a new wrinkle in the scam process.  I would think that the money would show in the dashboard - regardless."

This is my thinking too. So until I have some real indication the item has been paid for I can't send it.

[WildMacroNature]

@BagmakerSupply 

I'll have a look at those links. It's my first 'sale' but here is nothing in "Available To Deposit" and "Your Current Balance Is" (or "Amount due for February"). There is a number in Sales and Fees but still no indication it has been paid.

Seems a strange way for Etsy to do business, expecting me to send an item before payment is verified or even apparent.

[EphemeralExpressions]

@WildMacroNature   On your Dashboard, click on "Finances", from there, click on "Payment Account".  On the right, click on "Available for Deposit", even if it shows 0.   If the payment is pending it'll say something like "current balance/amount not yet available". Payments typically take 24 hours to clear, sometimes less, but since it's the weekend, it might not show as cleared until Monday. 

That should at least clear up some of your issue - whether it is a legitimate sale or not.  I don't send anything until the payment has cleared.

[WildMacroNature]

@EphemeralExpressions 

I see that now, if I hover pointer over the deposit amount (that reads 0) it shows as 'Current Balance', and 'Not Yet Available', etc. So it looks like payment hasn't cleared yet.

It's 11am Monday Feb 12th here, still don't see the Etsy deposit in my bank acc, but our banks are not known for their competitive service. If/when it arrives do you know where in my dashboard the figure can be input so the verification process is completed? Or maybe I'll get another email from Etsy when the deposit becomes available on my end.