Suspended Acct & Unverified Taxpayer Info - My information is Correct & Verified

[CreativeBliss4U]

Today I login to Etsy and my account is suspended and bank account frozen.  Pending Account verification.  Etsy requested my driver license.  I uploaded it.  My banking account is verified.  My banking account is in my business name and nothing has changed.  

I logged in yesterday and could use my account no problem.  Today my account is suspended & frozen.  No warning.  I didnt change anything. 

Very difficult to find a phone number for Etsy.  

Please have someone contact me anytime to get this issue resolved.

[kgmworkshop]

There is no phone number for Etsy. Most in the forum are sellers just like you. There are very few admins and they may not see or pass along your request for a phone call. 

Here is the link to request a phone call from Etsy. 

[CreativeBliss4U]

Thank you for the link, they did call me back in few mins at 10:30pm... so Happy.  He verified my info made sure I updated my dl and EIN tax paper said hopefully in 20 minutes will receive a email.

Thanks again.  I saved the link

[SignaturesSignsShape]

Thank you kgmworkshop! The link you posted for a phone call got my shop back open!   TY!!

[CadburysKeepsakes]

CreativeBliss4U, did you get this resolved? Same thing is happening to me. 

[CreativeBliss4U]

No, I uploaded copy of my Driver license, re-verified my checking account, and uploaded my EIN Taxpayer info, everything is the same.   I requested a call back https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/requests/new?segment=selling#issue_sell_offsite_ads-callback and they did call me back.  Now he has escalated and they will review my documents and hopfully respond in 20 mins.     

[steelhipdesign]

@CreativeBliss4U 

I've seen many re-verifications stalled for weeks because sellers are trying to use an EIN.  Etsy doesn't admit they require a SSN over other tax ID numbers but it is still the most secure form of ID for US sellers.  SSN also makes it very difficult for banned sellers to "borrow" an identity from a friend/family for a "sock puppet" account.  No one wants to pay tax on a business they don't control.  

[CreativeBliss4U]

No Im Still Suspended.  What is the problem.  How did they help you?  Etsy support is awful.  

[SignaturesSignsShape]

Same here????

[CreativeBliss4U]

Hello, 

I am using SS# and my business name.  I wish someone from Etsy would call me and explain specifically what I need to change.  

[CreativeBliss4U]

My acct shows verified but Im still suspended. 

Today I went to the taxpayer identification, select: Edit, Select: Non-Legal Name Change.

Typed my Name exactly like my DL, uploaded copy of DL. 

(my middle name was not listed before. I just submitted that change.

I will keep you posted. 

[UppNorthEh]

Lots of posts today the same.  Etsy deactivating whole long time shops for "verification."  Scary.

[CadburysKeepsakes]

Today I got email saying, Thanks for signing up for Etsy Payments (which I did... in 2011 ) and saying I need to upload a "seal from the secretary of state". What is going on.

[ArkansasEmporium]

I have the same problem.  My shop has been down for two days now.

[NanaLetha]

@CadburysKeepsakes  Very creative spam

[CadburysKeepsakes]

That's what I thought as well but no - it's the legit email address and when I log in, my account says the same.

[MonogramPerfect]

Same thing happened to me. I’ve been selling on Etsy for 13 years. What’s going on? I don’t know what to do. 

[SignaturesSignsShape]

Scroll up to kgmworkshop, there is a link to request a phone call from etsy. Type in your phone number and they will call you back. When I did, it kept saying "Opps something went wrong". They still called me back. They first said a week then I told them I had packages to ship, and they would be late. I was back up and running within 15 minutes. 

[CreativeBliss4U]

Update:

I uploaded my dl & taxpayer info yesterday, reguested a call back on Etsy Help:

https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/requests/new?segment=selling#issue_sell_offsite_ads-callback

They did call me back real quick.  Today Etsy has accepted/verified my taxpayer info.  However didnt un-suspend my account.  I had to request another callback.  I had to select Edit on my Taxpayer info, it was correct, and selected Submit.  Now I have to wait for them to complete their process.  I expressed my concern - they deactivated my listings.  Then they will activate them but Im concerned this will disrupt the algorithm?  I was able to activate some listings that were not active at the time.  I think they could have given a seller time to resolve the issue. Ive been selling 2016.   Etsy had my taxpayer name as my business name, since I dont have a LLC, Etsy wants me to list my full name.  Even though my taxpayer sheet has my business name.  I dont understand why they suspended my account without giving me the chance to resolve the issue?  So still a Work in Progress. 

[steelhipdesign]

@CreativeBliss4U 

Etsy doesn't really care about a seller's business entity, considering it's between you, your accountant and the tax dept.  Etsy doesn't have the man power (or budget) to check the somewhat complex connection between you and the business registration in differing jurisdictions.  

They want to nail down your personal identity to satisfy the INFORM Act regulations and transfer tax, debt and legal liability to you.  Etsy is fined $50K for every unverified seller account regulators find.

I've researched how banned users try (and fail) to return to the site.  Many try to hide their identity behind a business name/entity and an EIN to circumvent Etsy's security.  They know their burnt SSN will give them away. 

I could be wrong, but I'm pretty familiar with this topic and Etsy's reputation. Most sellers are not aware how many ID metrics Etsy harvests - government, financial and technical without their knowledge. 

[CreativeBliss4U]

My account is verified, I use SS, and business name and I uploaded my taxpayer documentation.  One Etsy Rep told me to change my taxpayer name from my business name to my name.  After 3 days still not unsuspended.  Today Rep said to change it to a business name (which is on my checking and tax accounts.)

[CreativeBliss4U]

My acct shows verified - but still suspended. 

Today I went to the taxpayer identification, select: Edit, Select: Non-Legal Name Change.

Typed my Name exactly like my DL, uploaded copy of DL. 

(Previously I had the name without middle name, matching my taxpayer document.  Now my name matching DL)

Hopefully, this will fix the issue.  I will keep you posted.   

[CreativeBliss4U]

My shop is up.  I hope this helps someone.

I had to edit my taxpayer info. 

Click Edit, Select Non Legal Name; type the name matching your driver's license then, I select Tax ID, and used SS#.   (**Before I had my middle initial. )

Then I had to upload another copy of my DL, then click submit. 

This worked for me, it took 24 to 48 hrs.

[CreativeBliss4U · Accepted solution]

My shop is finally up.  I hope this helps.   I had to edit my taxpayer info. 

Click Edit, Select Non Legal Name; type the name matching your driver license then, I select Tax ID, and used SS#.   (**Before I had my middle initial. )

Then I had to upload another copy of my DL, then click submit. 

This worked for me, it took 24 to 48 hrs.

[CadburysKeepsakes]

Can you tell me where you clicked Edit - Non Legal Name?

I can't see that option. Maybe it's because I cannot get my account to move from "Pending verification".

I tried the calling option - yeah, they called me back but from a call center so loud I could hear the conversation of the people around him and he couldn't even understand me enough to spell my name. Jeez.