MC081 FPA NOTICE B001 - eBay registration suspension

[austinseniorin]

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for advice from anyone who has experienced a similar situation with eBay account restrictions.

I am a new eBay user and was trying to set up a small business account in Australia. I created a sole trader/seller account, but I had no listings, no sales, and no transactions. While setting up the account, I misunderstood the purpose of the username and thought it was the name customers would see as my business/store name, so I attempted to change it. Shortly afterwards, my account was placed under review and later permanently suspended. The email mentioned that eBay was unable to verify/authenticate information and my account was considered a risk.

Unfortunately, I missed the suspension email at the time and did not understand that I needed to respond.

Later, I created a separate personal buyer account (not a seller account) to purchase items on eBay. I used the same personal details but email address and device used were different for both accounts. I bought a few items, and later tried to sell one personal used household item (not any business item). As soon as I listed it, that account was also restricted permanently.

I have contacted eBay several times, but I have been told that both accounts are permanently restricted and that I cannot sell on eBay anymore because my account has been flagged as a risk to the marketplace. They have also said they cannot provide further details.

I have never sold anything on eBay, had no buyer complaints, no disputes, and no intention of violating policies. This was a genuine misunderstanding as a new user. I now have my registered ABN and business bank account but can’t proceed due to the ban.

MC081 FPA NOTICE B001 - eBay registration suspension on my sole traders account and permanent restriction with strictly no further actions on my personal buyers account.

Has anyone been through a similar situation with an FPA notice/permanent restriction?

Were you able to get your account reviewed or reinstated? Is there any specific escalation path or anything else I can do?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[Jerico]

This sounds much more like an identity/risk-verification suspension than anything connected with seller performance, particularly because the first account had never actually made a sale. eBay confirms that inability to verify account information is one of the reasons it may suspend an account.

The second account being restricted immediately when you attempted to list an item also makes sense in that context: although eBay permits people to have separate buying and selling accounts, its current policy says restrictions on one account can also be applied to linked accounts, and users are expected to resolve the original restriction before using another account to continue the restricted activity.

I therefore would not create any further accounts, change devices, email addresses or other details in an attempt to start again, because that is likely to make the situation considerably harder to resolve. Instead, concentrate exclusively on the original sole-trader account and request a manual review of the original verification decision. Explain chronologically that the account was newly created, had no listings, transactions or customers, that the username change was a misunderstanding rather than an attempt to misrepresent your identity, and that you did not see the original verification request in time. I would have your photo ID, proof of residential address, ABN registration and business bank evidence ready and specifically ask whether eBay will permit you to complete identity verification now. Their published guidance says the reinstatement process depends upon the reason for the suspension and may involve supplying additional information.

If frontline support keeps repeating that the decision is final, ask whether the case can be reviewed by the team responsible for account verification/risk rather than repeatedly opening general customer-service contacts. I would also be completely transparent about the second account rather than presenting it as unrelated: explain that it was created as a genuine buyer account after you had missed the first suspension notice, and acknowledge that attempting to list the household item caused it to become linked to the original restriction.

There is unfortunately no guarantee that eBay will reverse a permanent risk restriction, but if there is any realistic route back, I think it is demonstrating that the original verification failure can now be resolved rather than trying to establish another account.