How to secure evidence in an eBay dispute

What to capture on eBay

Why eBay disputes are won or lost on evidence

eBay resolves most problems through its own process: you report an issue, the other party gets a few business days to respond, and if nothing is solved you can ask eBay to step in. At that point, eBay looks at what is on the record. The listing, the messages, the tracking and the photos you upload decide the case far more than who writes the longer complaint.

The problem is that the record keeps moving. A seller can revise a live listing, change the description or the item specifics, or end it. An ended listing is only visible for a limited time. A seller account can be closed. Your own memory of what the listing said is not evidence, and a screenshot is an image anyone can edit.

Buyers: item not received or not as described

The eBay Money Back Guarantee covers most purchases paid through eBay checkout when the item does not arrive, or arrives faulty, damaged or different from the listing. According to eBay's policy, you can usually report the problem from the latest estimated delivery date until 30 calendar days after it. For items not as described, a longer returns window offered by the seller may apply. The seller then has 3 business days to respond before you can ask eBay to step in. Check the exact rules on your country's eBay site, because they are updated from time to time.

• Item not received: capture the order with the estimated delivery date and the carrier's tracking page. If tracking shows delivered but you have nothing, note the date and ask neighbours or the depot before you report.
• Not as described: capture the listing and put it next to photos of what you received. The item specifics (brand, model, size, condition, compatibility) are often the strongest point of comparison.
• Damaged in transit: photograph the outer packaging before opening, then the item. Keep the packaging until the case is closed.
• Missing parts or accessories: the listing photos and description usually show what should be in the box. Capture them before the seller can change them.

The revised listing problem

eBay records revisions and keeps a reference to the version you bought, but you do not control that record and it may not show everything you relied on. A seller who reads the words not as described in a request can still update a listing that is live. A capture you made yourself, with a date and hash, shows what you saw independently of eBay.

Counterfeits and requests to pay outside eBay

Counterfeit goods are covered by the Money Back Guarantee as items not as described, and eBay may not require you to ship a fake back. Two patterns show up again and again in eBay scams:

• A branded item at a price that is too good, from a new account or one with feedback earned mostly on low-value sales.
• A seller who asks you to pay by bank transfer, a payment link, a gift card or a friends-and-family payment, often with a discount or a story about eBay fees.
• A message pointing you to an outside website, messenger app or email address to complete the deal.

Payments made even partly outside eBay are not covered by the Money Back Guarantee. If someone asks you to pay elsewhere, capture the listing and the messages, report the message to eBay and do not pay. If you already paid, those captures are what your bank and the police will ask for.

How payment link scams on marketplaces work and what to capture →

Sellers: false claims, swapped returns and feedback extortion

Sellers, including professional sellers, face the reverse problem: a buyer who claims the item is not as described, returns something else, or demands money for good feedback. eBay has seller protections for several of these cases, but they depend on what you can document.

• False not-as-described claims: capture your own listing at the time of sale, and photograph the item, serial numbers and packing before shipping. For valuable items, a short video of packing and sealing helps.
• Swapped or used returns: film the opening of the returned parcel and compare serial numbers, markings and condition with your pre-shipping photos. Report the buyer through eBay within the deadline in eBay's seller protection policy, which is short.
• Feedback extortion: a buyer who threatens negative feedback unless you send a refund, an extra item or a discount. eBay says it removes related feedback when it can see the demands in eBay messages.
• Partial refund pressure: offers of a partial refund in exchange for keeping the item are common. Make and accept them only through eBay's own tools so the agreement is on record.

The common thread: keep everything on eBay. A threat sent by text message or email is harder for eBay to act on, and a phone call leaves no record at all. If the conversation moves elsewhere, bring it back to eBay messages and capture both.

Brands: counterfeit listings and the VeRO programme

Rights owners can report listings that infringe their trademarks or copyrights through eBay's Verified Rights Owner (VeRO) programme. When a report succeeds, the listing is removed. That is good for the market, but it also removes the evidence you might need later for a claim against a repeat seller, a customs application or a civil case.

Before you file a VeRO report, capture each listing and the seller page, including item location, quantity sold and the seller's other listings. For sellers who relist under new accounts, scheduled monitoring of search result pages creates a dated series of sealed captures that shows the pattern over time.

Evidence workflows for brand protection teams in 2026 →

Step by step: the order that keeps evidence intact

1. Do not message the other party yet. Capture the listing (or the ended listing) with its full description and item specifics.
2. Capture the seller or buyer profile page and recent feedback.
3. Capture the order details and every eBay message from your own logged-in browser.
4. Capture the carrier's tracking page.
5. Photograph or film the item and packaging, keeping the original files with their metadata.
6. Now contact the other party through eBay and open the request within the policy deadline.
7. Capture every new message and any change to the listing until the case is closed, and keep all files together.

How to capture it properly

A screenshot shows what a screen looked like, but it can be edited in seconds and carries no proof of when it was made. For a routine case that eBay settles quickly this may be enough. When money, a trading account or a legal claim is at stake, you want evidence that is hard to challenge.

• Public pages (listing, seller page, feedback, tracking): paste the URL into GetProofAnchor. The server captures the full page, source HTML, network log and metadata, seals them with SHA-256 hashes, an eIDAS qualified timestamp and a Bitcoin anchor, and returns an Evidence ZIP.
• Pages behind login (messages, order details, return requests): use the browser widget on subscription plans. It captures what you see in your own logged-in browser. A server capture cannot see these pages.
• One-off case: the Starter pack costs 9 € for 3 forensic proofs with no subscription.
• No time: Assisted Capture captures public URLs for you, delivered within 60 minutes.

Anyone can check the result offline or at /verify, without trusting us. Only capture what you can lawfully access, which on eBay means your own account and public pages. Never log into someone else's account.

How to capture messages and orders with the browser widget →

Beyond eBay: EU consumer rights and where to report

If eBay's process does not solve the problem, your evidence travels with you. When you buy from a business seller in the EU, you usually have a 14-day right of withdrawal for distance purchases and a legal guarantee of at least two years for faulty goods. These rights exist in addition to the Money Back Guarantee and do not apply to purchases from private sellers. Under the Digital Services Act, marketplaces must also collect and show identifying information about business sellers, so capture that section of the listing too.

• Your payment provider or bank: ask about a chargeback or dispute for card payments, attaching your captures and timeline.
• Consumer authorities and advice centres: for disputes with business sellers, including the European Consumer Centre if the seller is in another EU country.
• Police: for fraud, especially where you paid outside eBay or the seller disappeared. Report online where your country offers it.
• eBay itself: report fake listings, counterfeit items and off-eBay payment requests even if your own case is closed.

Whichever route you take, the same package works: sealed captures, your photos, the timeline and the order number.

How to get your money back after an online scam →

Frequently asked questions

This article is general information, not legal advice. eBay policies and deadlines differ by site and change over time, so check the current rules on your eBay site and seek legal advice for significant claims.