Reporting inappropriate messages
Keep eBay a safe marketplace by reporting messages to us that are offensive, scams, threatening, or unwanted.
What you need to know
To keep eBay a safe marketplace, you can now report inappropriate messages and/or block members directly from conversations. Preventing abusive behaviour is one of our priorities and these security measures empower you to act on and report any message or block a member who may be violating our policies. Your reports are extremely valuable and when submitted, we’ll review them and take action on any inappropriate messages.
Report inappropriate messages and/or block members
We encourage you to report any inappropriate messages that may be violating our policies. You can also block a member from sending you messages. Here’s how:
- Select Report message from your message menu and indicate the category the inappropriate message applies to – offensive, scam, threatening, unwanted, or other, and provide details. See the FAQs below for more details depending on the platform you’re on.
- Your report will be sent directly to us and we'll review it and take action if the member has violated our policies. The actions we may take include sending warnings, blocking members from sending further messages, or suspending the member’s account.
- Select Block this member directly from your message menu to easily block that member from your conversation. This will prevent them from sending you messages, bidding, or buying your items. Block this member doesn’t report the buyer to eBay.
FAQ
What should I do if I receive a physical threat?
If you receive a physical threat, contact your local police force immediately. You should still take action to report this type of message to us and block the member from contacting you further.
How do I report an inappropriate or abusive message to eBay?
You can report a message directly from your conversation. Click the menu button in the top right corner (the 3 dots) in the conversation on iOS or Android, or through the Action button of your inbox on your desktop. Once you report the message, you’ll be asked to provide the reason for your report.
What action does eBay take when a message is reported and what can happen to the member?
We take our members' reports very seriously. Once your report is received, we’ll internally review the individual messages you’ve submitted and decide what action to take on any member who has sent a message that violates our policies, including sending warnings, blocking members from being able to send further messages, and suspending the members' account.
Any activity that doesn't follow eBay policy could result in a range of actions including cancelling listings, hiding or demoting all listings from search results, blocking some or all messages/communication with other members (including deleting, removing, or obfuscating all or part of any such communication), buying or selling restrictions, reporting to the police, and account suspension. Learn more about our member-to-member contact policy. You don’t have to separately report this buyer to eBay.
How do I block a member from contacting me?
You can block a member directly from your conversation. Click on the menu button in the top right corner (the 3 dots) in the conversation on iOS or Android, or through the Action button of your inbox on your desktop. Select Block this member from the menu options and the member won’t be able to contact you further.
How do I unblock a member?
You can unblock a member by going to your Account Settings > Selling preferences > Block buyer list. Remove the member’s eBay username from this list.