If your problem relates to PayPal payments or limits, please check PayPal Help. You can contact PayPal from any PayPal Help page.

Providing eBay with credit/debit card information

The following are the only situations when eBay will ask you for your credit or debit card information. If you're asked to provide card information for any other reason, especially if you're asked to provide your card details via email, be suspicious and report it immediately to eBay. (Learn how to recognise spoof emails.)

• When you register a seller account

• When you register a credit or debit card with your seller account.

• When your registered card expires (we'll send you an email asking you to go to the eBay website and update your card information).

• When you try to list an item, but you have no credit or debit card on file, or your card has expired.

• When you place certain bids, for example very high bids.

• When you register a new User ID with a free email address such as Hotmail or Gmail.

• When you change your registered email address to a free email address, such as Hotmail or Gmail.

If your credit or debit card is declined

If your credit or debit card is declined during seller verification, when making payment, or another verification attempt, contact the card issuer to verify the following:

• Your card is in good standing and enough credit is available to cover the charge

• The card does not have an Internet/phone order block

• You do not have daily transaction limits that may affect the payment or flag your card for additional authorisation. If you are making a payment, the card will be charged for the full payment amount you enter. If you are adding the card on file with eBay, ensure credit/funds are available to cover a verification check of £1.00 (the card will not be charged, the amount will be held then released).

• Your card has been activated if it is new.

• The billing address your bank has on file for you is identical to the one you are entering. If you have recently changed your address, for example, the bank may still have the old address registered for the card.

Please be aware that many pre-paid cards are cannot be used during the seller verification process.

If a problem persists, you can try to pay your eBay fees using a different payment method. View your account balance to find the total amount due.