eBay Lawsuit Tracker: Which Cases Are Live, and Who Gets Paid
Questions about this case?
AI Legal Assistant · free · answers in seconds · general information, not legal advice
There is no single eBay lawsuit. The one in the headlines ended on July 28, 2026, when eBay announced a settlement with the editor and publisher of EcommerceBytes, whom eBay employees stalked and harassed in 2019 — $55.7 million in total, per the trade publication Value Added Resource. That money goes to the plaintiffs and to nonprofits, not to buyers or sellers. The government's case over pesticides and emissions “cheat devices” sold on eBay was dismissed in 2024, and the appeal was dropped in 2025. The newer cases — a tariff-refund suit by Global Shipping Program buyers, a Depop fee suit, a former employee's whistleblower claim — are at the starting line. As of September 30, 2026, no eBay class action has a settlement, a fund or a claim form.
Editorially Reviewed — Content reviewed for accuracy using published legal research, government data, and verified court records. See our methodology
Reviewed by Leonard Goldberg, Editor · Last updated
What Each Case Is About
The cyberstalking case. In August 2019, people working for eBay ran a harassment campaign against the editor and publisher of EcommerceBytes, an ecommerce news site that reported on eBay. Per eBay's own annual report, six former employees and one former contractor pleaded guilty to crimes. Their 2021 civil suit went further, targeting the company and former executives who were never criminally charged. eBay's statement now calls what they were subjected to “wrong, reprehensible and should never have happened.”
The government cases. On January 31, 2024, eBay paid $59 million to resolve DOJ allegations of noncompliance under the Controlled Substances Act and agreed to tighten how it monitors and reports listings that break its policies. The same month it entered a deferred prosecution agreement over the stalking. Separately, on September 27, 2023, the DOJ sued on behalf of the EPA, alleging eBay was liable for third-party listings that evaded detection and violated the Clean Air Act, the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act and the Toxic Substances Control Act — pesticides, chemicals and emissions cheat devices among them.
The new private suits. Buyers who used eBay's UK Global Shipping Program (GSP) allege that Pitney Bowes, which handled customs clearance, kept tariff refunds after the Supreme Court struck down the IEEPA tariffs. A Depop buyer alleges the marketplace hides its Marketplace Fee until checkout. A former eBay Motors employee alleges retaliation after he reported a conflict of interest and questioned the metrics used for a 2012 acquisition. These are allegations; none has been decided.
Case Details
Cyberstalking civil case: Steiner et al. v. eBay Inc. et al., No. 1:21-cv-11181, U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, before Judge Patti Saris. Criminal matter: a six-count criminal information filed in the same court in January 2024, with prosecution deferred under the agreement. EPA case: United States of America v. eBay, Inc., U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, before Judge Orelia Merchant; the appeal went to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. GSP tariff case: a proposed class action against Pitney Bowes filed August 14, 2026 in federal court in Connecticut; eBay is not a defendant. Depop fee case: Rivera v. Depop, Inc., No. 1:26-cv-11297, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, filed September 15, 2026. Whistleblower case: filed September 25, 2026 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, seeking de novo review of a Sarbanes-Oxley retaliation claim first brought before the Department of Labor.
Status as of September 30, 2026
Deferred prosecution agreement: running. eBay paid a $3 million penalty and is under an independent compliance monitor for a three-year term that began in January 2024. If eBay meets its obligations, prosecutors have agreed to dismiss the criminal charges.
EPA case: over. Dismissed in its entirety on September 30, 2024. The government appealed on November 26, 2024, then asked to withdraw; the Second Circuit dismissed the appeal on April 25, 2025.
GSP tariff, Depop fee and whistleblower cases: early stage. No class has been certified and no settlement exists in any of them. A separate former employee's suit filed May 22, 2026, which also raised claims about Promoted Listings metrics, was dismissed without prejudice for failure to prosecute, per a September 9, 2026 report.
Investors: eBay's quarterly report for the period ended June 30, 2026 names no securities class action and says amounts accrued for legal and regulatory proceedings were not material.
Follow this case
There's no claim deadline yet. We'll email you if a settlement opens a claim period.
Are You Part of Any eBay Case?
Buyers and sellers in general: no. None of the resolved cases created a fund for eBay users. The reported $55.7 million goes to two plaintiffs and to charities; the $59 million and the $3 million went to the government.
Global Shipping Program buyers: possibly, later. The Pitney Bowes complaint seeks to represent U.S. buyers who bought through the GSP from February 1, 2025 through February 24, 2026 and paid prices that included IEEPA tariffs. Unless a court certifies that class or approves a settlement, there is nothing to sign up for. Keep your order history.
Depop buyers: the Rivera complaint concerns the Marketplace Fee that appears at checkout — up to 5% of the item price plus up to $1 under Depop's own policy. A similar federal case was dismissed earlier without a ruling on the underlying claims.
Why class actions against eBay are rare: the eBay User Agreement requires users who did not opt out to bring claims individually in arbitration, “not as a plaintiff or class member in any class or representative action or proceeding.” New users can opt out by mailed notice postmarked within 30 days of first accepting the agreement. Read the User Agreement.
Is There Money for eBay Users?
If the GSP case succeeds, the money at stake is the IEEPA tariff charges buyers paid on UK purchases. The complaint points to Pitney Bowes receiving $5 million in IEEPA tariff refunds in the second quarter of 2026, but that disclosure does not tie the refunds to eBay transactions. The GSP terms also cap liability at the greater of certain eBay Money Back Guarantee amounts or $100. No court has valued the claims. For how per-person payouts in consumer cases usually work, see our class action payout calculator.
eBay Lawsuit Timeline
- 1
September 27, 2023 — DOJ and EPA Sue eBay
The government alleges eBay is liable for third-party listings of pesticides, chemicals and emissions cheat devices. Filed in the Eastern District of New York.
- 2
January 2024 — $59 Million and a Criminal Penalty
eBay settles Controlled Substances Act allegations for $59 million on January 31 and signs a deferred prosecution agreement over the 2019 stalking, paying a $3 million penalty.
- 3
September 30, 2024 — EPA Case Dismissed
The court dismisses the government's claims in their entirety. The government appeals, then withdraws; the Second Circuit dismisses the appeal on April 25, 2025.
- 4
February to June 2026 — A Deal Falls Apart
Days before a March trial, the EcommerceBytes publishers and eBay agree in principle, and the court enters a settlement order of dismissal on February 25, 2026. The written terms fail; in June the case is reopened, and a new trial is later set for January 2027.
- 5
July 28, 2026 — $55.7 Million Final Settlement
eBay announces the agreement ending the civil case against it and three former executives. The money goes to the plaintiffs and nonprofits, not to users.
- 6
August and September 2026 — New Suits
A GSP tariff-refund class action against Pitney Bowes (August 14), a Depop fee class action (September 15) and a former employee's whistleblower suit (September 25). None has been decided.
Three Things to Watch For
A $55.7 million headline attached to a site almost everyone has used is exactly what imposters look for:
“Claim your share of the eBay settlement”
The reported $55.7 million settlement goes to two named plaintiffs and to nonprofits. There is no class, no administrator and no claim form. A message asking eBay users to “verify” an account or pay a fee to receive part of it is a scam.
Tariff-refund “recovery” offers
The GSP case is a proposed class action against Pitney Bowes, not eBay, and no class has been certified. If a class is ever certified or a settlement approved, buyers will get a court-approved notice. Nobody legitimate charges an upfront fee to “file” your GSP tariff refund.
Fake “new legal terms” emails
eBay's User Agreement says material changes to its arbitration terms are posted on eBay.com and announced in the eBay Message Center and/or by email. Phishing copies of those notices link to look-alike login pages. Type ebay.com yourself and check your Message Center instead of clicking.
eBay Lawsuit — Questions People Actually Ask
Why is eBay in the news for a lawsuit?
Mainly the cyberstalking case. On July 28, 2026, eBay announced a settlement with the publishers of EcommerceBytes over the 2019 harassment campaign by former employees. Value Added Resource reports the total at $55.7 million, including $46.15 million paid by eBay and $6 million from eBay to nonprofits. The case is closed.
Is there an eBay class action I can join?
Not one with a claim form. As of September 30, 2026, we found no certified class and no settlement open to eBay buyers or sellers. You do not join a class action by signing up; if a class is certified or a settlement approved, notice goes out to members. Our list of open class action settlements covers claims you can file today.
What happened to the EPA lawsuit over pesticides and cheat devices?
It is over. The Eastern District of New York dismissed the government's claims in their entirety on September 30, 2024. The government appealed, then withdrew; the Second Circuit dismissed the appeal on April 25, 2025. eBay argued that Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act protects it from liability for items sold by third parties, and the judge agreed, among other reasons.
Did eBay pay a fine over the stalking?
Yes. Under the January 2024 deferred prosecution agreement, eBay paid a $3 million penalty and is subject to an independent compliance monitor for three years. Six former employees and one former contractor pleaded guilty. Separately, eBay paid $59 million in January 2024 to resolve DOJ allegations under the Controlled Substances Act.
I bought from the UK through the Global Shipping Program. Am I owed a tariff refund?
Possibly, but nothing is payable now. A proposed class action filed August 14, 2026 alleges that Pitney Bowes collected IEEPA tariffs from buyers and did not pass on refunds after the Supreme Court held on February 20, 2026 that IEEPA does not authorize the president to impose tariffs. eBay is not a defendant. Keep your order records.
Is there an eBay lawsuit over payment holds, account suspensions or 1099-K forms?
As of September 30, 2026, we found no pending class action on those issues. Per eBay's annual report, federal rules require a Form 1099-K for sellers with more than $20,000 in gross payments and over 200 transactions a year, though in some cases a form is issued from the first transaction. Disputes over holds or suspensions generally go to individual arbitration under the User Agreement unless you opted out.
Is Depop part of eBay now, and what is the Depop lawsuit?
Yes. eBay completed its acquisition of Depop on July 30, 2026. Rivera v. Depop, Inc., filed September 15, 2026 in the Northern District of Illinois, alleges that Depop shows prices without its Marketplace Fee and adds the fee only at checkout. It is a proposed class action with no ruling yet.
What is worth doing right now?
If you bought through the Global Shipping Program, save your order confirmations. If you are a new eBay user and want to keep the option of joining a class action, the User Agreement lets you opt out of arbitration by mailed notice within 30 days of first accepting it. Ignore anyone asking for fees or account details to “join” an eBay settlement.
Separate from this case: were you injured in the last 2 years?
Class-action payouts are fixed amounts through an administrator. A personal injury claim is a different case — and often worth far more. Free estimate, no obligation.