Chinese seller threatening me: what should I do?
Save the threats and sender details, report the conduct separately from your order dispute, and restrict unwanted contact. Approach UK police if you feel threatened; call 999 if anyone is in immediate danger. For help organising supplier correspondence in China, contact Cambridge China Bridge.
Put safety before the seller dispute
If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 999. Do not wait for the marketplace to reply or finish collecting screenshots before seeking urgent help. Tell affected colleagues or household members what has happened, especially if the seller mentions their names, your address or a planned visit.
Avoid arguing, threatening back or arranging a meeting. If you choose to respond and feel safe doing so, keep it brief: “Please stop contacting me personally. Send order-related correspondence through the platform dispute channel.” Then leave the complaint with the designated business contact or platform support.
Keep a record of the threats and their context
Save the full conversation, seller profile, account identifier, order reference and visible timestamps before blocking or requesting removal. Keep original messages, voice messages and emails alongside screenshots. Preserve the Chinese wording and label any translation separately. Store copies outside the marketplace account, with access limited to those handling the incident.
Build a timeline showing the complaint, each threatening contact, the channel used and any contact from new accounts. Record exactly what was threatened, what the sender demanded and whether they contacted staff, customers or family. Save page addresses and evidence of published personal details. For calls, keep a dated note distinguishing the words you remember from your interpretation.
Report conduct separately from the refund claim
Open the marketplace through its usual app or saved address. Use its reporting or support area to describe threats or harassment, rather than submitting only a product complaint. Include the seller identifier, order reference, timeline and relevant messages. Ask support to preserve account and message records, assess the conduct and explain how to restrict contact while keeping the order dispute accessible.
Keep the report acknowledgement and case reference, and add further incidents to the case. Report abusive posts on any other service where they appear. Continue checking the order dispute deadline. Use our guides to refunds tied to review changes and requests to close a dispute before a refund where those demands accompany the threats.
Protect accounts and business contacts
After preserving what you safely can, block or mute unwanted contacts where available. Review who can message you, see your profile or find you through your phone number. Remove unnecessary personal details from public profiles. Ask colleagues to preserve unexpected approaches and route them to the incident owner, without forwarding customer information or engaging with the sender.
Do not open unexpected attachments, follow seller-supplied security links or share verification codes. If you see unfamiliar logins or changed settings, follow our marketplace account takeover guide. If customer or staff information has actually been exposed, use our supplier personal data breach guide for the separate assessment and reporting decisions.
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Approach UK police when you feel threatened
Government guidance says to report antisocial behaviour to police if you feel threatened or think the behaviour could be breaking the law. For a non-emergency, call 101. Explain the actual messages and their impact rather than trying to choose an offence yourself. Do not dismiss a threat simply because the account appears to belong to an overseas seller.
Tell police where you are, that the seller appears to be in China, what identifying details you have and whether they know your home or workplace address. Explain any demands for payment or withdrawal of the complaint. Ask how to supply the evidence and report further contact. Keep the police reference with your platform case; continue the commercial claim separately.
Frequently asked questions
Should I block the seller immediately?
Preserve messages and sender details first if you can do so safely, then block or mute unwanted contact. Keep access to the order dispute through platform support. Immediate danger takes priority over evidence collection.
Can I contact UK police if the seller is in China?
Contact UK police if you feel threatened. Explain your location and the seller’s apparent location, and provide the actual messages. Ask how they can assess the incident; do not assume an overseas account makes reporting pointless.
Should I withdraw my complaint to stop the threats?
Avoid making a rushed settlement under pressure. Preserve the demand, report the conduct separately and ask support how to keep your complaint open while restricting contact. Seek urgent police help if anyone is in immediate danger.
What if the seller contacts my staff or customers?
Ask recipients to save the messages and sender details without replying. Add these approaches to the timeline, report the accounts involved and review exposed contact information. Use the data breach guide if personal information has been exposed.