eBay empty box scam by Buyer, advice please.

[StarryAgainstBlack]

I sent an item via track and trace. Buyer signed for the item and I never heard from them until 10 days later when they raised a not as described case and claimed they only received paper.
The buyer had paid by e cheque and requested I sent it before payment was cleared but I politely declined. From looking at their feedback they have lots of poor feedback and sellers saying they were defrauded or buyers saying they received empty boxes. There is also feedback from a very similar name and various unbelievable communications e.g. When I asked the buyer to send a picture of the packaging he said he couldn't as his cameras is from the 1980s ( he has 900 feedback ) I have sent all this evidence to eBay but after the time is up now they are advising the buyer to return the " item " and advising me on my listing technique. It's as though it's all automated despite 4 calls and sending lots of evidence. Once I receive the damaged item ( just a load of paper no doubt ) eBay want me to refund. Help! It's £105 I can't afford that before Christmas. I've been on eBay 12 years with perfect feedback. My PayPal is frozen with -105 in.

Was the box weighed at the Post Office and the postage based on weight?

An empty box would weigh far less so would cost less to post. If you have your post office receipt this could prove it was full when sent

Yes I have my receipt with the weight, the buyer is saying it has a stack of paper so this would weigh more than it being empty. He could be saying it was tampered with in the delivery system. I don't believe it was based on his feedback and messages.

OK....... in theory a PO with the weight on it isn't enough to swing this in your favour (strange i know), but I would definitely fight this.

Upload the postage receipt, as well as screenshots of the feedback from sellers quoting similar problems.

And this is the important bit....... PHONE eBay and speak to someone, reiterating your concerns that you have discussed here. (more than once if required)

Make it clear to the buyer and eBay that if you are forced to refund that you will be taking this to the small claims court.

If eBay do force a refund then send seller a "letter before action".

Ask eBay to look at the previous feedback and tell the seller you will be taking him to the small claims court and screen shot the feedback from other Ebayers in casevhe closes his account

We have rang eBay 4 times so far and told them of the feedback and the pressure to send before cleared payment. I haven't screenshot the weight on the receipt as I wondered if the buyer would match the weight of their return ? So wanted to receive the return first now this is being forced on me via eBay. Thanks for the advice I will definitely do those things. I'm so disappointed in the way eBay deal with matters like this.

I've just phoned again and the representative said the screenshots of their bad feedback mean nothing and they have no way of checking it?! Just go on about the post office claim, can you claim for the item being " stolen " rather than not delivered? I feel like buying loads of things and saying they had paper in but I won't obviously. The buyer is returning the item to me and then eBay refund and then chase the money off me. I've actually just cried, can't believe people do this and get away with it. I can't afford to lose £100 just before Christmas :(.

You could file a claim at the county court (small claims) but that will take ages and I have my doubts about the likely outcome. Another possibility is to write to the personal finance pages at The Times or The Telegraph. If they pick it up ebay might change its tune rather quickly. However, even if they're interested it will take weeks rather than days.

But I think you have to accept the £100 is gone for the moment.

you could share their Ebay name here so the rest of us can put them on our blocked bidder list

I second naming and shaming! Don't let anyone else get scammed by them

That's disgraceful. Did you have to refund the cheating bastard?

I can't believe that people do this Starry - how awful - I've never heard of this scam before. It sounds as though he scams both buyers and people he sells to. Can you please share the name so that we can block and perhaps send him a load of nonsensical queries about his items. I hope you manage to get this sorted - eBay don't sound particularly helpful.