Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

eBay

If you buy or sell items on eBay, you will find tips and advice on this forum.

I'm sure this is a scam but I'm not sure how or why.

48 replies

klipklop · 30/11/2020 13:52

I sold a luxury item for £100 last week. Through bids. Item includes all invoicing to prove authenticity (and I'm a long-standing successful seller with lots of fb)

Buyer paid, I was watching telly and had my phone on me and saw the PayPal notification come through, in real time.

Not even thirty seconds later I get a message from buyer saying "item is not real, I want my money back" and a load of mildly threatening language. Buyer has 8 feedback.
I'm not bothered, I've been on eBay long enough to know how it works so just went in to PayPal to refund - but the payment was on hold "there's something amiss with this payment so we've frozen it to protect your account "
This Immediately sets off feelings of something isn't right.
I message buyer back to say "your payment is on hold I'll return it when it clears"
Cue some more slightly threatening messages, but nothing I'm particularly bothered about. I think they wanted to panic me into refunding and possibly playing into their trap, but I didn't.

So now the payment has cleared and is there for me to withdraw or return. I haven't yet, I'm trying to work out if it's some weird, elaborate scam.
Anyway, now buyer has started a case that he "wants to return the item" - returning the item that's still on my dresser upstairs!

Can anyone shed any light?

OP posts:
satnighttakeaway · 30/11/2020 13:54

I'm sure an ebay scam expert will know, I can't instantly see how that would work unless the emails that say you have the money are fake - do they come from a genuine paypal account?

Workerbeee · 30/11/2020 13:59

I wonder if they thought you might refund before the funds had cleared & then they would be quids in. If they do it a lot I’m sure some people fall for it - good job your were on the ball.

MikeUniformMike · 30/11/2020 14:03

Have you posted the item?

IME only 8 feedback comments is a bit of a red flag. Bet they are feedback as buyers, not as sellers. Sellers can't leave negative feedback.

Any covetable item tends to be a PITA to sell. Anything that is likely to generate a lot of interest tends to attract trouble. Luxury brands and well known brands in particular.

If you want to return an item, you need to give a reason and I've had things that have sold for 99p or £1.99 been requested a refund with a 'doesn't seem authentic' reason.

klipklop · 30/11/2020 14:06

@Workerbeee

I wonder if they thought you might refund before the funds had cleared & then they would be quids in. If they do it a lot I’m sure some people fall for it - good job your were on the ball.

Oh yeah, that could be it! That would explain why they tried to panic me into sending it back straight away and why he went quiet for a few days when I didn't play ball Grin
He does seem a bit all guns blazing now though, I might just give PP a ring before I do anything to be on the safe side.

OP posts:
klipklop · 30/11/2020 14:07

Have you posted the item?

No I still have it.

OP posts:
SlippersForFlippers · 30/11/2020 14:10

Probably thought you'd refund with other money not through PayPal and then they would complain to PayPal that they hadn't got a refund so you'd have to refund that money aswell.

klipklop · 30/11/2020 14:11

I didn't even have a minute between him paying and then him stating that it wasn't real.
Alarm bells went off because he must have started typing the threatening message immediately after clicking to pay. the time frame is off. If he was genuine and had misgivings about authenticity he shouldn't have paid.

OP posts:
satnighttakeaway · 30/11/2020 14:13

@SlippersForFlippers

Probably thought you'd refund with other money not through PayPal and then they would complain to PayPal that they hadn't got a refund so you'd have to refund that money aswell.
Can you even do that? If you go to refund a buyer I thought it automatically picked up the paypal account it had come from. How would you be able to do it any other way? It is a little while since I used ebay so maybe it's changed but that would be a negative change for me
MillieVanilla · 30/11/2020 14:13

Just refund him, check with PP first that the money has definitely cleared. Then go to eBay and tell them what has happened and the threatening messages so you don't get a underperforming strike and get your charges returned too. They may also ban him.

80sColourfulChristmas · 30/11/2020 14:15

Even if he is a scammer, you currently have the funds AND the item.... That's not really fair either is it? Just refund him now that money has cleared and re-list, or post the item.

You're making it sound like you're looking for a way to pocket the money AND the item?

klipklop · 30/11/2020 14:17

@80sColourfulChristmas

Even if he is a scammer, you currently have the funds AND the item.... That's not really fair either is it? Just refund him now that money has cleared and re-list, or post the item.

You're making it sound like you're looking for a way to pocket the money AND the item?

No I'm not! I'm wondering if I press refund it'll fuck over my account that has money in from many many other legitimate sales where the buyers haven't tried to do me over.
OP posts:
80sColourfulChristmas · 30/11/2020 14:18

@MillieVanilla

Just refund him, check with PP first that the money has definitely cleared. Then go to eBay and tell them what has happened and the threatening messages so you don't get a underperforming strike and get your charges returned too. They may also ban him.
Ban him for what though? I understand OP's initial concerns totally. There's so many eBay scammers out there. However the funds have cleared now? The buyer's only crime is that he changed his mind after paying and Paypal safeguarded the money. Paypal often safeguard the money for a variety of reasons. I'm an established seller, however due to Covid I hadn't sold in 6 months and so my funds were put on hold until buyer received item or 21 days (whichever soonest) just to be on safe side.

What on earth should they be banned for?!

TheSandman · 30/11/2020 14:18

Does his opening a case automatically mean that you can't leave feedback? I know you can't leave negative feedback but there's nothing to stop you writing something negative in the comments box.

haircutsRus · 30/11/2020 14:19

Contact Ebay and raise it as an issue straight away. Otherwise he will complain to them and they will refund him.

80sColourfulChristmas · 30/11/2020 14:19

@klipklop Why would refunding a customer 'fuck over your account?'

And also, what proof do you have the buyer has done anything wrong? Please see my above comment regarding paypal payment holds

klipklop · 30/11/2020 14:21

Were talking literally a few days here, a couple of which the payment was on hold and I couldn't do anything anyway!
If he is a scammer (which I'm very certain he is) I wish I could bloody keep it and donate it to the Salvation Army, might stop him doing it again to some poor git who might fall for it.

OP posts:
TheSandman · 30/11/2020 14:22

Report a buyer - spd.ebay.co.uk/RBASellerHub

80sColourfulChristmas · 30/11/2020 14:23

@klipklop How exactly has this person 'tried to do you over??' You mean you suspected that it may be some kind of scam. Just because he changed his mind. Yes it may have been an attempt at a scam but despite a precautionary hold on the money, ultimately the funds have CLEARED! Meaning he has stuck to his side of the deal. You however, have not....

MissBridgetJones · 30/11/2020 14:23

@80sColourfulChristmas

Even if he is a scammer, you currently have the funds AND the item.... That's not really fair either is it? Just refund him now that money has cleared and re-list, or post the item.

You're making it sound like you're looking for a way to pocket the money AND the item?

She is doing nothing of the sort!
80sColourfulChristmas · 30/11/2020 14:25

@klipklop

Were talking literally a few days here, a couple of which the payment was on hold and I couldn't do anything anyway! If he is a scammer (which I'm very certain he is) I wish I could bloody keep it and donate it to the Salvation Army, might stop him doing it again to some poor git who might fall for it.
Do what exactly? Change his mind about purchasing an item?!?! You're making yourself sound a little deranged now. Have you never changed your mind about a purchase a few mins/hours later?
80sColourfulChristmas · 30/11/2020 14:25

@MissBridgetJones How do you know this for a fact?

TheSandman · 30/11/2020 14:26

How to cancel a transaction :

www.ebay.co.uk/help/selling/getting-paid/cancel-transaction?id=4136

"After you cancel, we'll let the buyer know. If they've already paid, they'll get a refund."

klipklop · 30/11/2020 14:29

How do I know he's a scammer? :

Low feedback, typing out threatening messages nanoseconds after paying, starting a case to return an item he hasn't even got.
He was definitely trying to panic me into refunding his money while it was on hold. He said I must "do it now or else I'll report you to eBay and have all of your items cancelled and your money suspended " (I've made £1000+ in sales this month, which is easy for anyone to see if they know where to look)
I just glad I didn't fall for it.

Plus the hold message for PayPal was different. This one definitely said "there something amiss"
I've had hold payments before that just explain that they've put it on hold until you add valid tracking

OP posts:
80sColourfulChristmas · 30/11/2020 14:29

Just refund the poor sod or send him his item!
Regardless of whether or not he tried to scam you, ultimately HE HAS NOT SCAMMED YOU AS YOU HAVE THE CASH! If you wanted to withdraw that money into your bank right now, you could do. It's yours. He hasn't scammed you out of ANYTHING. You have the money and the item.
So either refund or post.
If you still refuse to do this, then as far as the Law is concerned then you are scamming him!

klipklop · 30/11/2020 14:31

Calm the fuck down!

OP posts:
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

This thread is closed and is no longer accepting replies. Click here to start a new thread.