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eBay

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

Original poster

I've been ripped off by a buyer - ALL EBAY SELLERS NEED TO READ THIS !!

70 replies

onefootinthegravy · 22/07/2008 20:44

So a buyer paid me on 5th July and I duly sent out the item. We both left feedback on 11th July, both happy.
And then on 15th July payment has been reversed.
He has claimed back his money by doing a 'Paypal Reversal' - the money was withdrawn from my Paypal account - he as the goods and the money back

On his feedback he has done this before

I have written to ebay and they have palmed me off stating they cannot check my Paypal account - and told me to contact Paypal who directed me to there Seller Protection page that has basically told me there is a risk of this happening in every Papypal transaction!!!
There is some protection for the seller if your a business trader but none for just a personal account.
Thankfully my feedback is up to 1200 and this is the first time it's ever happened to me but I sure as hell will not be selling something of value (ever) on Ebay !!

OP posts:
Lauriefairycake · 23/07/2008 09:53

4.7 Chargebacks Process. In the event of a Chargeback, we will place a temporary hold on the disputed funds and we will determine whether we should dispute the Chargeback with the credit card company or buyer?s card issuing bank (as appropriate). If we dispute the Chargeback, we will maintain a temporary hold on the disputed funds in your Balance until the credit card company or the buyer?s card issuing bank (as the case may be) makes a decision. The credit card company or the buyer?s card issuing bank, (and not PayPal), will determine who wins the Chargeback

You need to raise a dispute with them I think.

pgwithnumber3 · 23/07/2008 09:56

Do you still have the address of where the person who has done this to you lives? Send the bloody heavies around! Debt Collectors!

missjennipenni · 23/07/2008 10:11

proof of delivery HAS to be online, and tracked.

Original poster
onefootinthegravy · 23/07/2008 10:48

TBH the transaction was for £10 so I sent it just by normal post - it wasn't tracked or anything - it's just the principal of listing an item, packing it and all - and then someone can end up with both the goods and their money back when they were perfectly happy with the item. It's just a joke!

OP posts:
SparklyGothKat · 23/07/2008 10:53

I think that because you have no prove of postage, that he is chancing it. I send everything recorded for this reason

pgwithnumber3 · 23/07/2008 11:29

What a little f*cker, for £10. Would you really be bothered to steal £10 from someone?

We had someone buy a set of alloy wheels from us last week, sent us the £785 via paypal, luckily we never sent them out because the next day, Paypal had retrieved the funds as the "Paypal account holder" had no knowledge of the transaction. The ebayer had bought about 4 things last week and used someone elses Paypal account to pay for them. One guy had sent out a £700 stereo and has lost it and the money. Bastards.

caykon · 23/07/2008 15:06

I sold a breastpump the women emailed and said thankyou it was great next thing I knew i had a paypal dispute for item not arriving. Paypal refunded her, sending my account into minus figures. I disputed and refused to pay I ended up with debyt collection agencies calling and knocking on the door. I hate paypal but you have no choice. it is a con artists heaven.

tullytwo · 23/07/2008 15:27

Even if you withdraw the funds from your paypal account paypal can still take money away from you so you end up in deficit in your paypal account.

Basically paypal pay you and then a few days later (by which time you would probably have posted the item) they try to get the money from the buyers bank account and if this request is denied or there are insufficient funds they take the money from your paypal account not theirs for some reason which I dont understand.

Happened to me but luckily was a genuine mistake on the buyers part so it was sorted but paypal really doesnt seem to offer you any security but you have to offer it for ebay now.

Oblomov · 23/07/2008 15:31

I did not know this. Paypal need to sort it out, more than ebay. What are you paying the paypal charges for, if they are not going to protect you in a time like this.

pgwithnumber3 · 23/07/2008 18:24

Ebay own Paypal don't they?

LackaDAISYcal · 23/07/2008 18:35

I have only recently started selling on ebay and my first transaction has gone wonky already. Not sure I'll sell anything else.

It's awful that sellers aren't protected really and that they can't leave negative feedback. This sort of thing is only going to keep happening isn't it?

ilovemydog · 23/07/2008 18:50

pg - yes, I'm fairly sure ebay own paypal.

Google has a money transfer system which is supposed to be quite good. Google checkout?

tigermoth · 23/07/2008 18:58

I never knew that either - I am shocked!

And now you can't leave buyers negative feedback, it's difficult to warn other sellers about a potential con.

I wonder if you can specify on your listing that anything you sell over 'x' amount of money has to be paid for by cheque?

If I come across a bad buyer, I am now still leaving feedback to warn other sellers, even if I have to click the 'positive' button, just in the hope that sellers will read the actual feedback statements, not just the score.

LackaDAISYcal · 23/07/2008 19:13

is there not even the option to leave neutral feedback?

pokeydot · 23/07/2008 19:18

i knew that this could happen only because its happened to me the other way round.....

I paid for items on ebay through paypal and everything was fine recieved them etc etc and then some bast@rd went and frauded my bank account so my bank stopped all payments etc...I had 5 ebay items going through and all 5 were reversed so the sellers gave me my money abck and i had the goods it took the sellers account into minus on paypal and they were unable to use it untill the balance had been restored. it took a few days but i managed to get it sorted my bank allowed the payments through but i had to repay for everything iyswim!

pgwithnumber3 · 23/07/2008 19:19

No there isn't the option Lack, ebay have the belief that ALL buyers are good - not so, as most ebayers know, I think most have been scammed or had buyers pull out of transactions. I really don't know why they are changing what was a successful formula.

My mum was talking to a couple of girls who work on the ebay website in Liverpool yesterday, they said they knew things were going wrong but there was not a lot they could do, it is obviously up to the powers above.

ManxMum · 23/07/2008 19:38

It can take up to 14 days for a cheque to clear completely, so unless the buyer is willing to wait that long, it may be a difficult option.
I can't believe some one could be so low handed to do this, please let us know who they are.

pgwithnumber3 · 23/07/2008 19:43

I am really pissed off now, DH had just informed me that the dickhead who scammed us last week by bidding on three of our items (worth nearly £1500) and then never getting in touch (had only registered to ebay that day) has just left us three lots of negative feedback! ARGHHHHH!!!!

Has anyone ever got negative feedback retracted, how long does it take ebay to sort out as we are selling a lot of stuff this week and this could harm the sales.

Doobydoo · 23/07/2008 19:44

I buy.Haven't sold yet.Amby this.Actually there are many tales of ebay dodginess on here,puts me off.Why do people have to be such arses?Sorry about your situation.

tigermoth · 23/07/2008 19:59

I know you have left positive feedback for this buyer, onefootinthegravy, but you can still add more comments about them, you know - you can just click on the 'reply to feedback left' link and add a comment about their con trick.

(I hope ebay have not put an end to this also)

LackaDAISYcal · 23/07/2008 20:08

Google Checkout

I registered the other day as I bought some nappies from usednappies and the seller wanted Google checkout payment. The funds come directly from your card so I imagine it's a little more difficult to get your bank to reverse the payment than your paypal account. Their fees are cheaper as well from what I can see.

sallysparkle · 23/07/2008 20:18

pgwithnumber3 if they haven't paid for the item it should be retracted by ebay pretty quickly. But ebay is rubbish at the moment- no protection for sellers at all. I've closed my shop down because its so expensive to sell anything and you are just open to scammers and fraudsters. I sold something 2 weeks ago, after the auction the buyer sent me a message saying that it was a mistake and she didn't want it. I can only leave her positive feedback- its crazy!
As far as Paypal goes I think that if you are selling anything you must post with recorded delivery. Just having proof that you sent it is not good enough, you have to prove it was delivered.

pgwithnumber3 · 23/07/2008 20:59

Thanks sally, that's good to hear. Ebay is terrible atm, DH has said he can't stand selling on there anymore but it is vital to us as it really boosts our income selling car parts that would just sit in his garage otherwise or would be sold to a scrapyard for pennies.

I always always send via courier or recorded/special delivery. I need to make sure I keep all the receipts in a safe place as I can be a haphazard with them. A lesson learned from this thread most definitely.

Original poster
onefootinthegravy · 23/07/2008 21:58

I am going to put some notes on to warn other buyers Tigermoth -
On a lighter note someone has just left me this feedback ......
Carlsberg dont do ebay transactions, but if they did it would be like this, A+++
It made me smile !

OP posts:
pgwithnumber3 · 23/07/2008 22:08

Ha ha, great feedback!

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