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eBay Debt Recovery DRS Text Message. £9000!

19 replies

moneyise221 · 31/05/2024 09:34

I had an eBay account a few years ago and sold a high-value piece of jewelry for around £9000. I sent the item to eBay's authenticity center (mandatory for this value), and the tracking showed it was delivered. However, eBay later claimed they never received it. After an investigation, UPS said it was delivered to a different address on the estate where the authenticity center is located. Eventually, eBay located the package but said it contained only chocolate and unrelated items, which I obviously did not send. UPS was unhelpful. As a result, eBay refunded the buyer, and my account went minus £9000. I refused to pay, lost my eBay account, and no longer have access to it or the associated email.

Today, I received a text from DRS debt recovery with my name and a reference number, stating I owe a debt to eBay and to log in online using a passcode emailed to me (which I don't have since I no longer have access to the email). When I called DRS for more information, they asked for my address, which I refused to give based on advice I read online. They then said they couldn't discuss the debt further and ended the call.

What should I do in this situation? Should I contact DRS again and provide my details to find out more about the debt? Should I send a letter explaining why I shouldn't owe this debt and do nothing further? Is there a legal risk of them taking me to court? Any advice would be appreciated.

From what I am aware of, I think they only have my name and telephone number. I have not received any debt letters in the post and I removed/change my address from eBay at the time this all happened. I also have not received any CCJ's. This is the first time they have contacted me.

They have since sent me another text with a PDF basically just explaining that I owe debt from unpaid ebay fees.

OP posts:
Homewoes22 · 02/06/2024 18:51

Could you not have sued UPS for delivering it to the wrong address, anyone there could have switched the contents causing the loss of your item.

Iloveeverycat · 02/06/2024 19:42

How many years?

moneyise221 · 02/06/2024 21:57

Homewoes22 · 02/06/2024 18:51

Could you not have sued UPS for delivering it to the wrong address, anyone there could have switched the contents causing the loss of your item.

unfortunately UPS didn’t help and just said it was delivered correctly

OP posts:
moneyise221 · 02/06/2024 21:57

Iloveeverycat · 02/06/2024 19:42

How many years?

Approx 2 years

OP posts:
DildoHarding · 02/06/2024 22:11

How much is it for?

Ellemeg82 · 02/06/2024 22:33

DildoHarding · 02/06/2024 22:11

How much is it for?

Look at the title and original post maybe.. Hmm

Ellemeg82 · 02/06/2024 22:36

Situations like this (no matter the value of the package) can be tricky as it is your word against theirs.

Do you not have photos of the original packaging when you sent it? Have they got photos of what was received?
You need to prove your case and they need to prove theirs.

Anything I send I always take photographs of the packaging and the contents before sealing the packaging after having a very similar situation happen to me (albeit not for such a large value).
Also when you open a parcel from somewhere like eBay always video record it as then if for some reason it doesn't contain what you expect you have proof that's what you received.
I appreciate that isn't much help now but may help in the future or help someone else.

Mammma91 · 02/06/2024 22:37

£9k is a substational amount of money and you wouldn’t want fee’s added on top of that. Have you got any evidence form contact with UPS to prove they admitted it was delivered to the wrong address? Contact citizens advice but I wouldn’t hand over your address incase they start sending out aggressive letters. I hope it’s sorted for you soon OP.

Grmumpy · 02/06/2024 22:40

I was just listening to the consumer hour on Lbc..free legal advice Sunday 9-10..perhaps call them next week

RaininSummer · 02/06/2024 22:47

I must be missing something but I don't understand how you can owe 9k as surely the buyer was refunded the 9k they paid when the goods were 'lost' and if you are liable for anything, it's just fees. You have lost 9k from losing the item however.

abouttoturn50 · 02/06/2024 22:53

If the OP withdrew the money to her bank then eBay would refund, putting her (I assume PayPal) account at minus £9000

Trishna99 · 02/06/2024 22:55

Wait for it to go to court and seek legal advice in the meantime

RoseBucket · 02/06/2024 22:56

RaininSummer · 02/06/2024 22:47

I must be missing something but I don't understand how you can owe 9k as surely the buyer was refunded the 9k they paid when the goods were 'lost' and if you are liable for anything, it's just fees. You have lost 9k from losing the item however.

The OP says fees

ItsPrettyGoodReally · 02/06/2024 23:11

You could ring the free legal advice line on your house insurance. They would help.

DildoHarding · 02/06/2024 23:14

I did. It doesn't say @Ellemeg82 the 9k is the price of the item, not how much the fees owed are....

moneyise221 · 03/06/2024 07:04

DildoHarding · 02/06/2024 22:11

How much is it for?

£9000

OP posts:
Newlittlerescue · 08/06/2024 07:21

So it's eBay that is currently down the £9000? You received the money, and the buyer got their money back?

I think it was unwise for you to drop this with UPS at the time, as it seems the blame lies with them. They delivered to the wrong address and as a result, the contents were stolen. I assume that as this was via eBay's official process there will have been sufficient UPS insurance to cover the £9000 loss. You should have kept pursuing it with them, and with an email from them admitting that it was sent to the wrong address, then their insurance should have paid out. The problem now is that it's been 2 years, and I expect UPS has a time limit on making claims? Do you still have the email from them admitting the misdelivery? My concern would be that if this is taken to court, eBay has an open and shut case against you (they received chocolate) and the judge would tell you to recoup your losses with UPS 😟

LaurieFairyCake · 08/06/2024 07:54

Did you actually get the £9000?

By withdrawing the money from your PayPal account?

LondonQueen · 08/06/2024 09:21

Did you withdraw the money?

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