ebay problems possible scam??

kennethwfd

kennethwfd

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Advice or comments welcome.

some sellers on ebay have encountered the switching scam. This is where a buyer has a broken item, looks for something similar on ebay, buys it, claims the item arrived broken and send back their item instead for a refund.

in my case I sold the Sigma 150 - 500 as I don't use it much over the winter because of its poor performance in low light and plans to buy the new Canon 100 - 400 for the next season. Lens teated and a couple of sample phots included.

Seller claims item broken, will not autofocus (tried with 650d 7dmk1) asks for a refund. I say return it and I will issue a refund

On New Year's eve attempts to use my card to make purchases result in "declined by card issuer" Problem traced to Paypal's new policy which is not improving its popularity with others affected by this because it has "earmarked" funds for the refund thus creating as negative balance. Ebay says "waith until item returned before issuing a ferfund"

despite return address on packet, ebay and paypal addresses are my current one, email confirming current address, seller sends to wrong address. Item now returned to buyer, paypal have also issued a refund

Ebay now say that the item was delivered 5 Jan 0722hrs. Cannot be so because incoming mail is handled by reception which during the winter months is not open at this time. The postman also invariably does not come until early afternoon Reception have connfirmed no packet delivered to me on that date

the tracking number provided shows on the Royal Mail's website as "returned to sender as could not be delivered" ie the buyer

Beginning to suspect a scam Ebay also, it seems will not refund fees until I have resolved the negative paypal balance as well
 
Do you have a record of the serial number of the lens? It's a difficult switch to pull if you remember to include the serial number of the lens in the listing.

At the moment it could just be buyer ineptness, but are you recording everything in the eBay dispute process? You must keep the dispute record up-to-date and make sure that all communications go through their system - no direct email exchanges. Ebay use the dispute record to monitor the dispute and to adjudicate. Getting them to look at any evidence not logged against the dispute is not easy.
 
Hi, I'd speak with eBay and get assurance that you won't be out of pocket. My only advice would be to stem your frustration when speaking with Ebay, patiently abide by their timescales and they should reimburse you. :)
 
also if you have not got the serial number of the lens go through any photos you have taken is should be in the exif data
 
thanks for the above...the plot thickens...my paypal account is now in credit and I certainly didn't pay £280 into it. In fact, I asked my bank to refuse any further paypal transactions because it was attempting every few hours to debit my account

Ineptitiude? well , the buyer had "sender's address" 16 Hurst view on packet
Registered this address with both ebay and paypal
emailed seller "send to 16 hurst view" - as they say, I rest my case although aware of the sayings "never attribute to malice what may be adequately explained by stupidity" or "fools aren't stupid, it takes a genius to create a major cockup"

If paypal does not pursue reclaiming the money then as far as I am concerned the matter is closed, and my suspicions that the buyer was trying to loose the item in the postal system so he got his money back and then the item as well are right but of course cannot be proven
 
Ineptness comes in many forms, and until you see the package you can't be certain the address written on it by the buyer is wrong. I ordered a laptop a year or so ago and despite the correct address on the package the courier still managed to record a failed delivery attempt against the wrong address.. changing the details, but if I live at John Smith Street the courier attempted delivery at the correct house number but on Bob Smith Street (about 1/4 mile away). A case of the courier having just enough knowledge of the local street names to create a cock-up, when a driver that was a complete stranger to the area would (probably) have got it right.
 
That's a crazy coincidence that you live in John Smith St and there's another street near you called Bob Smith St?


:exit:
 
Royal Mail special delivery used. The point is that according to eBay the item has already been returned to me, the same tracking information entered onto the RM website shows "item returned to sender" ie the buyer

the fact that Paypal have withdrawn their demand to repay the refund says it all

Greggster said:
That's a crazy coincidence that you live in John Smith St and there's another street near you called Bob Smith St?


:exit:
Click to expand...

There are three Mill Lanes within approx 10 mile radius in my neck of the woods, (Brockenhurst, Sopley and Highcliffe) In fact Royal Mail deal with badly addressed items on a regular basis, often delivered on the basis of local knowlege. I used to work in the industry and while every organisation can have a few rotten apples in general posties are a decent hard working bunch
 
kennethwfd said:
There are three Mill Lanes within approx 10 mile radius in my neck of the woods, (Brockenhurst, Sopley and Highcliffe) In fact Royal Mail deal with badly addressed items on a regular basis, often delivered on the basis of local knowlege.
Click to expand...

I couldn't remember my sister's new address whilst on holiday one year, but a postcard addressed to "The Big White House near the Cemetery" in place of the street number and name managed to reach her without problem..
 
Update. Ebay have closed the case deciding that I do not need to refund the buyer on the basis that the buyer has "failed to prove that the item has been returned to your postal address registered with ebay and provided an invalid tracking number" which shows up on Royal Mail's system as being "returned to sender"
 
kennethwfd said:
Update. Ebay have closed the case deciding that I do not need to refund the buyer on the basis that the buyer has "failed to prove that the item has been returned to your postal address registered with ebay and provided an invalid tracking number" which shows up on Royal Mail's system as being "returned to sender"
Click to expand...
It does sound a bit strange, but it looks like you're not going to be out of pocket.
Not sure how an invalid tracking number would show anything at all on the RM system though.
 
the buyer initially provided a valid tracking number when the item was returned to a wrong address and could not be delivered so it was returned to sender ie the buyer.

The buyer has submitted the same tracking number for a claim that the item has now been dispached to my registered postal address with ebay. Enter this tracking number on RM's website and status of this item is "unable to deliver, returned to sender" so the buyer is unable to prove his subsequent claim that the item has been dispatched a second time

Despite the standard of communication the buyer is intelligent enough to initiate a refund process. And if the claim genuine then there are the options of claiming against RM or offering the lens on ebay as broken. I'm amazed that people are prepared to bid over £100 for a broken camera body or lens including being dropped onto a hard surface causing visible damage or into water and being described as totally dead - will not power up
 
Ive heard of people being scammed with someone buying a identical item to their broken one then try sending their broken one back. This is why when i sell anything electrical i note the serial number inc photos also where possible use a uv marker and mark the item and take a picture under uv light. Saved me once with a sky box i sold
 
I've had this with some studio lights I sold. They contacted me immediately that one of the lights were shattered. I requested a photograph and asked whether they want a replacement or a refund. They wanted a refund which made me suspicious but hey ho. When it arrived it was broken, but the serial number was different and not part of a pair.

I provided that information to eBay and i got my refund refunded. Unfortunately the buyer got to keep the refund, I was really annoyed by that but hey I've got my money back.
 
I'm aware of the substitution scam, it also has been tried regsrding antiques and collectibles as well.

In my case nothing has been received from the buyer, he is now asking me why eBay has closed the case. As if I know more than the information they have released regarding their decision.

The other point to note is Paypal's new policy once a request for a refund has been started is to debit the seller's account and place the money on hold. It was very frustrating in that I could not understand why my card kept getting declined until I accessed my paypal account
 
Paypal have been doing that for a while and another heads up paypal do not accept signed for as proof of delivery hence why i only use courier or rmsd
 
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