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Community Newsletter: Q&A: I got scammed on eBay, what can I do now?
- 9/28/07 3:22 PM
No 1 Tip for buying on e-bay
by mboerner - 9/15/07 2:36 AM In reply to: I got scammed on eBay, what can I do now? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
In all transcations with e-bay (or any other purchasing occasion) always use a credit card because your credit card company has ways of getting back your money that you don't. And they are very obliging.
Another good auction gone bad...
by Michael6760 - 9/15/07 2:37 AM In reply to: I got scammed on eBay, what can I do now? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I ws in the same situation many years ago. I won an auction for a laptop for a friend of mine. I paid the money (which was a significant amount) but never received the laptop. After talking to Paypal, eBay, and getting the FBI involved, the only course of action that got my money back was getting my credit card company involved. They took all the needed steps to get the matter resolved. The long and the short of it is that if your transaction is not over $400, there is nothing you can do legally except maybe small claims court and then you are dealing with someone halfway across the country. There would be time off from work, flight time, hotels, a rental car, etc. and all this for $200. Call your credit card company and tell them your situation. Let them work for you to get the matter resolved.
Next time, if there is one, use Paypal and insure the transaction with Paypal. If there is any question as to the length of time it has taken to get the package, call Paypal and let them work for you. You have 30 days to start the process moving. After the 30 days, then you are on your own, but at least you have Paypal in your corner for that amount of time. If that fails, but shouldn't, then call your credit card company, explain to them what happened and let them fight your battles. LET THE BUYER BEWARE!!! Good luck!
Burnt by PayPal on Ipod purchase
by darylveal - 9/15/07 2:41 AM In reply to: I got scammed on eBay, what can I do now? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
You may still be able to get your money back if you funded your Ipod purchase with your credit card. Generally credit card purchasers are protected if they made the purchase within a certain distance from home, like on your computer at home, and if the amount is over $100 US dollars. The ability of a credit card company to reverse a charge is limited by time so you should contact them right away. If you can convince them that you were ripped by Paypal, based on your communications and their refusal to refund for no delivery, the CC company will send ya a form which you fill out and you should attach copies of your correspondence with paypal. Further check your paypal contract. There is a provision in there that if the resolution process went on longer than your CC company gives to reverse a charge, then you MAY be entitled to your money anyway. The people at Paypal generally are not helpful in this type of situation and dont advise you of your rights against them! If you desire stronger protection and want to use paypal, then use their buyer credit to make the purchase and just pay when you receive the item. It may cost ya a little more on the short-term interest, but you generally have more rights and they guarantee buyer satisfaction.
Good luck!
IPod non delivery
by sky381213 - 9/15/07 2:42 AM In reply to: I got scammed on eBay, what can I do now? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Interesting concept - PAYPAL refusing to reopen the resolution, but then I suppose they don;t want to end up money down - so to speak.
If you paid paypal via a credit card etc. then speak to your bank as you may be insured still under your contract with them. With any ebay purchase you will be asked for a private and public comment regarding the selling agent - mark both down as totally bad. It soon gets them repsonding...
We had similar for an Ipod in the UK, and it turned out all they were waitign for was the 'free' mains charger that came in the offer. So we told them to ship or the contract was void. Low and behold it came within about two days but we are still waiting for the 'promised' charger unit. Some would say an error, others would say advertising standards and trading..... Good luck! Martin UK
One step at a time
by Illio - 9/15/07 3:09 AM In reply to: I got scammed on eBay, what can I do now? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I am saddened to hear of your Ebay experience, Jim. I expect most of us have had good experiences on Ebay, or Ebay would not have been in business so long. You probably have already learned this the hard way, but it's best to not cancel a dispute before you either have the product in hand or your refund. I was not aware that you couldn't reopen a dispute. That is good to know.
Have you contacted Ebay? If so, can they help you? At the very least you can let other buyers know of your experience in the feedback section for this person.
This person stole from you and is guilty of theft. I would give him one chance to make good the sale or refund with a firm deadline, then file a complaint. I would also suggest suing him in small claims court, which you can do without an attorney.
iPods on Ebay
by Alan Rutlidge - 9/15/07 3:17 AM In reply to: I got scammed on eBay, what can I do now? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Hi Jim,
Sadly many iPods sold on Ebay are not the genuine Apple article.
Look for obvious clues in the auction. The seller may very well be local (i.e. from your same country) but the goods will be shipped from China or Hong Kong where counterfeit goods are rife.
If you have good reason to suspect you've been given the run about contact PayPal and advise them. Generally you can't lodge a formal complaint or claim until 10 days after the auction has finished (or reasonable time in which to receive the goods if they are coming from overseas).
Tips to avoid getting scammed -
1. Ask the seller as many questions as you deem relevant to ensure what you are getting is what you are paying for. Vague, inconsistent or no answers are as sure sign of someone who is out to deceive you.
2. If unsure - don't bid.
3. Nice sounding traders can also be crooks. They will use all manner of excuses and delaying tactics so by the time you realise you've been scammed the time period to lodge a claim has expired.
4. If you use PayPal pay for high priced goods using your credit card NOT your reserve funds in PayPal. This way, if PayPal don't come to your rescue, your bank or credit provider might. Remember if you pay for something using your credit card and the goods or services don't materialise you can alert your bank or credit provider of an unauthorised transaction and hopefully get your money back.
5. Be aware that neither Ebay nor PayPal refund shipping costs, only the cost of the goods.
6. Finally - if it sounds too good to be true it probably is. I've been caught by scammers selling counterfeit goods on Ebay. Regrettably Ebay seem reluctant to de-register these sellers because either most buyers don't care or are embarassed to report they have been ripped off. However Ebay has a vested interest in collecting commissions on every sale made. You figure it out.
I sincerely hope you get some satisfaction. But as I said it really boils down to caveat emptor.
Alan R.
ebay scammers
by masuk39 - 9/15/07 3:57 AM In reply to: I got scammed on eBay, what can I do now? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I just bought a new camera on ebay (australia) from the credited Panasonic resell dealers.
Yet the next day, I had an email offering to sell me the same camera for a cheaper price from some guy purporting to be the owner of that camera. All I had to do was make an offer and send the money! HA!
I could well imagine 'doing my dough' and never seeing a camera.
Contact your credit card company
by ijg135 - 9/15/07 4:06 AM In reply to: I got scammed on eBay, what can I do now? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Hi Jim,
I do a lot of buying and some selling on eBay. Ive had my fair share of bad sellers which have scammed me in some way or another. One thing you can do, is if you used a VISA (check card) or MASTERCARD, you can contact your bank and file a claim. Ive done this before and they immediately replaced my lost funds into my account while they do their investigation. After a few weeks, if they have found that the seller was at fault they will contact you. In my case, the seller felt pressured by the bank and returned my money back. Then the bank also removed the credit they given me earlier. Im not sure though if it will work for individual sellers versus an actual business selling on ebay. The seller I had the problem with was a business who sold items on eBay. Hope this helps and good luck.
Added note, I never buy from someone who has less then 99% feedback.
Irving
e-Bay Rip-Off
by Misha331 - 9/15/07 4:08 AM In reply to: I got scammed on eBay, what can I do now? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I went through a similar experience a couple of years ago when purchasing a part for my computer.
The phone number the seller provided was fake, and I could only contact him via e-mail. He answered the first two e-mails but after that nada! By that time two months had gone by and going through the then standard 'complaint' procedures offered by eBay brought zero results. I gave up after about six months and have never purchased anything from eBay since then. The seller ran his scam under the name 'MicroTec'.
There may be thousands or even millions of honest sellers using eBay for their businesses, but I'll never purchase anything through eBay again!
Avoid Ebay
by rolleb - 9/15/07 4:09 AM In reply to: I got scammed on eBay, what can I do now? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I once tried eBay. I bought an antique MahJong from a person in HongKong with a very good record according to eBay. A lot of sharp photos made it clear that this was indeed a good object although a little expensive. I payed the price and freight and handling costs etc and after a week or two I received a plastic toy MahJong without any resemblance to the photos. The seller insisted that this was the product shown in photos which is clearly completely ridiculous to any observer. A friend suggested that I should contac the local consumer police in HongKong which I did, of no avail. For several months I tried to get a comment from eBay. This was absolutely impossible. Whichever road I tried I had to fill endless forms with the same details over and over again. It all turned out to be endless loops. I never got any help or comment whatsoever from eBay. My only advice is DO NOT EVER USE eBay!
Use American Express
by Ferlauto - 9/15/07 4:45 AM In reply to: I got scammed on eBay, what can I do now? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Any time I've had a PayPal dispute, I write PayPal; usually get don't get too far and then I call American Express. The refunds come pretty quickly.
Paid For Not Received On Ebay Advise
by schighway101 - 9/15/07 4:55 AM In reply to: I got scammed on eBay, what can I do now? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Hi. So sorry this happened to you, you are not alone. First of all, when buying on eBay, always check the seller's feedback score. Anything less that 98% postive, I move on most of the time.If you used a credit card, call them and dispute the charge. Being 8 months, not, sure, maybe too long, but try it. Also file a complaint with the Better Business. Go to usps.com and also file mail fraud. I'd also report it to eBay again. Paid for and not received. A call to your local law enforcement wouldn't be a bad idea either. I wish you all the best in recovering your money. Mary B.
Ebay Tips
by feetfirst5 - 9/15/07 5:30 AM In reply to: I got scammed on eBay, what can I do now? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Here are the rules I use for buying on ebay:
1. Only buy from a seller who uses paypal. Paypal now offers at the very least $200 buyer protection coverage. Look for the green box on the left side underneath the seller info telling you this seller is covered.
2. Only buy from sellers who have a positive rating. I look for a 90% or higher rating and I quickly read all of the negative feedback before I bid to see if any negatives are for non-receipt of product.
3. Don't buy from newbies on ebay. They do not have enough feedback information to determine if they are honest sellers. I may have made an exception or two on this rule if the cost of the item was very low and rule #1 (above) was covered.
4. Be vigalant after your purchase. If, after following all of the above, you do not receive your purchase within a reasonable time,(I give them 5 days from the time the seller advises the item was shipped)email the seller advising you did not receive the item. Send all correspondence using the messages section in ebay. That way you have a correspondence thread that is readily accessable to ebay employees. If the seller sends you a regular email, copy the text in his/her email and paste it into a reply in the ebay messaging section.
You must keep all correspondence for paypal dispute resolution. I make a new folder in outlook and place them in there. I put the messages in Ebay messaging related to this dispute in a separate folder so I don't accidently delete the message.
5. File a dispute with Paypal for non-receipt. You must do this within 45 days of payment for the item. NEVER CANCEL A DISPUTE UNTIL YOUR ITEM/OR REFUND IS RECEIVED.
6. If you have not recieve your item or a refund within a few days, then escalate the dispute to a PAYPAL CLAIM. You have only 20 days after you file the dipute to escalate to a claim. Follow all of the instructions from the paypal employees. You will usually get a refund if the request is valid. DO NOT CANCEL A CLAIM UNTIL YOU RECEIVE THE ITEM OR A REFUND.
7. If you have followed the above information, you should have no trouble being a happy ebay with all of your purchases received in a timely manner. In the case where none of this works (or you did not follow the above information), I can only think of one way to try to recoup your losses.
File a theft report with the local police department where the seller lives. You may ask ebay through the messaging center for the sellers name and address. If you have a phone number, that is even better. Most police departments will take a report over the phone. Ask the officer to contact the seller before charges are filed, to see if that will scare the seller into either coughing up a refund or actually sending you your goods. The police department may refer you to the prosecutors office to file the charges after they take an initial report. Get the prosecutors and the courts phone number and contact them with your report number. Follow through on the officers advice. Some departments will try to get you to file through your local department, this is a waste of time. Most police departments do not have the resouces to follow up on crimes that are not within a reasonable distance from their jurisdiction. However, if this is the only option you have, then have the office call your seller and advise your are filing a theft report. This, again, may scare the seller into coming clean and MAY get your stuff. The best tactic is to file through the police department where they live, because the arm of the law is much closer and is definitely a viable threat than someone on the phone 300 (or more) miles away.
GOOD LUCK EBAYING!!!!! :0)
Vickie B
eBay scammers
by Apollo_Racer - 9/15/07 5:33 AM In reply to: I got scammed on eBay, what can I do now? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Sounds like quite a bind, Jim G. I suppose with the right resources, you could try to track down where this person lives through his phone number or his email. I know some websites will go part of the way in searching phone numbers, but you'd have to pay them to get more information. If you can find out where that person lives, maybe you can contact his local authorities and find out what they can do, or contact yours to see what they would do if the seller lived in your area. That could give you some idea.
The number one rule in dealing with auction sites like eBay and uBid is caveat emptor... "let the buyer beware." It's cool to be able to go online and find something you want for a good deal, but there will always be people out there who try to pull the wool over your eyes. One thing you can do when you search through eBay is take a look at the seller's feedback. If they have few to no positive comments, or worse, some negative comments, think twice before participating. If you can help it, try to go with someone who's had a bunch of positive comments... it shows this person is honest about what he's selling. There's a lot more of them than there are scammers, but unfortunately it's the negative stuff that gets all the press. I wish you luck in any future auction bidding. ^_^
Great Pay Pal Myth
by cw4usa - 9/15/07 5:40 AM In reply to: I got scammed on eBay, what can I do now? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I have used EBay on many occasions and for the most part, those transactions have been flawless. As for a PayPal resolution to any problems that you may encounter, forget it. Mostly what you get from them is a lot of double talk and nooooooo action! Never buy anything on EBay without using a credit card, no matter how hard they try to urge you to use a bank draft thru PayPal. At least with the credit card, you can deny payment. This....will get their attention. I was amazed at how cooperative they became once it was decided that I was not going to pay! Always look at the vendor's ratings. If they don't have a rating in the 99% area, forget it! If you read the fine print in the $1000 guarantee, you will find that it is only valid if the vendor has a flawless record. Duh, those guys are not going to screw you anyway! They are legitimate.
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