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Community Newsletter: Q&A: I got scammed on eBay, what can I do now?
- 9/28/07 3:22 PM
Ipod Issue
by ki3b - 9/18/07 1:32 PM In reply to: I got scammed on eBay, what can I do now? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Jim,
Depending on which form of payment you sent and how, if you used the US Postal system you can file mail fraud complaints with the postmaster general. Plus I'd notify EBay formally about this issue. Of course you can give him the 'bad feedback', but in a lot of cases, people who fraud on EBay have several aliases. IF you used PayPal, let them know about the issue also. It may take a bit to get your money back from these sources so you have to be patient and have the proof of the transaction
Put in a complaint with the person's police department in his/her town. Make sure you are able to submit proof of the transaction including emails and any receipts from your money order or bank checks. Don't expect the police to drop everything and run to this person's house, but they do look into mail fraud cases also.
One thing you can also do is write it off to experience. I know it's a bitter pill to swallow, but at times it becomes very apparent that you're dealing with an individual who isn't going to give you your product or money and no amount of calls or emails will solve the issue. It doesn't take much to add anyone to a 'spam' filter and with caller ID, I don't have to pick the phone up and I can always change to another phone number. Remember on EBay you're at risk with the individuals ethics.
Some tips I've stuck by are as follows:
(And I sell and buy electronic gear all the time BTW)
If the item is too cheap to be true, it normally is.
If the item is within 25% of cost of a new one, but the new one. Problem with used electronics is that a store or dealership will make sure a customer is happy with a 'new item'. On EBay you're hoping that the person will do the 'right thing' by your transaction, but they can always use the 'it was working when it left' claim. Plus you never know if the unit was dropped or had someone in there messing with it.
Be aware that electronics that are bought used normally cannot be fixed because of new models coming up all the time and the unavailability of parts. Manufacturers make only so many chips and other devices that go into these units and when the run is done, then pretty much it's gone. There may be a few spares around but normally in the electronics business repair very often outweighs the cost of new (more cases than not....)
Make sure you pay by a postal money order or bank check. They get very interested in cases of postal fraud VS a money order from someone like WalMart or 7-11.
Check the feedback. If the person has anything less than 98% and has done several thousand transactions I get really suspicious. I look at the feedback and see if he/she had any complaints for the past month and make a judgment from there. You also have to understand that with feedback complaints, sometimes the issue with the car is really the 'nut behind the wheel' and not the car. A lot of people expect new items for the price of used and you can't make them happy no matter what you do. If the feedback is in the low hundreds and he's less than 98% then forget it and move on.
I DO NOT SEND MONEY TO PO BOXES, PERIOD. NO accountability at all VS a physical address.
Good Luck,
Joe
Ebay
by eeryoeono - 9/18/07 8:19 PM In reply to: I got scammed on eBay, what can I do now? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I think that your situation could of been avoided if you check the feedback percent. I would only go with a seller that has at least a 98 percent feedback level.
Dont believe star ratings!
by gbswales1 - 9/22/07 4:34 AM In reply to: Ebay by eeryoeonoI have encountered many bogus ratings - they look good on the surface but when you actually look at them you will sometimes find about 100 ratings all made within the last few weeks and all for transactions for electronically delivered goods costing just a few pence (or cents if you are from the US).
The first thing to check before making any purchase on e-bay is the little entry that says
"member in (country) since (date)" - if it is less than 6 months minimum then don't believe any ratings. This is sometimes how long it takes e-bay to catch up with a scam artiste. One more thing never buy from anyone where the PayPal protection doesn't apply E-BAY is one place where it pays to read all the SMALL PRINT which aint much help when the bargain you are after has 2 mintues to run!
Time to play hardball, Jim
by janlcc - 9/19/07 1:27 AM In reply to: I got scammed on eBay, what can I do now? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Something like this happened to me a few years back, and for a lot less money than you're missing. After a couple of months of one excuse after another, I did some internet research, and contacted the Attorney General's office in his state of residence.
I received an acknowledgement, then all was quiet for a month or so. One day, to my amazement and delight, a money order for the full amount due me appeared in the mail.
PayPal's so-called resolution process is very nearly useless. It's an eBay come-on, and little more. If you want to protect yourself, use a credit card (which you can do through PayPal if you wish). Your card company would have yanked that $200 back for you long since.
Whoops.
by kraftee1 - 9/19/07 4:57 AM In reply to: I got scammed on eBay, what can I do now? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
If you start a PayPal resolution you should always pursue it to the end. If the kit had shown up you could have either cancelled or if it was after you had got your money back (by the way the chances are you would have got your money back) you could have always paid the fellow again. If you paid by credit card you may have had some recourse there but after 8 months I very much doubt it.
As it is you can only walk away & learn the lesson (albeit a very expensive one), never ever believe what a Ebay seller is telling you until you get the goods in your hands. Yes there are a good number of sellers who are straight but the ones with all the smooth talking are the ones not to trust.
I myself have just gone through this, if I had been refunded the number of times I had been promised then I would have made enough money to stop working for the year & despite the fact that the seller told PayPal that they had refunded me PayPal still came down on my side of the fence & have clawed the money back for me.
EBay Question
by wam4 - 9/19/07 11:30 AM In reply to: I got scammed on eBay, what can I do now? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I've been using Ebay for a long time...almost since it first started. I've been really lucky and only had three bad experiences (not counting the few times when things were broken in shipping, which is always a pain). I started using PayPal, but I have tried to protect myself a little, since neither Ebay nor PayPal are looking out for buyers at all.
I do check feedback scores and avoid auctions where people have less than stellar ratings or very few ratings at all. If they look like they're new, I look at their transactions and make sure their feedback is from other buyers and on similar merchandise. Some people's feedback is dummy stuff - minor transactions for pennies just to get some feedback.
I also only pay for things via PayPal using my American Express card. It's really no more trouble, but gives me an added layer of help if something does go wrong. I recently had a non-performer drag me along for 3 months (he was "in the hospital") until, unbeknownst to me, my ability to file a claim with Ebay was gone. So, I called Amex and explained what happened. They deleted the charge from my bill and that was that. I assume the bad guy got shorted by the amount of my credit...Amex is a lot more helpful than PayPal OR Ebay in these instances.
Also, if someone doesn't perform, don't send hate mail, post lots of scathing feedback or threats (I've done all of these). These actions hurt your case when you DO file a claim with Ebay and PayPal. Save all your emails, ask politely that they honor their commitment, giving them time to respond and also give them a warning that if you can't get it resolved immediately, you'll be forced to fils a claim and post calm-sounding, factual, negative feedback. After that, if you do file a claim, NEVER rescind it or drop it until you've gotten it fully resolved. There is no reason for anyone - even a "nice person" - to do so.
Good luck in the future...Ebay really is a great merketplace, but it's got its pit falls!
Remember the squeaky wheel...
by BlueKnight - 9/20/07 10:41 AM In reply to: I got scammed on eBay, what can I do now? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
"The squeaky wheel gets the grease" as they say, so it's time you "squeaked" loudly.
That Pay Pal policy is garbage. Cancelling a complaint is NOT a resolution, so you should be able to get some assistance. Find out who the "top dog" is at Pay Pal and write them a letter. Write a draft copy and state the problem as concisely as you can -- don't rant. The letter should not be longer than four (4) paragraphs: 1) state the transaction specifics 2) state the problem with the seller 3) state the problem with Pay Pal 4) state what resolution you want. Don't forget to be polite and concise. And make sure you use good grammar and your spelling is correct, it will make you more credible. After you get you draft letter perfect, finalize it and send it. If you have hardcopies of your order etc. send photocopies (not the originals) along with your letter.
Since eBay owns Pay Pal, I would also write to the CEO of eBay in the same manner I outlined above. Be polite, state the problem concisely and state what you expect for resolution. Include photocopies of any documentation to support your complaint.
I don't have a Pay Pal account, but assuming a credit card was involved in the transaction, and since Pay Pal hasn't been willing to help, try contacting your credit card company and see if they can help you recoup the loss.
Under circumstances like this, you normally would be able to sue a party, such as this seller, in small claims court. But to do that, you need to know both his/her name and address in order to file a case. If you have that info, go for it -- assuming he/she lives in the same state as you.
You may be able to obtain the address through a reverse phone directory if it wasn't a cell phone. I've done this as part of my work, and it surprizes the heck out of someone when you show up at their door.
That said, I think your best course of action is to contact the head of Pay Pal and the CEO of eBay.
Good luck
Contact your credit card company they will help.
by jim947 - 9/21/07 6:28 PM In reply to: Remember the squeaky wheel... by BlueKnightAs former posters have said, if you used a credit card, you can call your credit card company directly. PayPal is just a payment processing service (for the most part). They are not your credit card company (unless you have a PayPal credit card). You credit card company will most likely want to help you if you have been a good customer. They want to keep you as a customer.
I had the same problem. The PayPal resolution process did not work for me. I immediately called my credit card company. The customer service woman said "Hmmm PayPal, no problem, we will issue a charge back, you now have your money". That was that. I have my money. Then PayPal immediately opened up the resolution process again. They then went after the seller, because now they were out the money. They froze the sellers funds and took the money. I never closed the resolution, I never did anything. It was now their problem. Who knows how it ended, but I have my money.
I hope you paid by credit card, and I hope your credit card company will assist you. Hope that helps.
Ebay experience
by cessamac - 9/20/07 11:57 AM In reply to: I got scammed on eBay, what can I do now? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I have been buying things on ebay for several years now and finally came across my first jerk. I was buying an ink cartredge for my boyfriend's mother's printer. I found a seller that had it for a good price. I bought it and a month later I still didn't have it. After my attempts at communicating with the seller who wouldn't reply to me at all, I started a dispute with PayPal. They never asked me for any information about the claim. Because PayPal had to contact the seller he realized that he was getting ready to get into trouble and shipped me the item 1 month and 3 days later. PayPal thought that this was ok even after I had told them that I had to buy another at full price locally. Even after an appeal I got nowhere! I realize that I'm not out of the money Jim G. is but it still infuriated me. The agent at PayPal told me how I could go in and still leave feed back for this seller because it had disappeared from the My Summary screen. If you haven't done this do it. It was my only way of recourse against the seller. You click on the number beside your ebay name (the number for the amount of transactions you have done on ebay) and it will take you to a feedback screen where you say you have had a pleasant transaction or not. I've never left negative feedback for anyone but I blistered this guy. My rule of thumb for selecting a seller on ebay is for them to be in the high 98% feedback score. I also never use anyone who doesn't use PayPal because in Jim G.'s experience they are supposed to protect you. You can also try calling PayPal at 1-866-837-1895. In my opinion PayPal needs to fine tune their rules. Ebay I think has a fraud section that you can report this person to. I hope this helps and believe me I've heard stories that are much worse so your net alone.
Use member feedback
by geekspice - 9/21/07 4:52 AM In reply to: I got scammed on eBay, what can I do now? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
eBay's member feedback feature is a good tool for enforcing honest behaviour in the community. You don't say whether this person is a frequent eBay user or not, but if they are, be sure to leave negative feedback on this transaction explaining the story. A frequent eBay user will want to get the negative fedback off his/her account and will usually resolve the issue in an effort to do so.
Of course, if this person was a one-time seller on eBay, then they probably don't care about feedback as it won't have any impact on their ability to make future sales down the road.
Potential winning answers.
by Lee Koo (ADMIN) - 9/21/07 4:10 PM
In reply to: I got scammed on eBay, what can I do now? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Here are the selected submissions grouped in one post. Read through them and place your votes in the newsletter poll.
Answer:
ADVICE FOR SAFE BUYING ON EBAY AND OTHER ONLINE WEBSTORES
Sorry to hear about your bad experience on eBay, Jim. I know how you must feel. After 8 months with no resolution, the only thing I can think to suggest is to either write or call this person one last time. While holding your anger at bay, ask them for a refund. Be the nice person. Tell them, that if they’ve had a financial problem, have been ill or have had some other catastrophic event that has kept them from refunding your hard earned cash, you understand. But, at the same time, explain that you are in the same boat and need a resolution. If the person still will not comply, tell them that they leave you no recourse but to report them to their local police department for fraud or theft and take them to small claims court. Also, contact eBay, explain your dilemma and report the seller. I don’t understand why it has taken 8 months to ask about a solution, however. I had a very similar experience and was able to get a refund within a month through PayPal. The main mistake you made was to close the PayPal resolution case before you got your refund. Never close a case before it has been resolved. If you had an error in your bank account and asked the bank to look into it, would they close the case before they’ve resolved the problem? No.
I have learned the hard way that there are and always will be dishonest people both on and off line. It’s just a fact of life. I have to say that the majority of sellers and buyers online are honest. Since there is no absolute way to avoid the possibility of being ripped off again you must take precautions!
When you find the item you’re looking for on eBay or any online website store for that matter:
1. CHECK THE SELLER’S FEEDBACK. If there are any negatives, read the buyer’s comment. It’s not always the seller’s fault. Remember the old saying, “You can’t please everyone all of the time”? Sometimes the buyer did not thoroughly read the description, didn’t understand it or just didn’t like it after they’ve received it. In other words, find out what other buyers have written about the seller.
2. ASK THE SELLER A QUESTION/S. See how long it takes to get a response. Most sellers will respond within 24-48 hours. If you get no response, find another seller that has the same item for sale and move on.
3. READ THE SELLER’S POLICIES. Do they have a return policy that you can live with? Do they even accept returns for a refund or exchange? Not all do. What is their shipping policy? Do the shipping fees seem reasonable?
4. If you’ve purchased more than one item from a seller, ask for an invoice with combined shipping. Even though it’s not always written in their policies, sometimes you can “luck out” and they’ll give you a shipping discount. Remember, the seller wants you to be happy!
5. When paying for your merchandise via PayPal, pay promptly. Then, let the seller know you’ve paid and ask them to contact you when the item has been shipped. It just lets them know you are watching their performance. I have setup my PayPal account to use a credit card that has buyer protection. That way, you’re covered if PayPal doesn’t get a resolution for you. Perhaps it’s not necessary, but, you can’t be too careful.
6. If you chose to pay using a Money Order or Cashier’s check, you will need to mail your payment to the seller. Make sure you go to the Post Office and buy a Delivery Confirmation. That way, you can track and know when the seller receives your payment.
7. NEVER USE WESTERN UNION OR ANY INSTANT CASH TRANSFER SERVICE (NON-BANK, POINT-TO-POINT CASH TRANSFERS) SUCH AS WESTERN UNION OR MONEYGRAM.
8. Copied From eBay site:
Payment Services permitted on eBay: Allpay.net, Bidpay, cash2india, CertaPay, Checkfree.com, hyperwallet.com, Moneybookers.com, Nochex.com, Ozpay.biz, Paymate.com.au, Propay.com, XOOM
Payment Services NOT permitted on eBay: AlertPay.com, anypay.com, AuctionChex.com, BillPay.ie, ecount.com, cardserviceinternational.com, CCAvenue, ecount, e-gold, eHotPay.com, ePassporte.com, EuroGiro, FastCash.com, Google Checkout, gcash, GearPay, Goldmoney.com, graphcard.com, greenzap.com, ikobo.com, Liberty Dollars, Moneygram.com, neteller.com, Netpay.com, paychest.com, payingfast.com, Payko.com, paypay, Postepay, Qchex.com, rupay.com, sendmoneyorder.com, stamps, Stormpay, wmtransfer.com, xcoin.com.
WHY DOES EBAY HAVE THIS POLICY?
Safety and convenience are at the core of eBay’s policies toward payments. This policy is designed to promote safe online shopping, and to encourage online payment methods that are safe, easy to use, reliable, and offer high levels of protection for users. The policy also attempts to preserve some flexibility for users that still prefer offline payment methods.
LASTLY, click on the HELP radio button on the eBay site. It’s located in the top right corner. Do a search by typing in: “BUY SAFE”. You will find more tips and buying strategies to help keep you safe online.
FINAL WORDS: Although this all sounds very OVERWHELMING, don’t get discouraged by one evil seller. Because, as I stated earlier, MOST eBayers ARE Honest, Good and Love to have Fun! So, BE SAFE and ENJOY the convenience of shopping from home! Rae - BichonBay
http://forums.cnet.com/5208-10149_102-0.html?forumID=7&threadID=264204&messageID=2585590#2585590
Submitted by: Rae
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Answer:
eBAY Question
Jim, below is a list of things I do to help ensure that any online transaction I make will have a high chance of success. I have been an eBAY member since 1998. During that time I had one instance where I lost $6.00 and that was partially caused by my sending a money order which could not be traced unless I spent $6.00 for the trace. Needless to say I decided a $6.00 loss wasn't worth all the effort it would take. I also had a few instances where negative feedback was left prior to the buyer having the courtesy to notify me of a problem. So, as you can see there are people out there who are unfamiliar with the process and just plain lazy. By using your resolution and closing it you basically lost any help you could get from eBAY to recover your loss. You didn't say whether or not the item was insured and what the feedback rating of the individual you purchased from was. As for eBAY making a statement regarding this seller I wouldn't take that to heart. Here are a few things to consider before bidding on any online auction.
1 - Dealing over the Internet requires caution as your winning an online auction is basically a contract. This means that deals gone bad can lead to possible legal action based on all the circumstances.
So, if you enter into a transaction be prepared to complete it to the end. This goes for both the buyer and seller. In your case I personally think the seller is not being totally honest with you. I just don't buy a friend packaged and sent the item out!
If an individual is under 18 there may be some legal ramifications as there is the possibility that the parent may be held liable for a transaction gone bad.
2 - Check out the seller/buyer
Do some research and check out the feedback % and if it is low steer clear of that person. An example would be if a person had ten transaction and 5 negative feedbacks the record is not very good. On the other hand if the individual had a large number of transactions (powerseller) there is bound to be some negative feedbacks posted. The idea here is to deal with those who have a high feedback percentage rating. Also, check out prices on other sites to ensure the auction asking price is within reason. Oh, definitely take a look at shipping and handling costs as this is where you can be taken for a ride. A low price for the item and the difference is made up in shipping/handling charges. An example would be a baseball card sold for ten cents but shipping/handling is $2.50. A single card can be placed in a common business envelope and shipped for the first class rate. Once again it is up to the bidder to decide if the price is fair and reasonable. When I sell on eBAY I do not allow any bidders who have had 2 unpaid item strikes within 30 days. A caveat I follow is trust the person in good faith but take as many precautions as you can to protect yourself if something goes wrong. A question to ask yourself is will eBAY disallow a powerseller from using their service for a few poor transactions. I think of it as this; eBAY makes a lot of money off it's powersellers so unless they do something which is very blatant I don't expect to see any of them knocked off the eBAY track.
3 - Before I post any feedback I wait for the transaction to be fully completed whether I am the buyer or seller. Once again it is better to be safe then sorry. I have encountered a few instances where myself and a buyer/seller agreed to mutually amend a feedback. Also, using a third party, in your case eBAY to assist is the right way to go. You shouldn't have closed so soon with eBAY even though you spoke to the seller and he told you he would make things right.
4 - Investigate the item fully for your own safety. Is the item new in a factory sealed box, is it used and sold as-is, what is the return policy? What is the shipping/handling cost, when will the item ship? Ask that the package be wrapped properly to protect the item purchased. Find out how it will ship, USPS, UPS, FEDEX, etc. and will a tracking number be provided.
4 - Obtain the other individuals information
You should get the seller/buyer id for an eBAY transaction, a name and phone number, email address so you can immediately contact that individual if something should go wrong. A serious individual won't mind providing you with this information. In eBAY's case you can email the buyer or seller with questions or concerns.
In ending I recommend you use caution when dealing with someone with no prior feedback, especially if that person is working from a P.O. Box as it is difficult to track someone who uses a P.O. Box as their headquarters. Try to get a home address and phone number as well as it's P.O. box address, so you can contact the person at his residence if you have a problem.
5 - Check and Recheck everything
Prior to completing a transaction make sure everything is in place. Do you have the proper names, address, phone numbers and anything else you require in case something goes wrong? Is the price the one agreed upon and shipping/handling also what was agreed upon? Did you confirm when the item will ship, tracking number, etc.? Never send cash in an envelope and always use a form of payment where you have a receipt (check, money order, PayPal).
7 - Follow-up on your transaction
Follow your item transaction from start to finish and when all is well post feedback.
Keeping communication open with the person you are dealing with is a good thing and will help ensure your deal goes smoothly.
Jim, I hope this will help you in your future endeavors on eBAY. I would try contacting the seller again with hopes of your money being returned. Just remember, be cautious and if you follow the steps I have listed it will hopefully make your dealing on eBAY a pleasant one. There are unscrupulous people in every business so caution is the way to go. Although what you read above may seem overwhelming it is really quite simple to follow and won't take much time to execute. Above all, the next time you go to resolution keep it open until your problem is resolved. I, like you, do not like to pay for an item and not receive it. Be careful, it's your money $$$$$$$$$!!!!
http://forums.cnet.com/5208-10149_102-0.html?forumID=7&threadID=264204&messageID=2585672#2585672
Submitted by tuvals
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Answer:
Getting your money back when all else fails
Jim -
I feel your pain. I've had several occasions when I've lost money on eBay and also where Paypal was unable to resolve my issues. Probably the biggest problem I have faced is when I pre-ordered sevearl NASCAR diecast cars...each one valued at over $50. I, too, thought that the seller would be honest because of his high feedback rating and high sales volume. However, when the diecast cars were finally released by the manufacturer and I still had not received them, I became very worried. I e-mailed the eBay seller several times with no reponse back. I filed a complaint with both eBay and Paypal, but because they have a 90 day policy, I wasn't eligible to file a resolution. The seller had closed their eBay account and I was about to give in.
Being out several hundred dollars made me upset, so I decided to do some research on the seller and my options. Like you, I had the sellers phone number. I was able to get on the internet and do a phone trace and get his address. I was also able to go back and look at the sellers previous sales and noted that he had occasionally posted a mailing address. Since he did charge state taxes, I figured that he must be registered with his local state as a business. This particular seller was from Wisconsin.
Most states have an States Attorney Generals Office. I went to the Wisconsin Attornery Generals Office website where I was able to file a complaint against the seller. I was lucky to find out that the seller had opened a new account on eBay. I e-mailed the seller one last time, telling him that I had filed a suit with the State's Attorney General Office for non-shipment of my pre-ordered diecast cars. Well, you would not believe how quickly I had my diecast cars and a refund for what he did not have that I had pre-ordered from him. The threat of legal action was enough to make this guy come clean. (His excuse was that he was in the middle of a messy divorce and thus not able to fulfill his backlog of pre-orders.)
My advice to you and contact your states attorney generals office and also the attorney generals office in the sellers home state. You might be able to file out forms on line to file a formal complaint. (I'm assuming that the seller of your iPod is from the USA.) There are strict laws concerning internet sales and scams. The threat of a law suit from a states attorney general was enough to make my seller want to co-operate with me. I would try and find out the sellers address because that can often be of help. Also check the sellers past sales to see if they might have listed a mailing address or business address. The more information you can provide the attorney generals office, the better the chances they can help.
I was able to see one guy I dealt with on eBay who did not send me my item be prosecuted in court. Apparently this guy had a major scam going on and in this case, the State of Minnesota finally caught the guy and my eBay and Paypal records helped put the guy in jail.
That would bring me to my final suggestion...try to make a paper trail of every transaction you make with eBay and Paypal. Hang on to those papers because they may come in handy someday down the road.
It's always a good idea to get the sellers phone number as well as address. Generally, I've had good luck with Paypal. They have resolved many of my cases successfully. Most states have laws concerning internet sales. If you're using the US Post Office, you may also have legal options with them as well. And if all else fails, contacting a local lawyer might be a good option. They can often provide advice as to how you can follow up and take further legal action. Contacting your local attorney generals office is a good place to start to see what legal grounds you have at your disposal.
Good luck!
Pastor Paul Tjostem
http://forums.cnet.com/5208-10149_102-0.html?forumID=7&threadID=264204&messageID=2584950#2584950
Submitted by paultjos
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Answer:
Buyer Protection
Eight months is way to long to have waited. I'm sorry you had this problem but so much time has gone by that your options have dwindled. Some of them expire after 90 days. You should not have cancelled the PayPal resolution issue, but hindsight is 20/20 of course. I would not have cancelled that even if they swore to send it. Only when the item arrived would I have cancelled the PayPal issue. I expect items to arrive within 10 business days of cleared payment at the most. If it takes longer I email the seller stating the item has failed to arrive and asking for the shipping information. I phone the seller a two days later if I've not received an email reply. I don't let it drag on.
When purchasing SMALL items with a winning bid of under $10 on eBay I rarely bother with insurance. I've been fortunate! I've received all the small items I've purchased. Only once did I not get an eBay item, but in that one case I got a refund. It was a 119 dollar computer hard drive which the seller said they shipped out, however after three weeks hadn't arrive so I asked for and got a refund. It never arrived. I emailed them and they didn't answer. I phoned them and they were speaking with a foreign accent. I had insured the shipping and I had paid through PayPal. I suppose the seller was afraid I'd complain to PayPal. They were in "No Longer A Registered User" status on eBay only a week after I got my refund so I probably wasn't the only one having problems with this seller. They had never had a negative feedback prior to this.
If you don't wait eight months there are some ways other than insurance to protect yourself on eBay transactions including:
1. Paypal Buyer Protection kicks in when you pay with PayPal using an existing balance or with a transfer of funds from your bank account. However in your case you burned that bridge.
2. If you pay using your MasterCard or Visa directly to the seller's merchant account and then you do not receive the item in a timely fashion, complain through your credit card company and request a charge back to the seller's merchant account for the total amount you paid.
3. Do NOT pay by personal check or certified check or money order other than a real US Postal Service Money Order.
4. If they don't accept PayPal or credit cards, or if you don't use those methods a great alternative is mailing the seller a US POSTAL SERVICE Money Order. The US Postal Service has their own police department that investigates mail fraud and cashing the money order and then not delivering the item is considered fraud to the the Postal Police which are called Postal Inspectors. Three agencies you don't want after you are the IRS, the Railroad Police and the Postal Inspectors because all three agencies play by their own rules. Save your carbon copy of the postal money order until the item arrives and you are satisfied that it was as described.
5. When buying expensive items, such as your iPod, I would absolutely have paid extra for the insurance. I don't bid on more expensive items if insurance is not available as an option or not already included in the shipping price. If insurance costs extra I pay the fee and get the protection. If the description doesn't mention insurance use the ASK THE SELLER A QUESTION feature and see if it is included or if you can purchase insurance at exact cost. If buying the insurance is going to push the price of the item too high to make it a bargain then just buy the same item at the local store instead.
6. When logged into your MY EBAY page, check eBay's DISPUTE CONSOLE on the main menu (bottom of left hand column) to file a complaint through eBay.
7. If you fail to receive your item, always leave negative feedback stating you paid but never received your item. It not only is a way you can get a little satisfaction, but it also alerts other eBayers to irresponsible sellers. I don't think you can leave feedback on an item after 90 days, so you can't do that on this transaction which leaves the seller free and clear to continue irresponsible sales practices.
I buy and sell on eBay. As a seller, I have never shipped an eBay item out uninsured. When I ship items via UPS they include up to $200 insurance and then I buy extra insurance for any amount required over that. If shipping US Mail I buy insurance to cover the item plus the shipping too.
At the very least this seller is irresponsible and at the most is a criminal. I'm sorry you had this issue, but even more sorry for you because you waited so long to try to do anything about it. At this point your only options are the eBay Dispute Console, which also might have a time limit, and filing a fraud report with the local police. If you paid using a Credit Card through PayPal talk to your credit card company to see if you can do a chargeback. Good luck!
http://forums.cnet.com/5208-10149_102-0.html?forumID=7&threadID=264204&messageID=2585014#2585014
Submitted by vasser
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Answer:
Buying on eBay
There are many people all over the world who shop online these days and eBay is one of the many ways of buying. If it were not a relatively safe and reliable way of selling, there would be no online sellers. But that said, there are problems with buying online, just as there are when buying from a shop. What you need to decide is whether or not you want to deal with these potential problems and if you do, here are some tips for making that a bit safer.
There are a lot of things to consider when making a purchase online, through eBay or any other online seller. One of the main things is the reputation of the seller. Does he have a feedback forum - on eBay he does and this allows you to check up on what others say about the quality of product, the reliability of the seller where postage is concerned and the way the seller handles disputes. Then you need to know how long the seller has been trading. If he is an old hand, the feedback will be extensive and you can decide from that if you are prepared to deal with him. If he is new to online selling, the feedback will obviously not be as extensive and you then need to decide whether or not you are prepared to deal with him when you can't really make an informed choice. It is always more risky dealing with a newbie, but then, they have to start somewhere.
You should also be familiar with the item you are buying. Most sellers will not refund your money if you change your mind or the item is not what you expected or the size or colour is wrong. Unless the item is not described properly in the first place, there is nothing you can do about it. The main thing is to ask questions - if you have any, before you buy. Get full and proper descriptions from the seller, clarify any ambiguities and confirm postage charges. Once the item is bought, it is too late to change your mind. You could of course just not pay, but the feedback forum on eBay is to advise the buyers as well as the sellers. A seller would soon refuse to sell to you if you do things like that. Not to mention you are risking you account because eBay will cancel your account if you are too troublesome or untrustworthy.
If you are buying a big money item you should ALWAYS ask for postage insurance and tracking numbers. Of course you need to pay for it, but at least it is a guarantee of your money and it is not usually that expensive. If the item is not too expensive, you can take the chance of only using regular postage. The problem there is that you can never know for certain that the seller has posted the item or whether the postal service has lost the item, and most sellers refuse to guarantee that you receive the item. If it goes missing, you have lost your money. If the seller does not offer insurance, you can always ask for it. If he refuses, then obviously he is not someone you should deal with.
The next thing to consider is how to pay for the item. NEVER pay by Western Union or any other instant money wire transfer services, or by posting cash. Always send a cheque (not negotiable), direct deposit into the sellers account or by Paypal where you can pay from your bank account or by credit card. EBay also recommends an Escrow service for really big money items. It is not a good idea to use your credit card directly with the seller, by using Paypal, the seller does not get your card numbers, they are confidential to Paypal.
Using Paypal also gives you a dispute resolution process, which if used correctly can solve many disputes and also Paypal has a guarantee of up to $3000 when paying through your bank account. Ebay too, has a dispute resolution service which when used correctly can also help solve problems. The thing to remember though is, these services need to be used correctly. Once you start your process, do not close the dispute until everything to do with the transaction is final, item received or money returned. There is no re-opening of a dispute once it is closed so if you close the dispute because the seller promised to send another or make refund, and he does not, you can do nothing about it. The only thing left to do - and this does not get you your item or the money you spent - is make a complaint to the police who, in Australia have a department specifically for online fraud and other online criminal activities. They may or may not be able to do anything for you specifically but you will bring to the attention of the police a potential larger problem.
Check out the following link about Paypal buyer protection.
http://pages.ebay.com.au/paypal/dispute-resolution-seller.html
To recap, make sure of the sellers reputation, know the item you are purchasing and ask questions of the seller, pay by a reliable and safe method, don't forget postage insurance and tracking, and if you have a dispute, follow it to the complete end before closing it.
The only definite in shopping online, is yourself. Don't take silly risks and be alert for signs of trouble. Bad feedback is the first sign, there are many others. Become familiar with the sellers you want to use and try to stick to your favourites. By the same token, do not shy away from a seller just because he is new. Make small purchases to start with, and get to know the seller. Most of them are honest and trustworthy and want to deal with honest, reliable buyers. Take care online, be wise and ask questions.
Tizzanne
http://forums.cnet.com/5208-10149_102-0.html?forumID=7&threadID=264204&messageID=2585684#2585684
Submitted by tizzanne
Ebay scammers
by downwiththeun - 9/22/07 6:39 PM In reply to: Potential winning answers. by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I also tried eBay a couple of times and was scammed. There dispute resolution team was a joke. They do not care about the buyer as much as the seller who pays them. So I too feel your pain.
Numbers can be traced, except if they ave been blocked. But if you have his number, you and your transaction, (attempted) you have him. I will never buy on eBay again, at least as long as they keep the scammers on there site. And this same scammer is still there. The email was (makingmillonairs@some bla bla bla). You know the saying "fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me).
So for me? NO EBAY, NO WAY.... The positive responces I am sure were planted. The negative, well they never folowed through...
Greg
If you all feel
by evas53 - 9/22/07 8:49 PM In reply to: Ebay scammers by downwiththeunI you all feel that way everybody should put a complaint with FTC and they will look into it. I know they are looking for problems like this.
Ebay will perform DUE DILIGENCE
by PC-PILOT - 9/24/07 11:54 AM In reply to: If you all feel by evas53The best way to proceed, if you do not get the item that you won, IS to go through the ebay / paypal mechanisms 1st. They have been very effective. I do agree with one posters suggestion that you go through Paypal whenever you can. You're taking more of a risk, if you don't. I actually had not gotten a LCD computer monitor that I had ordered. All tracking options showed that it was delivered ... to a city about 1500 miles away. While attempting to clean up that with the seller (who was non-responsive (to my satisfaction, anyway, with the answer that 'it was signed for, we are out of the loop'), I got an email (through ebay messaging system from a nice man in Atlanta.
He said that he had my monitor - and wondered if I had HIS stuff (purchased from the same seller). I informed him that I didn't. I told him that the seller was not taking responsibility for carrying through properly and I had just started the process to dispute payment through Paypal. This person actually offerred to re-pack and double-pack my monitod and fed-ex it to me. I asked that he tell me what it would cost - he did - and I sent him the amount through paypal.
My dispute then took off and I indicated to Paypal that I really just wanted to recover the $40-some-odd that I needed to spend to actually get the item. After a short time, I was informed that the full amount of the monitor - plus original shipping - had been credited back to my account! Thier investigation concluded that the seller had not completed the transaction satisfactorily. So --- it was more than I bargained for and I left it at that.
As for the VERY kind person in Atlanta - It shows that the ebay community has FAR more honest people than dishonest. So many trades go RIGHT and the bad ones seem to take the forefront - which is understandable.
STAY IN EBAY'S EMAIL SYSTEM!
by mike48007 - 9/24/07 11:09 AM In reply to: Potential winning answers. by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I've read the winning answers, all full of great suggestions, but none addressed one of Ebay's fraud protection suggestions which is to always communicate within Ebay's email system. Sometimes sellers will approach a bidder to give their email to do a transaction outside of Ebay. A lot of times this happens when you lose an auction and the seller lets you know they have multiple items like the one you were interested in. They might just be trying to avoid Ebay fees, but for the buyer, if you deal with someone outside of Ebay's site, you lose ALL protections!
Most winning answers mentioned communication and that is hugely important. Just remember if there is a dispute, you might be making more of it in your head, so whenever communicating (no matter how mad you might be), keep your cool. Nobody, whether in the right or wrong, takes well to threats. Save that for the last couple of messages when you INFORM them (not necessarily threaten them) that you'll be taking whatever steps necessary. Also, I bought a Vespa scooter from Thailand once and had to throw caution to the wind. When I clicked the BID button, I was prepared to lose the money...kind of like Las Vegas. The deal did go through, the scooter was very nice, but the seller didn't speak English very well and was a little slow to answer emails, which made me pretty nervous. Make sure you take that kind of thing into consideration before getting worked up and thinking you got ripped off. That deal took 7 nail-biting weeks. I spend most of my time in Ebay Motors section (buy and sell), I've had good luck aside from one time when a moron created an account to bid on an antique Mercedes I had for sale just to "reserve" it. He took the train from Santa Barbara to San Diego just to back out. When I reminded him that bidding meant buying...he literally ran away. Always beware the newbie, but everyone has to start somewhere as most of the others pointed out.
I would offer one last thing...sometimes it's cheaper (and safer) to buy your electronic goods from an established store (Walmart/Best buy etc.), I have not seen great prices on things like iPods on eBay. If you see a price "too good to be true" always run the other direction.
Like the commercial says: "It's better to win it" and Ebay can be fun in that respect! Don't give up, just be careful!
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