We're getting hit yet again with return fraud issues. Nothing new, but this will be a record $1040 return for us and so if we can fight it we will. Anyone want to make bets on whether or not eBay cares? I'm betting it won't make a difference, but at least it'll be a fun Youtube video and might earn us some ad revenue. Usually we wouldn't fight it and would chalk it up to cost of doing business (on eBay, that's not a legitimate CODB anywhere else. Try returning a box of rocks to WalMart and see what happens), but for this one our Youtube subscribers might find it interesting and I will see to it that it gets blasted across social media.
For context, buyer buys item. Buyer receives item. A week later buyer sends pictures of the part he pulled out of his vehicle and states that it's damaged. Well yeah, that's why you bought a good one from us. We respond that he is welcome to return the item, but it must be in the same condition with matching serial numbers or we will pursue legal action. Sometimes that scares people off if they're returning something that isn't what we sent them, but people who know what they're doing know those are empty threats. The pictures he sent us are very obviously not what we sent him. I mocked up some comparison photos and attached them here.
So the current plan is this. All of our returns go to the local UPS store so we can have witnesses when opening them, and they have a notary on staff for statements. Step 1 will be to open the package on camera there with a witness. With printed photos from the listing, the witness will confirm that it is not the same as the one in the listing photos. A statement that the item is not what we sent them will be notarized, all in one take on camera.
Step 2 will be the usual police reports, IC3 reports, and mail fraud reports. Case numbers will be documented and included in our video. It will be noted that filing false police reports is a felony and so there is literally nothing more we can do to establish that we received a different item. A signed and notarized affidavit, police report numbers, and recorded evidence is as good as it gets for establishing that the returned item is not what was sent out.
Step 3 will be to harass the ever living stuff out of eBay CS, again all on camera. It will be pointed out that a 50% refund will still be a $500 loss to us, and to eBay as well when the buyer appeals that and gets a courtesy refund from eBay as is standard practice when issuing less than 100% on a return.
Step 4 will either be to profit or get **bleep** and post the complete video documenting the fraud and eBay's lack of support with an inflammatory title literally everywhere I can and wait to get banned for some obscure clause in the seller agreement. Possibly sue in small claims court if I feel like taking a vacation to California.
Sound good? I don't actually expect to get anywhere, because we all know that no matter what the buyer always wins. But it sure would give me a bit of satisfaction to be a bigger than average thorn in this garbage company's side.
