SELLER WARNING: FLAGRANT, OPEN, ILLEGAL RETURNS FRAUD OK WITH EBAY

[hotel*california]

I rarely write in to the community but something really alarming is happening right now with a transaction which is illegal under CA state law. THERE IS EVIDENCE OF CRIMINAL WRONGDOING BY THE BUYER. 

Please read: 

I sold a vacuum cleaner part from a Dyson DC40. I specified repeatedly in the ad that I was parting it out and the buyer should name the part, then I would identify that part and accept or reject the offer from the buyer for that part.

The buyer named the part: the sole plate on the bottom.

The buyer offered $25.

I accepted the offer and shipped the part. 
I confirmed with Dyson that what I shipped was the sole plate. 
My part was undamaged and shipped on time. 
I had 1983 positive reviews at that time, no negatives and no neutrals, after years of selling.

The buyer demanded their money back immediately, and photographed the sole plate, unbroken, as shipped in a priority box by me.

The buyer claimed it she ordered the entire vacuum cleaner. False. She named the part. Again, my ad was specific in three places that it was for a part the buyer would name. She named it.

The buyer claimed it was not a sole plate. Her photographs clearly prove it is the sole plate. 

The buyer claimed it was broken. False. The photo proves it out.

I specifically listed as NO RETURNS to prevent a rampant fraud method: broken parts swap fraud. You have a broken part, you buy a good one, then claim it is broken. You return the broken one and keep the good one. Stone simple fraud. Ancient, tried and true. 

Ebay has granted the return, and is making me pay shipping both ways, although my policy was buyer pays return shipping and should be moot on this with no returns policy.

I refused, and received a negative review. 

I have maintained a 100% TRS status for years, with 1986 positive reviews, and now one negative. 

Buyer claimed wrong item sent both in the return and the negative review DESPITE THE PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE.

EBAY TURNED A BLIND EYE TO THE FRAUD AND WILL REACH INTO MY BANK ACCOUNT SO SOMEONE IN FRESNO, CA CAN HAVE A FREE VACUUM CLEANER PART.

THEY ABSOLUTELY DO NOT CARE ABOUT THEIR SELLERS AND HAVE ACTIVELY LOOKED AWAY FROM EVIDENCE IN THIS MATTER. 

THE BUYER HAS BEEN ON EBAY FOR FOUR MONTHS, WITH THREE POSITIVE REVIEWS AS A BUYER!!!!!

IVE BEEN ON EBAY FOR EIGHT YEARS WITH 1986 POSITIVE REVIEWS, AND IT SHOULD BE 1987. 

[chapeau-noir]

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@russell20 wrote:

What bothers me about eBay is that they believe the 3rd party is their customer. In my mind the person I sell an item to is my customer, and I am eBay's customer. I have been selling on eBay for over 20 years and eBay has always sided with my customer not with me. It sure makes fraud easy.

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Wenig stated that we're simply vendors on a managed marketplace.  😒

[so-much-out-there]

Like you, I've been in the same situation a few times, and had to issue a full refund plus a return shipping label... I'm not a retailer, and I'm just trying to downsize my collections...Forget about selling my high end evening dresses that I wore only once with eBay encouraging sellers to have a "30-day return policy" in order to have a "top seller" status.

And what about their emails to leave feedback to buyers, which has to be always positive by the way as per eBay rules.  I always return positive feedback,  but will never post it unless the buyer has done so for me...  I have one negative feedback by a buyer who claimed that the item was broken after keeping it for almost a month, and return it with a missing item... 

I could go on and on about dishonest buyers, but I just block them from buying from me. This by no means stopping them from shopping my items as they can ask a relative or a friend to buy them. I believe it was much better when sellers could reciprocate negative feedback.

[hotel*california]

The deep rigging of the system for buyers is not lost on me... I get it... create a positive experience for the buyer.

That said, my argument is that you can be fair to both parties and still be successful, you can be profitable without being so transparently, blatantly and obviously unfair to sellers.

The seller should be able to leave a negative review in cases that warrant it, for sure...

I extensively photographed the perfect slide side of a pair of skis. Photographed with 12 detailed shots. Not a scratch. 

A Russian couple in Vermont, years ago, thrashed the slide side of the skis on rocks and destroyed the bindings. I photographed it all. Ebay did not care to even pretend to be fair and charged me for the return. 

I blocked them, but I’m sure they continued to use ebay as a ski rental shop through another buyer. ⛷ 

I deserved the right to prove the returns fraud and give them a negative review. Other sellers could have seen that. Ebay could have seen that.

The downside for eBay on allowing sellers to use a negative review on buyers is that the rigged system would then be visible to all through those negative reviews. 

[so-much-out-there]

Yes, people many times don't read the description, and sometimes they try to find excuses to blame the seller... 

No, you cannot talk to an eBay person on the phone anymore... Their sales went down all over, and their advice is to bring your prices down??? Even to collectibles?

[hotel*california]

I’m adding my voice to the chorus of sellers who are experiencing fraud and theft. It’s important to me to speak up, to report to others, and to advise others so they understand the environment they are in. That is a key function here. Help each other. Report. Ask for advice. 

If you choose not to “spin your wheels” on a wrong you may experience here on ebay, that is your call, but I find it disrespectful, dismissive, and condescending to say to me or any other person taking the time to report and contribute here. 

You likely have decided its better to be extorted and blackmailed and defrauded than to stand up and assert your rights, to speak up. Perfectly fine. For you.

Your advice is to let it all go and move on. My advice is to choose your battles, but when it’s demonstrably fraudulent and illegal, like a Felony wire fraud, stand up. That’s why laws are there. Is the rule of law itself just people spinning their wheels?

Laws, standards, and ethics are diluted and eroded by that lackadaisical mindset.

You operate on dollar amounts involved. Fine.

Others operate differently, perhaps on principal alone. Fine as well.

Lets not disparage others for their decision making process because it differs from yours. What seems petty to you may be a big deal to someone else. There should be no judgement there. It’s not necessary or contributive.

No one is questioning you for your decisions. That is your province and your prerogative. 

Do not judge others.

[veteranjohnpartsandstuff97477]

I had something similar. A buyer didn't use the fitment chart and bought the wrong part for her car. She sent pictures showing her part and the part received. She claims there was no fitment chart and accused me of some awful things. I stayed polite. She opened a case for inaccurate listing and when it came time I protested it. She won even though her own picture proved and the listing proved my case. The reasons I got from eBay was a) we are just a selling platform (false because they act as defacto arbritrators) b) we don't use pics to determine anything (really? then why allow us to upload) c) we can't tell condition of item since we aren't there (not claiming it was broken) d) eBay's money back guarantee (say if the pic or listing was not accurate, kind of implying there should be proof). I raged politely at eBay a few emails, but once I implied I would pay, they stopped responding. I get the leaning toward the customer, but it seems all a customer has to do is say the listing is inaccurate and they will win, in spite of  conclusive evidence to the contrary.  I was told that the only real non returns ploicy is for remorse buys only.   Rant over

[maros9416]

The contact was illegal by eBay's rules. You engaged the buyer in an illegal contract. It would get thrown out and you would have to pay their legal fees and as well your own. It's just not worth 1 minute more of contemplation. Myself, as well as every other seller on here has ' bought ' positive feedback by just accepting a $25 loss and carrying on. Additionally, if you dismantled the vacuum and listed each part with their respective part numbers in separate listings, you might be able to sell the whole thing for more money and a lot faster. 

[maros9416]

But you have no picture of the part you sent? You never showed it in the listing. What ever photos see sent later on mean nothing.

[youngteacher]

I feel your pain. It is situations like this that make me want to completely stop selling on eBay.  

Can I just say- your post struck a nerve. The fraud and lying that eBay is allowing right now is flat out criminal. I am so sorry. I know how hard you've worked to do everything right. It is not right and I would be a squeaky wheel all the way to the top eBay executives. 

[moondogblues]

"I have no idea what you are referring to. The OP said I was siding with a fraudster. I said no I'm not. I don't know why you take issue with that, but OK."

It wasn't you at all...just that the tone was devolving, mostly from the OP.

[itsjustasprain]

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@hotel*california wrote:

Your advice is to let it all go and move on. My advice is to choose your battles, but when it’s demonstrably fraudulent and illegal, like a Felony wire fraud, stand up. That’s why laws are there. Is the rule of law itself just people spinning their wheels?

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So what's happening with the District Attorney for Fresno County? You said you were referring the case to them. What have they told you?

[ekmadonna]

Hi, commenting on this topic and post because the FRAUD that is ALLOWED to go on here at our expense is getting outrageous here.

    Your Quote--"No, you cannot talk to an eBay person on the phone anymore.."

    This is what happened to me today. Sold a $30 item including shipping and item was delivered today. Lady messages me and asks if I would accept a return because "the kneeling shepherd looks like a child compared to her other pieces in her set it is to small" I decline and politely explain that the figure had exact measurements in the description and the piece was exactly as described. 5 minutes later she opens a case against me and LIED saying the piece did not match pictures and was not as described.

  At this point I gave her a piece of my mind. She responded that "SHE CALLED EBAY and THEY TOLD HER TO OPEN THE CASE"! I doubt that she did, but it's possible. Either way I am out money due to another entitled buyer who knows how to work the system. this site has trained buyers that NO MATTER WHAT, EVEN IF IT'S AGAINST STATED EBAY POLICY, WE WILL GET YOU YOUR MONEY BACK! In this case she asked politely and did not get the answer she wanted so the next step was to lie to get her money back. Sure I will get a neg on this one but I am fed up and sick of getting taken advantage of by the ever increasing no morals and low character buyers who crawl this site.