eBay

dwheaton55 · ‎03-10-2017

Buyers beware of currently operating scam on eBay.

I have noticed several instances of DJI drones being offered at unusually low prices. If you check the seller's ranking you will note that they typically have zero prior sales and that the eBay seller's account has been opened in the very recent past, usually a week at most.

So it goes like this... the unwary buyer purchases and pays for the item. In one recent example, a $999.00 item was being offered for $85.00 with free shipping. The seller may have more than one of these items 'available'. Again, in one recent example, I saw five of the same item offered at more than a 90% discount and all five sold in under 2 hours.

What happens next is that the item is shown as 'out of stock', or that the listing has ended. If you're the 'lucky' buyer, you have probably already paid for the item and are awaiting shipping notification. What happens instead is that the listing, if still active in any form is removed by eBay because the seller is 'no longer a registered user'.

You can cancel the order or open a dispute with eBay, but they will do nothing pending your contact of the seller, which is no longer possible because the seller is no longer a registered user.

Your only other recourse is to open a dispute with PayPal and if that fails for any reason, hopefully you have paid with a credit card and can dispute the charge with your credit card company.

There are some variations on this scam, which are listed in other threads within the community, including one version where a letter is sent to another address in the victim's zip code to provide 'proof of delivery', or where victim's are sent an empty box.

Here are some simple rules of buying:
1. If the price is too good to be true, it probably is a scam. Don't bid, don't buy!
2. Check the seller's track record. New accounts with zero prior sales are a huge red flag.
3. If using PayPal for payment, make sure you use a credit card, not a debit card. If you are scammed you can dispute the charge with your credit card issuer.
4. If an item's price is more than $500.00 then consider using eBay's recommended escrow provider (www.escrow.com). This method of 'insuring' a transaction extends to more than just motor vehicles and includes a wide range of general merchandise. Be aware that escrow.com charges a fee for their service, but it's a pretty small price to pay to insure a high-dollar transaction.
5. Use your smartphone camera to record delivery (if any) of the item, including unboxing and opening. Make sure you do not interrupt the process by stopping and restarting the video. You want a completely 'unedited' version to submit. Your video should include the appearance of the package at your door, a close-up shot of the package with a clearly visible from and to address, a close-up of the tracking number (if any) and then the movement of the package indoors where you, or a helper, continues the uninterrupted recording. Video documentation is very powerful when properly done and while it cannot guarantee a successful outcome, it certainly provides a better opportunity to obtain a one if you are the victim of a scam.
6. Caveat Emptor... let the buyer beware!

imeyedr · ‎03-28-2017

The same thing is occuring with one ounce gold coins and bars. They are offered at below melt value by someone with no stars who just opened an eBay account. These people keep coming up with address all around the US but the common thread is that they have no prior sales and the account was just opened. As you said, if it seems to good to be true, it most likly is!

dwheaton55 · ‎03-29-2017

Thanks for that update regarding gold coins and bars. It seems all too apparent that neither eBay or PayPal is doing enough to stop these scammers.

As of today, I remain in the midst of a dispute with an eBay seller, who had the purchased item delivered to an address roughly 300 miles from mine. PayPal has contacted the seller to determine if the item is to be shipped again to the correct address. So far, no seller reply to that.

One action I took, that I believe has helped my case with PayPal, was to get on the phone with a dispute representative and show them where the purchased item was delivered and how that differed from the shipping address shown on the order. I did that the very day that the item was delivered.

My advice is that buyers document absolutely everything when they smell even the hint of a scam.

dwheaton55 · ‎03-31-2017

Okay... so here's an update with a now confirmed method of funds recovery in the event you fall victim to an eBay selling scammer.

What happened in my case... I purchased an item on eBay at what I thought was a 'promotional' price. I forgot to check the seller's history, which turned out to be a huge mistake because the seller had no prior sales history. I paid for the item using PayPal and my checking account. This too is a mistake because if PayPal (notice I didn't say eBay) doesn't find in your favor then you have no further recourse. If you pay with a credit card you can dispute with your card issuer, but be aware of other consequences by doing so.

The next morning I noticed that eBay had 'removed' the item, but more importantly, the seller had disappeared from eBay. The user's account was listed by eBay as 'not a registered user'. I started an eBay dispute but realized rather quickly that eBay's Buyer Protection Plan is based on the notion that the buyer and seller attempt to reach a resolution prior to invoking eBay's dispute process. Knowing that I had no ability to contact the seller I immediately setup a dispute with PayPal. PayPal notified me that if I opened a dispute with them that the eBay dispute would be closed. So be it since I can't contact the seller through eBay anyway.

The next day after I opened the PayPal dispute the seller 'shipped' the item with a tracking number. I subsequently received notification from the PayPal dispute resolution center asking if I wish to continue my 'non-receipt' claim. Obviously, I wanted to keep the dispute going until the item was delivered because the seller had suddenly disappeared from eBay.

It took more than three weeks, but the item was reported as delivered by USPS tracking. The trick was that it was delivered to a mailbox more than 300 miles from me, and of course, in an entirely different zip code. I immediately got on the phone with a PayPal dispute representative. I asked the rep to look up the tracking number on the USPS web site and she reported that she saw the same thing I did about the delivery being somewhere other than my address. She escalated the claim and stated that the issue would be resolved within 3-days.

I waited 3-days but heard nothing back, noting that PayPal had communicated with the seller to find out if the item was going to be sent again. Apparently, PayPal did not get a response. After waiting the 3-days, and without further contact from PayPal, I called PayPal Customer Service again. I stated the facts of the case to the rep and within 15 minutes I received a decision in my favor and a full refund of the purchase.

I think it is extremely important to get on top of the issue right away when there is a potential seller scam in progress. Specifically, by opening a dispute with PayPal the funds are immediately put on hold BEFORE they are released to the seller. If you wait too long and the seller disappears from PayPal with funds delivered then PayPal might not refund the lost money. So being quick to recognize the scam and then to act was key.

I will say it once again in closing. Make sure you check a seller's 'Feedback as a Seller' on eBay before purchasing. If the seller is only occasionally active 'as a seller' then that is a yellow flag, but if there is zero selling or buyer history and the account is 'new', like within the past day to 3-months, then it is a big RED flag. Don't go there no matter how good the price seems to be.

If you think you've been scammed act quickly, especially if the eBay seller disappears suddenly. Open a dispute with PayPal and then expect to wait to get your money back.

One final word... do not use anything stated here defraud a perfectly legitimate seller. If the seller remains on eBay then the eBay dispute process should be used.

Good luck to all...