scammed and ebay sided with scammer
Summary: The discussion revolves around a situation where scentral23 claims to have been scammed, and despite this, eBay sided with the scammer. Various participants are involved in the thread, but most of the posts are marked as "None," indicating either a placeholder or perhaps missing details. The conversation includes a series of responses among different participants, but without additional content or context, it's challenging to understand the specifics. It seems like participants are concerned about the eBay resolution process and its fairness.
I "purchased" an window AC unit from a new seller based in Pakistan knowing the package would take a while to get here. Upon purchasing I was giving a tracking number that was moving much faster than the seller said in the auction and through mails. Within two weeks the tracking showed as delivered even though nothing was delivered. I asked the seller what was going on and they stated that once the package got to America it received a new "domestic" tracking number. They provided me with this new number which I began tracking and appeared to be coming my way. I received an update that the package was in my city and then the next day I received the last update, which stated it had been delivered to a parcel locker. I assumed maybe that meant it went to the post office because it was too big for the driver or something. Anyways, I went down to to post office and they informed me that this is some type of scam going on. They checked the tracking and something had been delivered to that post office, but it was to a PO box and someone completely different had picked it up and they wouldn't give me the information on who that was for security reasons. I started a claim with both ebay and paypal and within the same day they sided with the seller because the original tracking showed as delivered. I was never even asked to provide proof of my messages with the seller or anything. Finally I left negative feedback for the seller to try to warn people and it appears they removed the negative feedback. Almost 20 years using ebay and paypal and this is how they treat me. I'm currently going through my bank with this.
oypurevja-0
·4 months agoeBay not only encourages criminals but protects them. eBay does not help the customers but allows criminals to carry out their illegal activities by allowing them to sell fake products as originals and not intervening where there were legitimate reasons to protect the customers.
chrispass918
·4 months ago“ I "purchased" an window AC unit from a new seller based in Pakistan “ lmao you can’t be serious
scentral23
OP4 months agoI realize this is an ebay page so opinions will mostly be pro-ebay, but you seem to be glossing over the fact that they never gave me an option to respond to their decision to close my case, they removed negative feedback I left to warn others and they are allowing the seller to remain active selling fraudulent items even after my bank stepped in. Ebay has taken no action to ensure this doesn't happen to someone else from this seller despite all of this. Were their red flags? Yes, I was aware of them but I went forward because even though it was a good deal it wasn't too good to be true and I honestly thought there were buyer protections for this in the event it was a scam given how ebay presents its platform. The fact is there is little protection offered from them and ebay is essentially enabling the scammers by allowing them to continue. It's not a good look.
scentral23
OP4 months agoOnce my local bank stepped in this got taken care of immediately. It was nice to be able to talk to an actual person and explain what happened unlike ebay or paypal. The way this way handled with no ability to respond before closing my claim and no way of actually talking to a claims agent by either company is likely going to have me stop using either of them. Seems pretty dumb for them to handle long time customers like this, but whatever. I have to wonder how much business they've lost with this business model.
klhmdg
·4 months ago@scentral23
Sometimes you have to take some personal responsibility.
You knew this was too good to be true.
New foreign seller - something you can buy from the US -
Hit the back button quick!
You chose to buy from a new foreign seller because it was cheap.
Glad your bank was able to help out.
PayPal and eBay have their hands tied by privacy laws and so far have not figured out how to stop this BUT as a buyer you can mitigate this ever happening to you again.
I never buy from foreign sellers or those with under 99% positive FB or only stock photos.
I have never had a fake traffic scam to deal with.
msha3839
·4 months agoNot sometimes…always!! Trust no one and verify everything, including your own decisions…🥃
stainlessenginecovers
·4 months ago@scentral23 With WHAT 'business model'?? The one that says 'if tracking shows delivered (and tracking is done by the CARRIERS and they ONLY provide Zip Codes) which is the ONLY proof a seller has from buyers that say " I didn't get the item" when they did, is a FANTASTIC business model.
This was 90% you and you not doing things right. Hopefully you learned and here's what you should have learned:
1.) Buying an AC unit from Pakistan? Really? (many things are made elsewhere....10 seconds on google would've told you they are NOT made in Pakistan)
2.) Opening the WRONG type of return (as sellers have protection against buyers that simply say "I didn't get it" when tracking shows it did, so should have been 'not as described' return.
3.) Opening a case with both ebay and your payment source (paypal) immediately voids any eBay help.
12345jamesstamps
·4 months ago'new seller based in Pakistan'...Stores in the USA do sell window AC units so you can still get one.
And if you actually got one from Pakistan ...how would you return it if there was a problem?
msha3839
·4 months agoYou asking OP extremely complicated questions..give him a break..🤧🥃
jdbelt1960
·4 months agoI agree with you. Put simply, "Why would anyone go online to Pakistan to buy an air conditioning unit?" They sell at Lowes, home depot probably even at Walmart or other discount stores.
soh.maryl
·4 months agoA large and heavy item purchased from Pakistan? How much was the shipping cost?
mudshark61369
·4 months ago@scentral23 ,
Besides the A/C unit coming from a New Seller located in Pakistan, the price was probably lower than other similar units, which should have been the final Red Flag.
"I went down to to post office and they informed me that this is some type of scam going on. They checked the tracking and something had been delivered to that post office, but it was to a PO box and someone completely different had picked it up and they wouldn't give me the information on who that was for security reasons".
If you opened an ebay, item not received dispute it was turned down because tracking showed delivery within your zip code. eBay cannot retreive the actual label address any more than you can because of the Federal postal privacy regulations, mentioned by the postal clerk. You could have appealed the ebay decision but since you opened a dispute through PayPal you lost the ability to do that.
You may even lose the PayPal dispute as well if you filed an item not received claim. There is an option on that site for "Item not delivered to me" or similar wording. If PayPal turns down the dispute you should be able to appeal it. But you will need more info from the USPS to win it.
Go back to your P.O., You need to bring a copy of your order details page which shows your address and the tracking number with you. Since the seller sent you a USPS number you should bring a screen shot of it as well. If you bought using a phone or tablet, you can bring that to show the clerk the order details and USPS tracking number update.
You want to ask the clerk to check the label address against yours on the order details page, and also to check the Package type/size/weight info to see if was is appropriate for what you should have received. If you can look up the Mfr.'s specifications for the item and bring that with you as well.
If the info does not match up, you ask the clerk or Postmaster to write a note on USPS stationary saying in general that the shipping label's address was not the same as the one on your ebay Order Details page, and if applicable that the package type/size/weight was not right for what you should have received. Do not ask them to write specific address or package info, they cannot give it out. Have the clerk or Postmaster print their name then sign and date the note. A postmaster can use their stamp in lieu of a signature.
You can then Appeal, and add a CLEAR photo or scan of the note to the appeal. That should be enough to win the Appeal and get a refund. If PayPal again denies the claim and you paid with a credit card call the C.S. number on the back of the card and ask to do a charge back, do tell the phone rep you have written proof of the item not being delivered to you.
eoma689485
·4 months agoeBay and Paypal sided with the scammer because you opened an item not received complaint, and all the seller had to do at that point was prove delivery to your zip code - and they did.
The feedback was removed because it violated eBay's policy - and again, the package to your zip code showed delivery.
If you funded your purchase through Paypal using a credit card, call the number on the back of the card and explain what happened and do a chargeback.
While there are safeguards with both eBay and Paypal, it's best to first start by protecting yourself, and that means buy the seller before you buy the item - new sellers outside the United States - sure you can buy from them - small inexpensive items is always best practice, expensive items - not the best idea, don't be sucked into the price as being your final factor in choosing a seller.
You may still be able, if you funded your purchase with a credit card through Paypal, to call the number on the back of the card and inquire about a chargeback.
scentral23
OP4 months agoAlso worth mentioning, I attempted to call both companies and I could find no way to get through to an actual fraudulent claims person even after going through all of there automated prompts to explain any of this. Over the years I have had to talk to both companies atleast once and I was able to actually talk to a human, but not anymore. It was really the most frustrated I had ever been with "customer service". Things seems to have really gone downhill.
kibble-net
·4 months agoFull stop.
Hopefully now you understand why this is a bad idea.
scentral23
OP4 months agoNot really. Many things are made oversees and I wasn't in a rush to receive it. Ebay is also supposed to have guardrails for buyers to prevent scams. They did the exact opposite here.
kensgiftshop
·4 months agoThey haven't done anything about the fake tracking scam yet and it's been going on for years.
roccotacodad54
·4 months agoYes really. Think about it. A heavy object from half way around the world for probably less than shipping would cost.
Guardrails won't keep you on the road if you purposely try to drive off of it.
"Keep you eyes on the road, your hands upon the wheel"
-Jim Morrison.................................