eBay defrauded me out of over $200
I’ll try to keep this abbreviated and objective:
I ordered ordered several hundreds’ dollars worth of shirts from an international seller. The sizes of the shirts did not match the chart the seller provided, and thus did not fit. I initiated a return/refund, which WAS APPROVED by eBay. I repackaged the shirts and shipped them back, well within the return window. I have the USPS receipts and customs forms to prove it ($50+ out of pocket because of the seller’s inaccurate description).
The shirts were on their way back, all seemed normal. Then, roughly two weeks ago, eBay emails me and informs me that the seller filed a claim that the shirts were not returned (the tracking irrefutably showed otherwise), and without ANY attempt WHATSOEVER to contact me for resolution or clarification, announced they wouldn’t be giving me a refund.
I tried issuing appeals. Four; one via the phone call-back method (which never happened, though the app falsely claimed it tried and I didn’t answer) and three via the email-back system, which were also ignored. And then the appeal feature on the app became inaccessible/greyed out.
I feel like I’m the victim of an international scam that eBay permits because they get a cut. I’ve filed a claim with the FTC, for what little it will do. I’ve been a frequent buyer/seller since 2001, with an impeccable 100% rating. I’ve never encountered anything so blatantly fraudulent on this platform or any other in all that time. And eBay won’t even be getting another cent from me, scammed or otherwise. I hope it was worth the couple of hundred dollars.
kabilab
·8 months agoReaper, predicated upon the the title you chose for your post, you have addressed e-Bay as a thief. In the event you disagree, fraud is theft and those committers are known as thieves. I suggest that in the future, when you have a disagreement, consider that whatsoever you sow is what you will REAP.
ryry-jj
·8 months agoForget eBay and PayPal at this point...go to your Bank and file a charge back. Show you returned the item, provide the tracking to your bank in the details and get your money back.
For eBay and paypal to deny, and you bought your own label, something is missing from the story...so just go to your bank. Once you get the charge back, the seller will also be hit with a charge back fee from ebay
albertabrightalberta
·8 months ago@joyfulreaper
When you shipped the package, did you add the tracking number to the return?
If so, ebay can verify that.
A last resort might be to go to ebay on social media. I've used ebay's Facebook page though they have IG and X also.
Send a private message.
https://www.facebook.com/ebay
You'll have to prove your identity before they'll talk to you.
Explain that although the seller had a no return policy, they accepted the return for which you paid return shipping. Tell them that it was delivered on (date) in Sri Lanka with tracking number (fill in) but the seller refuses to issue a refund and your appeals through ebay were denied.
They may not be able to help but at this point, you have nothing to lose.
tools*
·8 months agoDispute the charges with your credit card provider.
ryry-jj
·8 months agoFile a charge back with your CC.
Still missing pieces of info to this return....did the seller accept returns in the listing or just agree in a massage? But nonetheless at this point file a charge back with your bank/CC.
And, no...eBay is not doing this because they get a "cut". My guess, you had a remorse return to a seller that doesn't allow returns in their listing, thus taking the return away from eBay oversight
albertabrightalberta
·8 months agoSince the OP left feedbacks for the seller, it was easy to look at the listings and you're correct. The seller doesn't have a return policy.
joyfulreaper
OP8 months agoIf such is the case, it was changed after or as a response to this transaction.
At the time of the sale, the return was done entirely through the options available on the listing page via the app. I never do anything on eBay via message.
joyfulreaper
OP8 months agoNope. The select fully accepted the return. The entire transaction was done via the app. There was no issue or deviation until eBay’s email.
And, yes. eBay retains their percentage of the original sale.
bonjourami
·8 months agoIf you filed an item not as described case, the seller would have been responsible to provide the funds for a return label since it was an international sale. If he did not, on the fourth day you could have asked Ebay to step in and you would have been refunded without having to return the items.If you did file a case, and used 'didnt fit', that would be a remorse return, and if the seller did not accept returns, he would not have been obligated to refund you or pay for return postage. The correct reason for return would have been 'not as described'.
joyfulreaper
OP8 months agoI wish I had been aware of this. Regardless, it doesn’t explain why/how eBay was allowed to just cancel the accepted refund while it was on its way back, and within the return window.
I’m also seeing that I accidentally posted this the wrong forum, I’m sorry. I can “move†this if need be.
bonjourami
·8 months ago"I wish I had been aware of this. Regardless, it doesn’t explain why/how eBay was allowed to just cancel the accepted refund while it was on its way back, and within the return window."
If you paid at Paypal, try them for a refund, using the correct option,
not as described'. Or if you paid with a cc, you can try for a chargeback, good luck.
joyfulreaper
OP8 months agoI tried PayPal. I am having similar “luck†talking to human beings there. They denied my request, claiming something to the affect that items not matching description are not valid reasons for chargebacks, despite my repeated attempts to explain the ACTUAL issue. I’m trying to file an appeal, but it seems to just be more automation.
This entire situation could have been taken care of right at the start in five minutes if a human representative of eBay had reached out. Instead, I’m out $250ish bucks, some guy in Sri Lanka is motivated to scam again, and eBay and PayPal have both lost my business after 25 years. Sorry if I’m venting too much, but this whole situation is ridiculous and frustrating and needlessly so.
bonjourami
·8 months agoDid you use a cc, or debit card?
joyfulreaper
OP8 months agoI used Paypal Pay in 4, connected to a credit card.
bonjourami
·8 months agoThen contact your bank, and be sure to give the tracking to prove it was delivered.
fern*wood
·8 months agoDid you file an actual return and what reason did you use?
joyfulreaper
OP8 months agoYes, I filed a proper return through the app (which was accepted), reason given that the shirts did not dit.
tinsoldierunderground
·8 months agoIf you selected this reason, ebay would indeed view this as a remorse return, and shipping costs would be on you.
jonathanbrightlight
·8 months agoI’m confused. Why did you buy a return label out of pocket for a Not As Described return? Did you provide eBay with the tracking number when it was shipped?
joyfulreaper
OP8 months agoHonestly, I’d like to know the same thing. I was not given a return label, the page simply told me I’d have to purchase one and gave me the information to fill in.
Yes, I had the tracking information (still have the number). Four shirts in one package. Yes, I supplied/attached it to the individual shipments via the app. I would have gladly and readily
done so again had eBay bothered to contact me outside of an automated email telling me that the refund had instantly been cancelled at the seller’s request.
albertabrightalberta
·8 months agoI wonder if @joyfulreaper filed a remorse return for "doesn't fit" and thus had to pay return shipping himself.
@joyfulreaper
Do you have tracking showing delivery back to the seller?
joyfulreaper
OP8 months agoYes, I do. According to the tracking, the package was delivered to it’s destination in Sri Lanka on January 27, which means the seller has his shirts AND my money.
It’s sounding like you’re correct about why I needed to pay this shipping label. Unfortunate for me, but my overall concern is the $216 that’s been taken from me.
albertabrightalberta
·8 months agoYou can appeal ebay's denial of the refund showing that tracking shows delivery. Explain that they closed the case before the package got back to the seller.
joyfulreaper
OP8 months agoI cannot. I made several attempts to file appeals (all of which were ignored and one of which I was lied to about), and the app eventually blocked out my ability to do so. Nobody attempted to contact me back, so eventually I was forced to file for a chargeback through PayPal, a process which is similarly being handles solely by AI and going just as well for me.