eBay facilitating buyer fraud
Sold an iPhone, got paid, buyer said there was a problem with item. Buyer then failed to respond to two requests over the next two days for more information on what was wrong, claimed we couldn't work anything out and eBay approved a return (even though buyer was unresponsive). Buyer returned item, tracking info shows delivered so eBay pulled back the payment and refunded the buyer.
The fraud is: buyer called the post office and had the package diverted to another address. A police report was filed and the police and postmaster have verified that fraud occurred, and also that the package weight was 0.7 ounces, obviously not an iPhone. I filed a dispute claiming I didn't receive the item back. eBay doesn't care - item was delivered, end of story, case closed despite weight of package and ongoing criminal investigation of buyer.
When a seller disputes receiving an item back, eBay could reduce the potential for fraud by requiring the buyer to prove not only delivery to a random address, but delivery to the actual seller's address.
To add insult to injury, eBay charged me (the seller) $9.75 for the return label, but because the label was generated by the buyer, I was unable to obtain any delivery information and had to engage law enforcement in order to obtain proof the package was diverted and that therefore the proof-of-delivery is meaningless.
Been a seller for over 20+ years with over 1,000 transactions completed with 100% positive feedback but now out over $500 for this fraud, so this is my last eBay transaction, time to move on to companies that work harder to protect *both* parties in a transaction.
snowlover1964
·3 years agoSorry for your loss. Ebay is the worst! They just refunded a scammy buyer who stopped communicating once I asked for pictures of the damage they claimed and of course also wouldn't return the item. I'm out $70 but it's really not even about the money. I would like to be able to leave her a bad review but nope can't do that. Ebay is not my only sales channel so I'm moving my better more expensive items off ebay. I'm leaving nothing but the riff raff for their scuammy buyers. Ebay facilitates and encourages fraud by their supportive practices of buyer theft. The funny thing is the canned responses and stupid suggestions to ask the buyer nicely to return my item now that they have been refunded...like are they joking?