False accusations and slander

[damianm1979]

Hi I am very new to selling online ebay or anywhere, and I've only sold 8 items so far and today,I get a refund request saying the item i sent isn't the item in the pictures and that it came out of a bubble gum machine and has no scratches on it at all and that I am a fraud and more. The item was a charm off a Tiffany bracelet that is .925 silver and was my mother's who passed last March. I had lots of pictures, measurements, and in the description clearly says "item has clear signs of usage,see pictures." The buyer claims the item they received has no scratches,isn't the same, and I'm a fraud and they want their refund and me to pay the shipping on return. I was so floored by this accusation, for one,I'm a new seller and going above and beyond what most would do to insure packing and items are top notch and two,I was so flustered, I just issued the refund without realizing i was paying shipping to as I had put in the listing that I will accept returns,but buyer pays. Anyways I also didn't realize I was supposed to wait to get the item back,before issuing the refund. My question is or belief at this point is that my pictures and description were so accurate, they could not come up and with a genuine reason to ask for a refund, so decided to immediately lie and slander myself and item just to potentially get their money back for a item that maybe didn't live up to their expectations,and if that's the case or even something else, what recourse do I have ,to possibly let ebay know and would ebay do anything about such a awful buyer so that they can't do this to someone else. I'm just so offended over this,because it was my mother's and it's am a super honest person and just trying to establish a good reputation on ebay because my mother had tons of items because she wanted to be a ebay seller, but unfortunately passed away at 66 from complications from pneumonia. So I've taken up trying to sell her large collection of all sorts of stuff,and on my 7th or 8th item this happens.  Thank you for anyone who reads this,and any advice or help would be greatly appreciated. 

[mr_lincoln · Accepted solution]

Hi @damianm1979 

I read most of your post, you are a new Seller and a target for scammers, even those who use the lying and degrading approach to strong arm Sellers.

Yes, never refund until you get an item back.  If they have not shipped it then they won't.  

Buyers can lie and get returns paid for, eBay has no clue where the truth lies since they are not involved. 

Very sorry you learned this hard lesson, in the future come here and ask for support, many here can help.

Here is a link to Seller protections: Seller protections | eBay

[damianm1979]

Thank you Mr Lincoln.  Hopefully they will at least ship the item back considering i paid for it,however it's very possible they will not and if so,is there anything I can do at that point,to reclaim something, anything, even if it's to get that buyer banned or something?  Yes I agree,to some degree some of it is my fault, like not reading or understanding, I needed to receive the item back before authorizing the refund. I just felt so taken aback, by how ridiculous this buyers claim was and all I was doing was trying to save my reputation as not wanting to be labeled a "fraud" on my 7th item to sell. This buyer claimed the item wasn't the same as listed and it came out a bubble gum machine, and the pictures they provided to ebay for that claim were so blurry you could barely tell what kind of item it was much less any specifics. Anyways lesson learned. If anyone requires any proof or pictures of any of my above claims or testimony, I took screenshots of just about everything I believe. Thank you again. 

[mr_lincoln]

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@damianm1979 wrote:

Thank you Mr Lincoln.  Hopefully they will at least ship the item back considering i paid for it,however it's very possible they will not and if so,is there anything I can do at that point,to reclaim something, anything, even if it's to get that buyer banned or something?  Yes I agree,to some degree some of it is my fault, like not reading or understanding, I needed to receive the item back before authorizing the refund. I just felt so taken aback, by how ridiculous this buyers claim was and all I was doing was trying to save my reputation as not wanting to be labeled a "fraud" on my 7th item to sell. This buyer claimed the item wasn't the same as listed and it came out a bubble gum machine, and the pictures they provided to ebay for that claim were so blurry you could barely tell what kind of item it was much less any specifics. Anyways lesson learned. If anyone requires any proof or pictures of any of my above claims or testimony, I took screenshots of just about everything I believe. Thank you again. 

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@damianm1979 

Yes, Buyers try to put new Sellers on the defensive with outlandish lies and accusations ... obviously in some cases it works.  They like to sound mad too like you intentionally did what they say you did.  Well, lesson learned and I guarantee you will not be scammed again like this.

At this point there is nothing you can do.  You can use the Report Buyer link on the transaction to alert eBay of the issue.  If enough Sellers do that to a Buyer eBay may take action but not for one transaction.

[damianm1979]

Yes I agree, and looking back on it,at just how ridiculous the claims and accusations were,that it is exactly what they were doing to attempt to draw out,the exact response of me,that happened. So if I never receive the item back,shame on me? Unfortunately, I'm a veteran from south Mississippi, that leaves my home unlocked 24/7 ,and everyone around here,just trust one another  take each at their word. Last question, do you recommend offering the return item option for items im trying to sell,and if so,and this happens again, just wait to receive the goods back,on their dime,and then all it has cost me is time and some effort?. Thank you again Mr Lincoln.