Buyers return request SCAM.

[oo8sunding]

Vast majority of cases when buyers request return, it is a SCAM to get something for free. 

They hope that a seller  to avoid paying for return shipping, will let a buyer keep the item.  

Due to eBay policy of AUTOMATICALLY favor the buyers in a dispute, buyers have nothing to loose by attempting a return request scam. Worst case for a buyer, he gets his money back.  

My advice, always:

1. Make the buyer open a return request, so there is a record. (Scammers often ask for refund via message to avoid being on the record).

2. Do not refund the buyer before the item is returned, even if you have to take a loss, either paying for return shipping or damaged returned item. Chuck it up to, as the cost of doing business. Otherwise, word gets around that you can be scammed, WATCH OUT!

3. Block and report the buyer. It may not help, certainly does not hurt. 

4. Some scammers will send you a message before making a purchase, to be used later as an excuse for return request. BLOCK THEM from making a purchase.

[dudleyhillforeign]

EBAY IS FAR TOO CONCERNED ABOUT THE BUYER!!!! I SELL USED AUTO PARTS ON EBAY. I HAVE 40 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN THE USED AUTO PARTS INDUSTRY. THE BOTTOM LINE IS: SOME PEOPLE ARE JUST DISHONEST AND THAT CANNOT BE FIXED!!!!! EBAY SHOULD SIDE WITH THE SELLERS MORE OFTEN ESPECIALLY WHEN THE BUYER HAS VERY LITTLE OR NO FEEDBACK RATINGS ON EBAY! RECENTLY BUY IT AND TRY BUYERS HAVE BEEN A PROBLEM FOR ME AS WELL AS PEOPLE BUYING AND KEEPING MY PART AND RETURNING THEIR OLD BROKEN ONE FOR A REFUND. THIS JUST HAPPENED!!! A BUYER BOUGHT A WORKING TESTED WINDOW SWITCH FROM ME FOR AN INFINITI G35. RIGHT AFTER THEY CLICKED THE BUY IT NOW, THEY SENT ME A MESSAGE SAYING " MAKE SURE YOU SEND ME THE CORRECT PART." NOW I HAVE A 100% POSITIVE FEEDBACK WITH ALMOST 7,000 ITEMS SOLD THROUGH EBAY. WHY WOULD THIS PERSON ASSUME I'M GOING TO SEND HIM THE WRONG PART??? THE VERY DAY THAT MY SWITCH WAS CONFIRMED DELIVERED, I GET A RETURN REQUEST STATING THAT I SENT HIM THE WRONG ONE!!! EBAY APPROVES THE RETURN. 6 DAYS LATER I RECEIVE THE RETURNED ITEM AND IT IS " NOT " THE SWITCH THAT I SOLD HIM. IT HAD BROKEN TABS AND RED PAINT OVERSPRAY ALL OVER THE SWITCH. SO, I MESSAGE THE GUY WE HAVE A PROBLEM. HE SENDS BACK A MESSAGE STATING THAT HE HAS ANOTHER GUY WHO SENDS BACK ITEMS AND HE MUST'VE GRABBED THE WRONG ONE??? SURE HE DID!!!! I HAVE SINCE SPENT AN HOUR OR TWO TRYING TO GET IT RESOLVED. EBAY SAID AFTER REVIEW THAT ARE SIDING WITH THE BUYER???? I DID ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG HERE! THIS IS A CLEAR CASE OF ME BEING RIPPED OFF BY SOME DIRTBAG WHO WANTS MY PART FOR FREE AND EBAY SAYS, YES, THIS IS ACCEPTABLE??? THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT THIS SORT OF THING HAS HAPPENED BUT, ITS THE FIRST TIME I CALLED THE BUYER OUT AND I STILL LOST!!!! IM NOT SURE HOW THIS CAN BE FIXED BUT, EBAY HAS A REAL PROBLEM AND SELLERS LIKE ME ARE FED UP!!! BUYERS ARE EVERYWHERE!!!! EBAY SELLERS ONLY EXIST ON EBAY!!!! WITHOUT SELLERS, THERE IS NO EBAY!!!!!!

[dqdistribution]

This seller reports all returns.

Think if all your buyers reported you for no reason and caused your account to get limited for no reason.

I'd think you'd not be happy with abuse of the reporting system which you are basically implying people should do.

[acrc3113]

Not everyone who asks questions is a scammer. For example :  If you list an item as NIB and use a generic photo, and are not a large retail store, don't be suprised if someone wants an actual photo of the box. if an item needs a particular widget to actually function, a buyer may ask about it. Finally, if an item has about zero description , don't be suprised if someone asks about that too. I quit selling here a long time ago, but I still buy. If I need an expanded item description, I will always ask BEFORE I buy.  

[melbal4880]

I am not a professional seller; but,I wanted to sell some of the Legos that we had and never opened. I received a message from a buyer telling me how disappointed the person was with the purchase. I know that what I sold was intact a lego set from 1969.  I know it is to scam me to keep the set. How can we keep these people out of the loop? 

[michaeltoddmartin]

This just happened to me, which is why I googled and found this thread.  I just had my first ever return request.  I sold a Tiffany bracelet and the buyer filed a return request and said that it was a fake Tiffany.  I accepted the request and sent the return label.  5 mins later, they canceled the return request.

[monster-deals]

---

@soh.maryl wrote:

You have posted excellent advice here.  Thank you.

But can you cite how you KNOW that the vast majority of return cases are scams? 

---

Can confirm. The majority for me are scams. Scamming to get a discount or scamming to avoid paying return shipping.

Been my experience every single month of every single year since returns have been a thing across multiple accounts.

[naqahdriah]

Unfortunately eBay is basically the Wild West for sellers. They tell you right on the return form what you need to pick to get the desired result, and the odds of being penalized for lying are nil. You can start a return as defective or NAD before even receiving the item. You can leave negative feedback immediately after paying. There aren’t even basic guardrails on anything on the buyer's side, and this is eBay’s preference. eBay even seems content to indirectly assist in scamming new sellers; the buyer's feedback page not only still lists the neutral and negative columns, but also the “100% positive” next to their name, as though another option even exists, potentially giving sellers confidence that is completely ethereal… made more so by the networks scammers use to build feedback rating on new accounts (there are literally ads to buy feedback).

Cracking down on bad sellers was a good thing, but the solution being to hop from one side of the scales fully to the other leaves something to be desired.

[rtliq_66]

no way. You ever been been below standard selling level? How much more do you have to pay?  Look into it and youll know why they allow it to happen. Follow the money

[00shawn2009]

This happened to me today. They sent me a message just after purchasing the item. I didn't think much of it at the time. (Now, I know why.) I shipped the item as i normally would with any product. They complained it was defective. The item was new and they ended up getting it for free. It was pretty aggravating cause i knew it was in great condition but anyhow ebay stepped in and took care of the issue. Said i wasnt at fault. 

[norm.hea]

I'm just reading all these comments as I think I've just been caught by a scammer, they sent me a random message when the listing was live then when it was sold to them. They have asked for refund stating item was worn and listed as new (it was new) they have sent a photo of a different bracelet which is similar to the one I sold but not the same and opened a return. What do I do? Why do they send random messages? Surely they can just contact seller after sale anyway?

[kh-gary]

Hi everyone,

Due to the age of this thread, it has been closed to further replies. Please feel free to start a new thread HERE if you wish to continue to discuss this topic.

Thank you for understanding.