I bought a "new in box" salt cell for $550 from a seller with little feedback. When it arrived, it smelled like smoke inside and the power cord base plastic was melted. The serial number on the cell also did not match the serial number on the box. There is no way that the seller didn't know this. Although it was a "no return" item, eBay allowed the return. When I returned the item, it was returned back to me due to an insufficient seller eBay label return address since there was not a unit number. (Now, I believe I understand this part of the scam. Most buyers will assume that eBay will automatically refund a return returned to the buyer for an insufficient return address, but I've been told that this isn't the case. Apparently, buyers fall into the trap of simply waiting for an automatic refund, but eBay sees that the item was never returned to the seller (as it went back to the buyer), and once the return window closes, eBay will deny the refund.) I called eBay when I saw it was being returned back to me to OPEN UP A CASE (not just a return), and eBay told me that once I receive my return back, I'll get a full refund (which I did yesterday). Here's where I'm confused. This scam seller, who has been quiet for weeks (and I haven't contacted him either), now messaged me today, stating that he is still waiting on the return and provided his address WITH the proper unit included (which was missing from the original address). Of course, I'm not going to pay out-of-pocket to return the item, but what's the catch now? Am I overthinking this? Why would the scam seller want a worthless item back? I'm done with this seller, but I'm curious as to this last part of the scam.
