BUYER STOLE MY ITEMS - What can I do?

[lindseys_whimsy]

I had another post, but somebody derailed the conversation to their own issued and it ended up 4 pages long so I'm starting a new one now that I have an update. 

I had a bidder on an auction for some vintage Sanrio stationary and was immediately on alert because the user only had a feedback score of 1. But they paid, so I shipped the item. My policy is no returns, so the buyer claimed the items were not as described even though my discription clearly stated that the sets were not complete because I used some of the stickers as a kid. I've been an ebayer for years but only recently decided to start selling off some of my own stuff. So silly me, I thought that ebay would look at the listing and see that clearly I had given good photos and a good description and would side with me. I didn't know that ebay will always side with the paying customer and not protect the sellers at all. So I was forced to give a refund. I had a REALLY bad feeling about it, and sure enough, the buyer returned an envelope with nothing but a piece of cardboard in it to weigh it down. 

What can I do? I tried to repeal the decision on the return but there seems to be no options for my situation. Do I call the police where the buyer lives? Do I report to the Post Office? What are my options? The total order was for around $20 so I don't know if police will do anything.

[missjen831]

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@emerald40 wrote:

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@ed8108 wrote:

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@justagirl12 wrote:

You’re going to worry yourself over $20? Good grief!

___________________________ seller is acting in the best interests of ebay's honest

sellers and buyers.

Acting in the public interest should be commended not discouraged.

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But bothering the police for $20 when there have many, many more serious issues to deal with is not.

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It’s not bothering the police and this kind of report can be taken by non-sworn personnel or filed online. Besides....this is their job. 

[emerald40]

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@missjen831 wrote:

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@emerald40 wrote:

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@ed8108 wrote:

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@justagirl12 wrote:

You’re going to worry yourself over $20? Good grief!

___________________________ seller is acting in the best interests of ebay's honest

sellers and buyers.

Acting in the public interest should be commended not discouraged.

---

But bothering the police for $20 when there have many, many more serious issues to deal with is not.

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It’s not bothering the police and this kind of report can be taken by non-sworn personnel or filed online. Besides....this is their job. 

__________________________________

I live in a pretty big city for my little state.  And yes, they told me it was a civil matter.

If they are not busy maybe, but that is pretty rare here.

Yes it is the job, but they triage.  This type of request will be done when they get to it.

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[mikeystoyz]

One person getting hosed for 20 bucks is the same thing as 100 people getting hosed for 20 bucks.  When is it your turn to step up.  I have filed mail fraud every time I have gotten a fake return.  You can file online.  

[ed8108]

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@emerald40 wrote:

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@missjen831 wrote:

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@emerald40 wrote:

---

@ed8108 wrote:

---

@justagirl12 wrote:

You’re going to worry yourself over $20? Good grief!

___________________________ seller is acting in the best interests of ebay's honest

sellers and buyers.

Acting in the public interest should be commended not discouraged.

---

But bothering the police for $20 when there have many, many more serious issues to deal with is not.

---

It’s not bothering the police and this kind of report can be taken by non-sworn personnel or filed online. Besides....this is their job. 

__________________________________

I live in a pretty big city for my little state.  And yes, they told me it was a civil matter.

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Police officers are law enforcement not attorneys. 

You may wish to print out from your state's penal law the appropriate sections which may sometimes prove helpful in combating memory loss.

[emerald40]

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@mikeystoyz wrote:

One person getting hosed for 20 bucks is the same thing as 100 people getting hosed for 20 bucks.  When is it your turn to step up.  I have filed mail fraud every time I have gotten a fake return.  You can file online.  

______________________________________________________

Has it gotten you anywhere with ebay?

Was their decision reversed and you got your money back every time?

If it were me, I would wait until it was a sizeable amount to enhance my chances the police will take me seriously and ebay will refund my money.

Is $250 when it goes from a misdemeanor to a felony?

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[rktoyandhobby]

You have this **bleep**'s contact information.  Ask them why they're such an oxygen thief.

[mikeystoyz]

Actually, 20 of us got together a decade ago for 20 to 50 dollar problems from a buyer.  It did get something done.  The more people that get a person on the radar the more the police have to act.  A single person doesnt get much done but a bunch of people do.

[jonathankirkland]

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@justagirl12 wrote:

You’re going to worry yourself over $20? Good grief!

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So that means you will give me $20 then?

And since it's so trivial to you, I am sure you could provide everyone commenting here each with $20?

[mountainmommie]

Twenty bucks is twenty bucks.  Nobody on here can tell anyone else at what point something matters. But you have to run a cost benefit analysis. Most sellers who sell for a long period of time take a hit. We all run into unfair or dishonest people. On both sides of a transaction. I leave eBay for several years at a time because I just get fed up with the whole "thing." 

I'm sorry this happened to you. I'm more sorry for the buyer. Cheating can pay off for a long time. Set a standard for yourself and live with the outcome. Maybe look at it like it cost you $20 to know NOT to deal with this person again.

[kensgiftshop]

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@lindseys_whimsy wrote:

What can I do?  Do I call the police where the buyer lives? Do I report to the Post Office? What are my options? The total order was for around $20 so I don't know if police will do anything.

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I don't know if it would do much good to file a police report, but you can file mail fraud with the USPS.

[grayirongolf]

Its more than $20.  Its Time + Item + The Two Way Shipping Fees + Payment.  

eBay will make you homeless.  Just ask the 300 employees they just laid off.

Putting bum's back into society for their own selfish greed.

[emerald_door]

In addition to the other suggestions, I would also report the buyer to eBay.  If they get multiple reports, they will take some kind of action. 

This might be a pattern with this buyer or it might be their first time, and they'll be moving on to more expensive items since it worked so well this time. 

[baantiques]

Amazing that Ebay knows this is a problem and allows it to happen.

That tells me they are having problems attracting buyers and have a surplus of sellers.

[clu3]

I would report it as mail fraud, a federal offense.  File a complaint with the U.S Postal Inspector and then send a copy to the buyers local police department for good measure.

Even if it wasn't a great loss dollar wise to you, it may be to the next person if the buyer continues to have success with their scam. 

[threshold.sales.group]

Fwiw, I would also go to the Ebay for Business Facebook page and post your story.  Include the statements from the c-s agent(s).  Also, do report the buyer in the eBay system for return fraud.  The current system can only exist in a bubble.  Get the story out of the bubble and almost always the outcome is different.