Buyer scammed me out of $160, made up false information, and recieved no return.

[reecle_4]

While writing this I am **bleep**, I am angry, and I never want to sell on ebay again. It is a shame I cannot call them as it is 10PM but I am completely unsure what to do.

I sold a few used graphics cards. One of the buyers immediately opened a refund request after I had shipped an item. They said they did not receive it. I told them the shipment will arrive soon and provided the tracking number again. I asked him to please close the request. He declined to close the request.

The buyer received the graphics card on Dec 22nd. He immediately went back to the request and gave a full speech on how he is a certified technician deeming that my graphics card tested to prior shipment was defective and wanted a refund. He told me I packaged it incorrectly with non anti-static bubble wrap.

I was using anti-static bubble wrap. I asked him what was wrong, and offered to help via teamviewer as it will probably a easy fix. He told me there were artifacts everywhere and wanted a refund immediately. I offered support once again, and wanted photos of the artifacts. He could not provided photos and declined all support. He then sent a photo of the AMD driver software failing to install. This is a common issue if you do not uninstall your old graphics driver.

So the card is working I said, there is not issue - you just have a drive problem. It was fixed. I sent him instructions.

He then demanded a $50 refund. He wanted $50 or he was going to give me negative feedback. I said no, it is in working condition. His case was closed by ebay.

A day later he opened another request saying my title was wrong - it was not. I had in the title 4GB as the model, on the photo, and in the description in bold. He was trying to get a $50 refund and claiming my listing was all wrong. It was not - it was  correct. Ebay closed his second  case.

He continued to threaten me saying he would get a full refund, and would not ship the graphics card back. Guess what? Ebay said they would give him a shipping label then he will ship it back and he will be given a refund. I said sure. No problem have this dude send this back I don't want to deal with some guy trying to scam me out of my money.

The next day the case was closed, and elevated into a REFUND CASE. The buyer was sent A FULL REFUND OF $160 AND DOES NOT HAVE TO SEND THE GRAPHICS CARD BACK.

I am now out of $160 because this dude made up a bunch of false accusations. I was on the phone with ebay 3 - 5 different times trying to solve this. HOW CAN THEY REFUND A BUYER WITHOUT THE BUYER SHIPPING MY ITEM BACK REGARDLESS? THIS IS A SCAM.

I cannot express how angry I am - how this guy was able to get all his money back and now my working graphics card. I am at the point of going to the police if ebay is unable to solve this for me.

tl;dr

> buyer opens case claiming didnt recieve

> buyer recieves item

> buyer claims it is defective

> buyer does not want to ship it back

> buyer wants a refund of $50

> buyer cannot provide proof of it being defective

> buyers case closed

> buyers case opened again claiming listing was wrong

> buyer threatens me with neg feedback and getting a full refund

if I do not refund him $50

> ebay sent shipping label

> buyer appeals

> buyer gets immediate refund of $160

> buyer keeps the item

> the item is working. I am angry

[threshold.sales.group]

Normally yes, but if the OP's "buyer" calls c-s angry and gets a accommodating rep, I think it's entirely possible a second case opens up or more likely the decision on the first case is reversed to now favor the buyer.  

[myangelandmyprincess]

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@threshold.sales.group wrote:

Normally yes, but if the OP's "buyer" calls c-s angry and gets a accommodating rep, I think it's entirely possible a second case opens up or more likely the decision on the first case is reversed to now favor the buyer.  

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A buyer cAn appeal and eBay refund the buyer but a seller will never know about the appeal even occurring it's just like when a seller appeals and gets refunded.  I've never heard of second case or one reopened so I think there is confusion about what actually happened.  Maybe the buyer request was just for the partial refund the first time and the op denying that escalated the case.  Maybe it was just that the second case was an "escalated case" not a second case. I see that being far more likely as I've heard people be confused by that before.  Never heard of a second case 

[southernsun-56]

Did you actually issue a return label to the buyer?

[reecle_4]

I spoke to multiple ebay and paypal reps being transferred to everyone for over an hour at 5am in the morning.

Also, yes the buyer opened up 3 cases over this whole situation. Ebay confirmed.

I managed to get ahold of a ebay case expert. He tried to lie to me and tell me it is my fault that I did not contact ebay. I contacted ebay 4 times over the phone, and responded to every request. He then retracted that statement. He told me there is nothing he can do. They cannot do anything since the case is closed, and they have to follow their strict policies.

He then told me if he were in my shoes he would not know what to do, and I have every right to be angry. THere are a lot of scammers on ebay he says. This is what I have gathered from our conversation. If a buyer opens a request for a refund YOU must give him a refund. If the buyer wants to return YOU must return the product. If the buyer wants a full refund without shipping it back YOU must give a partial refund no matter the excuse.

Essentially if I want to make my $160 back all I have to do is purchase a few $100 items, open a case, and get a partial refund, or claim I cannot ship the item back for a full/instant partial refund no matter the issue. The sellers must follow these rules and guides.

The worse part is a shipping label was sent by ebay, and they told me everything would be fine then the next day it was a refund case because the buyer decided he did not want to ship it back. This means their regular guides and standards may not be as transparent as you'd think. As a rep told me over the phone "this is just a computer generated message" with regards to the whole return process.

I will be filing a police report with the IC3 as ebay told me to do if the buyer does not respond to my message in the next few days. I will be giving him a phone call too.

I won't be selling here again.

[rainbowcolorz]

@reecle_4, are you aware you're not allowed to leave a negative comment for a buyer, no matter what the buyer did?  I know it probably doesn't seem fair, but this is eBay's playing field.  Regardless of where you go, you will (or may) have problems if you do not follow their rules.   I wish you the best of luck.  

[reecle_4]

I followed their rules, and they even said I did a great job handling the situation. I was patient the entire time. Never once said anything bad about the buyer. I left feedback on the buyer after this which was negative and he managed to change it to positive feedback.

I'm not that new, been here for years and sold 10+ items. Just new to the underside of how to scam on ebay.

[castlemagicmemories]

Wow, I am so sorry this happened to you.

[castlemagicmemories]

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@reecle_4 wrote:
I followed their rules, and they even said I did a great job handling the situation. I was patient the entire time. Never once said anything bad about the buyer. I left feedback on the buyer after this which was negative and he managed to change it to positive feedback.

I'm not that new, been here for years and sold 10+ items. Just new to the underside of how to scam on ebay.

*****************************************************************************************

Sellers have not been allowed to post negative feedback for buyers since 2008.  Buyers who call CS can get the negative removed and it is a violation for the seller. 

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[reecle_4]

Oh wow. I was unaware of this from the beginning about the feedback. I really feel bad for all the sellers on ebay.

I knew ebay was on the buyers side, but I didn't know it was this bad where I can't even leave feedback on a buyer that extorted me, scammed me, ect. This really is a goldmine for fraud.

[castlemagicmemories]

I understand, but sellers were abusing it by negging buyers in response to an honest neg that the buyer  left, in retaliation.  Good buyers were upset and some wouldn't buy here anymore.  So Ebay stopped the abuse and removed the ability to neg a buyer~to keep good buyers buying here.

Since you mainly meet your buyer when they have won or bought, it didn't serve the purpose many thought it did.

[dr.clockenstien]

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@reecle_4 wrote:
I followed their rules, and they even said I did a great job handling the situation. I was patient the entire time. Never once said anything bad about the buyer. I left feedback on the buyer after this which was negative and he managed to change it to positive feedback.

I'm not that new, been here for years and sold 10+ items. Just new to the underside of how to scam on ebay.

---

Basically, ebay assisted in another theft. 

They have been reckless since day one with all of this.

How is all this even legal?

ebay really knows how to put the A$$ in assist...

Really sorry this happened to you.

[reecle_4]

I see. There could definitely be an improvement since from the outside of the ebay wall it is very one sided.

That being said I guess I am done here hopefully this thread helps some sellers stuck here. I wish I went through the original post to help highlight some things but I was pretty tired and upset. If I manage to  get the item back ill post an update but it looks like that wont be happening.

Will end up closing my ebay account for good, and filing that police report in a few days.

Thanks everyone for the help - you helped more than ebay did.

[dr.clockenstien]

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@reecle_4 wrote:

I see. There could definitely be an improvement since from the outside of the ebay wall it is very one sided.

That being said I guess I am done here hopefully this thread helps some sellers stuck here. I wish I went through the original post to help highlight some things but I was pretty tired and upset. If I manage to  get the item back ill post an update but it looks like that wont be happening.

Will end up closing my ebay account for good, and filing that police report in a few days.

Thanks everyone for the help - you helped more than ebay did.

---

If you ever think of selling again,  know this.

Everybody has an account everywhere, not just ebay.

I have finally had some of my old customers from here, find me where I am now.

It will just take time, and ebay will send them away for you.   : )

[castlemagicmemories]

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@reecle_4 wrote:

Oh wow. I was unaware of this from the beginning about the feedback. I really feel bad for all the sellers on ebay.

I knew ebay was on the buyers side, but I didn't know it was this bad where I can't even leave feedback on a buyer that extorted me, scammed me, ect. This really is a goldmine for fraud

******************************************************************************************

When a seller goes to post feedback, there isn't an option showing for negative.  It only brings up a positive format, which indicates that posting a negative is not allowed.  To post a negative comment within the positive format is a violation; since negative for buyers are no longer allowed, they removed the option in feedback.  Thus you have to post a negative comment within a positive format if you are determined, and that can be removed and a violation is given to the seller.

Sorry.

[castlemagicmemories]

I understand but I hope you decide to stay.