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

[gramophone-georg]

castlemagicmemories wrote:

I understand but I hope you decide to stay.  

---

I'm not really seeing any incentive for the OP to stay- are you?

Maybe this is one of those unwritten policies in action. If I were the OP I'd be hopping mad, too. 

If all the OP says is true, it would appear that this "buyer" has done this before and knows the ropes.

How ironic that this should happen mere DAYS after Kupbens and Cutler assured us that seller protection was being increased during that podcast.

[reecle_4]

He 100% knew what he was doing.

"25$ stands or eBay will refund me the whole amount for this defective product.
Happy Holidays"

Quoted him in my messages.

[obeecat]

---

@reecle_4 wrote:

He 100% knew what he was doing.

"25$ stands or eBay will refund me the whole amount for this defective product.
Happy Holidays"

Quoted him in my messages.

---

Sorry to hear of your troubles. Computer parts is a tough category as the items are easily and quickly resold after obtained. 

The thing that just kills me is that the scammer accounts are allowed to be used over and over as these thieves just bounce from one seller to the next. Even when the documented evidence is so obvious that the account is being used to steal, over and over and over.  Pitiful. 

[searobbedxl]

If you sell high price electronics on ebay and if you sell about 50 items a month you should expect that 2 of the item will be defrauded.  the cost of selling on ebay.

[thevintageimage]

I had good luck with this at my job.  I looked up the guys local station and spoke with an officer over the phone.  Police drove to his site and talked with him.  Received an email later that day that the item was on the way back to us.

Can't hurt.  They may tell you to file small claims and that may be something to look into too...

[reecle_4]

Thanks I will be calling his local police office too if he does not respond in a few days. Seems to be ignoring my messages.

[second-chance-sa1es]

still reading the thread but I dont know where 'else' you would go. the other big e commerce platform the one that starts with an A is WAY WAY WAY WAY worse.

[polishyournails]

Talk about insult to injuty. What a shame that the original dickey's seller didn't file a police report for the theft. Pretty sure a judge in small claims court would have taken a different view versus the one taken by eBay regarding the OBVIOUS theft in that case

[theofficefan4life]

Here's my 2 cents. Ebay could protect sellers and bring fraud down to almost none so easily just by implementing a system that allows a SELLER to BLOCK potential BUYERS who have had "x" amount of SNAD claims. I'm not saying there aren't legitimate times when a seller sends the wrong item, etc. But scammers are INCENTIVISED TO STEAL when there's no protection for SELLERS. Not to involve politics, but it's kind of like how countries with gun bans have a higher crime rate. Ebay, in a sense has taken away all means of self-defense from sellers. GIVE SELLERS THE ABILITY TO BLOCK SOMEONE WITH MULTIPLE SNADS AND THE INCENTIVE TO STEAL WILL DECREASE DRAMATICALLY. Again, just my opinion.

[reecle_4]

As a quick update I have gone through 5+ more ebay employees. They all told me since the case is closed there is nothing they can do. I have called paypal as well and they cannot do anything for sellers at all - only buyers.

Even though ebay made a mistake, and turned it into a refund request even after I accepted the return.

I managed to trick the buyer, and get him on call. He was very scared when I called, but then later sent me an email telling me to screw off. I have filed a claim now. Have yet to contact a local police department.