Buyers scamming sellers on Returns - Help is this done often?

[timetofind2017]

I have been a member of Ebay for less than 3 months, I have had a couple issues with some buyers.  My first issue was that I sold a telescope to a guy in Canada, this was a high powered telescope.  He also purchased this using the Global SHipping program.  He messaged me after opening a case and stated that the disc did not work, I of course offered to get him a replacement and send it to him which he refused, then not only did he cuss me he asked me what drugs I was smoking.  He was very hard to deal with and I contacted Ebay  concerning the messages they did nothing,  I also reported him using the report a buyer feature.  After receiving the telescope back I recorded opening the package, the same box as I sent it to him.  He had sent it back without any packaging and when I opened it I noticed that there were pieces laying in the box..  After inspection he had removed the battery pack and eye piece and there was screws laying in the box.. I messaged the seller right away and asked why he had taken items off of the telescope.  Also, I played the disc and it worked fine also sending the pictures of everything.  The buyer claimed that customs takes apart items and blammed them for taking items off of it.  I had contacted Ebay and they said there was nothing I could do because they cannot see the item that was returned or verify it. I basically had to refund the buyer and there was nothing I could do but list this as parts.

Then I just  had another buyer purchase a curved gaming monitor 38 inch that was listed FOR PARTS OR NON WORKING, the  monitor worked but when you turned it on there was a line down the right side.  He had sent me a message wanting to return it and the serial number was off.  I knew he was going to be a problem from that point.  He returned the monitor and just as I suspected sent me a different monitor.  I plugged it in and the whole screen was busted up. I was looking at the buyers feedback and feedback he left for others and apparently he has left sellers negative feedback and claimed they sent him different items.  He has done this before and several times he has called sellers fraud..  I also contacted Ebay concerning this and they had me do a report with trust and safety.  I dont know what will be the outcome of this but Im sure Ill be stuck with an item that isnt even mine.  

I am really fed up with this already, I pay in over $1000 in fees a month and in less than 3 months I have been scammed 2 times and with NO Seller protection.  I cannot afford to keep doing this and losing money on high dollar items. 

[kensgiftshop]

It happens all the time and there isn't much sellers can do about it, can't even leave true feedback for those buyers.

[orangehound]

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@timetofind2017 wrote:

I am really fed up with this already, I pay in over $1000 in fees a month and in less than 3 months I have been scammed 2 times and with NO Seller protection.  I cannot afford to keep doing this and losing money on high dollar items. 

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All businesses have losses.  But, what is surprising to me is that you've only had two problems.  What I mean is, that if you have paid $3000 to eBay in those three months, then this translates to something like $30,000 in sales (probably more).

But, you only have two losses that total about $250?  That doesn't seem like too much to absorb.

[never2old2learn53]

I feel your pain. I've been selling for 9 years and I have noticed the shams are getting more and more prevalent. I sell skincare and cosmetics and they always start out saying the product is fake, then threaten you with negative feedback. It's sad but the seller has no protection from eBay these days! I can see why so many sellers have jumped ship and gone with Amazon.

[rei-npkrlma]

Consider yourself fully initiated into the system!

I'm sorry for you and for every seller that gets diddled from these ne'er-do-well buyers just looking for ways to scam us, but it's a fact of life when selling on eBay and believe me, it took me a while to come to grips with that fact and it still rankles me when I just know a rip off - you get a sense for it when it's happened a few times.  Block those buyers immediately! It won't help your current transaction,  but will avoid any future issues with that buyer. I know from experience some will come back and try it again once they've suckered you using the buyer-friendly return system.

Sounds like you're doing well otherwise, so I'm afraid you may have to chalk it up to experience, look for ways to avoid situations like this - accept that's not 100% possible and just carry on doing your best . Sounds like you are a good seller. Keep focused on that and enjoy the good buyers you get. I know I appreciate them more than ever! 🙂 Good luck to you.

[ciadpreston]

The same happened to me today. I sold an item equalling £281 to a chap who then opened a refund stating that the item wasn't new as I had posted. I accepted the return to avoid any conflict knowing too well that I could relist the item. The item that the buyer returned wasn't the item that I had sold, the serial numbers were completely different and many characteristics of the device were different also, oh and the returned device was in bits!

I lodged an appeal with eBay and posted my evidence, yet they still denied my appeal and refunded the buyer. All they had to say was that they 'were sorry my item didn't return in the condition it was sent'.

I am absolutely livid.

[frenchconnectionspares12]

We sell used car parts and get a few sendinfg back there old used item but the worst is for overseas sales they open a return request state the item is faulty but don't return it and don't respond to any messages yet eBay find in there favour give them there money back just because they state faulty goods so they get the goods which we are sure are fine and get there money back . Ebay do not protect the sellers who after all are the ones that they get there money from !!!!! 

[was91]

Buyers buy used items,pay for used items then open a case when dont dont receive a NEW item. There is an increasing abuse of the returns program to stick the seller with shipping in both directions and the seller has no power on ebay. I'm looking into Amazon now and I'm an ebay stockholder!

[timetofind2017]

That avoided what I was asking. It doesn't matter how much I have made on other items. I am not in the business to lose on anything espically higher dollar items. I have had some people wanting to return some electronics due to them not liking the sound of a speaker or thinking an item was something different than what they got etc... I usually handle cases fair and in some cases the buyer pays the shipping. No problem! My issue is the ones buying items and returning different merchandise and the person claiming buyers sent wrong items and leaving 6 buyers in months neg. feedback saying the same exact thing! So you mean to tell me 6 buyers sent the wrong item?? LOL that was my issue not how much I am making

[greenscatermari]

Because of this I have stated that if original labels are removed it would only get half the refund and there's a 20% restock fee as well

[jdm-rhd-auto]

we had many problem like that, and just recently,

I just sold a JDM (Japan domestic market ) transmission, the buyer installed and removed oursticker and stick it to his old transmission and asked us our transmission does not work, and wanted to return by threathening us to make a charge back and leave negative feedback.

We showed the pictures to ebay, ebay played **bleep** saying that she does not know if we shipped the actual transmission in the first place. We said, if we did not shipped the JDM Transmission how come our sticker got in the buyer's hand and howcome it was sticked to the USA version transmission. She replied she does not care.

Ebay likes the 10% profit, and beside that does not give a **bleep**, it does not ebay go by its rules.

[jdm-rhd-auto]

it happen to us in a regular manner, and ebay knows that. It seems that ebay is outdated and will not properly function to find a solution its system hole, so the buyer take advantage of it.

[jdm-rhd-auto]

before people were saying that ebay is ALWAYS siding one way "buyer", but I was avoiding that. Now, it became the unbelievable reality.
I think fraud became a way of life for some people and eBay encourages it through buyers.

[mredssalvage]

Yes it is real problem, and you have to stay on top of every case. That said it is a problem for B&M business as well. There you at least have a face to face meeting.

[phenscoop2012]

I've been here a many years and been scammed once before and that was by another seller who knew exactly how to manipulate the system and get a free item.  I don't sell high end but I sympathize with you all that do.  I'm all about customer service and work with my buyers if something goes wrong.  This year I had a scammer that instead of going through eBay or Paypal went directly to her pay source and told them she hadn't received the item.  Yikes, PayPal took the money of course but also charged me a fee charged to them by her bank of $20.  Ridiculous, I still have a missing package claim with the post office and await them finding it.  I delivered two packages on the same day to the post office and one never got tracked.   Sadly, I contacted her through eBay and PayPal several times that I would send a duplicate item, which I did and it was delivered but she never responded.  eBay listened, PayPal should have given me the benefit of the doubt.  Oddly when I got the first notification from PayPal they told me to do nothing but then a week later another email I only had a week to respond ... I called and told them I was sending a duplicate but by then they accessed the $20 fee on me ... So she stole from me and I believe both packages were delivered because the post office supervisor said many times the tracking scan doesn't work but the package still gets delivered.  So we're all just hangin out waiting for missing mail to end the investigation.   I have great buyers but it's these one or two that really make you feel the burn especially when they sell on eBay!